THE COLD LIPS CODE

Cold Lips established our own Code of Conduct based on Kirsty Allison’s lectures in media ethics between 2012 and 2015, and experience as a freelance journalist starting off at Loaded, Dazed, Muzik, X and Scene in the mid-90s before broadcasting with the BBC and writing for titles such as The Guardian, Elle, NME and working as the Off The Floor editor at DJMag 2015-2020 and Editor-in-chief of Ambit, 2020-2023.

To be agreed by contributors in return for the Cold Lips’ Press Pass:

1.) Facts – this is what we hang our stories from, unless it is fiction – and even so, fiction reads as fact, and images spark fiction.

2.) Style – is everything. 

3.) Clarity is everything else. In poetry. In all communication. 

4.) Time of our readers and viewers is to be respected. Never waffle on in your own cloud unless it’s serving the story. To paraphrase George Orwell: “Always cut words that do not need to be there, hold your sword vengeance in every sentence.  And go for short words rather than long, unless rhythm and purpose are at risk.”

5.) Interview and listen. And quote verbatim – it is the privilege of access to demonstrate the language of a person’s culture. Never lose context.

6.) Public interest is a spectrum which we defend. Our right to speak freely is our fight. Opinion is rooted from Truth, Equality, Equity & Diversity – always, and the right to reply.

7.) We derive our own content before taking what (to all attempts and purposes) appears available to all in the public sphere.  Our obligation is always to creators. All work’s copyright remains with the createurs and contributors.

8.) PR wrangling and personal liaisons are complex and to be considered. Sources are protected. Associations are our blood – but incest is not required. ie. we take our responsibility to apply The Cold Lips code to everything we publish.

9.) Research dances highest on our hegemonic podium – to steal is to thieve from one source, to research is to steal from many. We do our best to serve a fact-checked Truth.

10.) We are active, original, never passive. WE ARE COLD LIPS, we are strong, and the relationship between contributor & editor is private – until we publish.