The events surrounding Professor Arday – and the deeply troubling nature of some of the public and media treatment he experienced – must compel everyone working in journalism, communications and storytelling to reflect. This includes us.
At Sounddelivery Media, people trust us with experiences that may be deeply personal, painful or traumatic. We regard that trust as a privilege. A person’s lived experience is more than a story to be told. Experiences are part of our lives and identity, and a valuable source of knowledge and expertise.
Behind every headline is a human being. Words have consequences. Good storytelling should combine rigorous journalism with humanity, recognising the potential impact that sharing someone’s experiences can have on their life and wellbeing.
We make six commitments to the people we work alongside.
1. We’ll put humanity and dignity first
We’ll treat every person with compassion and respect. We’ll value people for the insight and expertise they bring, while recognising that no one should be defined by their experiences.
2. We’ll support people to make informed choices
We’ll explain why someone’s story is being requested and, where we can, how it may be used. We believe in press freedom, which means we’ll be honest that we can’t control how an interview is reported or received. We’ll help people understand the potential benefits and risks, set their own boundaries and feel prepared for what may follow.
3. We’ll handle experiences responsibly
We’ll represent people’s experiences accurately, fairly and in context. We’ll use language and framing that respects the person and their experiences, and challenges harmful stereotypes.
4. We’ll prioritise privacy and wellbeing
We’ll handle personal information responsibly and respect agreed boundaries around confidentiality. We’ll take a trauma-informed approach, supporting people to consider the potential emotional and practical impact that sharing lived experience may have.
5. We’ll always listen and learn
We want people to feel able to tell us when something isn’t right. We’ll listen to concerns, take them seriously and act on what we learn. We’ll continue to develop our approach with the people we support, recognising that ethical storytelling requires us to keep listening, reflecting and improving.
6. We’ll advocate for ethical media engagement
When we connect people with journalists, we’ll encourage approaches that respect their dignity and agency. We’ll work with journalists and media organisations to champion responsible, trauma-informed engagement and strengthen how the media engages with people with lived experience.
Our immediate commitment
This statement represents Sounddelivery Media’s immediate commitment to the people we support. It will guide our programmes, communications, media relationships and partnerships.
But this is only a starting point. We’ll now work with lived experience leaders, journalists and partners to listen and explore how we can help create more ethical approaches to storytelling. We want to understand where change is needed and the role we can play in making it happen.
We want to take action and help build a culture of storytelling that puts humanity back at its heart.