Any media organization's or individual's original work can be considered for publication on NEWz. Contributors may submit content as frequently as they'd like. Selected stories run in full or in summary. There are several different ways to publish your work on NEWz:
SPEAK UP!
For personal commentaries, photos and videos, you can post them yourself on the public Speak Up! section of the site by clicking the icon below:
[1]
This is the public forum portion of the site, and is not mediated by the editor.
However, content that is deemed objectionable by the editors, or does not meet NEWz's mission [2], will be removed from the site. Because NEWz is a small, volunteer organization, we cannot accept responsibility for this content.
NEWS STORIES, AUDIO, VIDEO CLIPS OR PHOTOS
Interested in contributing news stories, photos, or professional quality content to the main section of the NEWz?.
Read our guidelines (below), then send your content to editor@ethnicnewz.org [3] in a universal file format (such as .rtf, .jpg, .wav) attachment. Please include your name, a brief description of how you wish to be identified, and both email and phone contact information.
BECOMING A MEDIA PARTNER
Our Ethnic Media Partners provide most of the content for the site. Media Partners are welcome to submit as many pieces as they'd like. The editor selects some of these stories each week to run in full or in summary. If you wish to become a Media Partner, email the editor: editor@ethnicnewz.org [4].
YOUTH CONTRIBUTORS
Win a cash prize or even a scholarship to UMass Boston!
NEWz works with various high schools and youth-oriented writing programs to publish the best young writers and photographers in the region. In addition, youth (of all ages) are welcome to submit their own personal stories, photos and essays directly to NEWz. The best high school senior contributors each year-who submit at least five contributions published in NEWz, and maintain a 3.2 grade average--will be considered for the cash prize sponsored by The Boston Globe Foundation and a full scholarship and fees to attend the University of Massachusetts Boston. This scholarship is renewable each year for four years for winners who maintain their 3.2 grade average and continue to contribute to NEWz.
If you want to submit an item, send it to EDITOR@ETHNICNEWZ.ORG [5]. Be sure to put "youth contributor" inthe subject field. See "guidelines for contributors" below.
Writing Tips
Here are some topics for young writers to consider:
• Your reaction to the news, your relationship to the news of the day
• What you are observing or feeling about your cultural identity.
• How do you observe and feel differences, and similarities?
• What are the random acts of discrimination you see or experience?
• How do you encounter violence and what do you think about it?
• How do our social relationships have to do with the cultures we carry around with us?
• What is my identity? How much of it have I chosen for myself, and how much was handed to me?
• What do I want my identity to be?
We will publish the best entries each week in our Youth section. Youth also are welcome to use the Speak UP! section of the site, but this is not part of the awards competition.
GUIDELINES FOR CONTRIBUTORS
The editor selects the best stories, columns, photos, audio/video clips, and community comments based on timeliness, originality, clarity, and relevance to the site's mission. The work must be your own original work, and attributable to you. You are responsible for the quality of your own work. We are particularly interested in short-form writing (up to 200 or 250 words and photographs that reflect New England's diverse ethnic communities.
All submissions MUST be original work created by you. Submitted stories may be features, hard news, opinion, profiles and interviews, business-related, or investigative.
You, the original source, are responsible for the accuracy and quality of the content provided. All content is attributed to the original source and hot-linked back to the source's website if applicable.
Nothing will be posted without the inclusion of your name and town, however, please let us know if you wish to keep your contact information private.
NEWz will not grant any reprinting or redistribution of media partner/contributor provided work without that individual/partner's permission and full attribution.
NON-ENGLISH SUBMISSIONS
If possible, please give us a few sentences in English to tell us what your story is about. Selected stories will be translated into English from Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese and Haitian. Or if we cannot find a translator, we can post the English summary on our site with a link to your full story in the original Web location and language.
Your own full English translations from any language are always welcome.
Please read [guidelines] before submitting your stories.
GUIDELINES FOR SUBMISSIONS
Standards and Ethics
• As in any news organization, the NEWz editorial staff makes the final decision on what is published on our website, with due respect to all who offer their work and to our audiences.
• The work you submit must be your original work. You are required to take full legal and ethical responsibility for it.
• If facts have not been checked, and you are not 100% sure of the accuracy of information provided, please do not submit your content.
• NEWz follows "best practice" professional guidelines. These rules require that NEWz content be independent, transparent in its motives and work ethic, and without inappropriate or hidden agendas. We will not publish content that is designed to serve as a commercial message or political advertisement.
• As is the "best practice" in professional mainstream media around the world, our site presents news and opinion separately.
• Opinions should be fairly expressed, attributed by name, and aiming for a civil discourse.
News content
Preference will be given to stories that:
• Discuss a trend/issue that has not surfaced in mainstream media
• Chronicle changes to an area (neighborhood, town, etc.) with a large ethnic population
• Report on high-profile minority/immigrant owned businesses or market trends
• Uncover or report on cases of discrimination or harassment by officials, police, employers, etc.
• Investigate or report on crimes particular to a population or ethnic community
• Reveal abuses of power that affect an ethnic community
• Discuss news of social services/social service providers for particular community
• Chronicle the history of an ethnic community or an important person within a community
• Discuss local reaction to a national/international event
• Do not fit any of these but are compelling and well-written
NEWz does not prefer stories that:
• Make assertions that are not adequately supported by facts
• Are presented as news but are in fact opinion
• Appear sensational or exaggerated
• Are not sufficiently significant
SUPPORT
Donate! We are a nonprofit group of volunteers and part-timers, working out of UMass Boston and the MIT Media Lab.
We are operating thanks to the financial generosity of the McCormick Tribune Foundation, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation, Metro West Health Foundation, the UMass President's Office, The UMass Technology Program, UMass Boston's McCormack Graduate School,, and the Ford Foundation.
Your donations of any size are needed! To contribute, please send a check made out to Center on Media and Society/NEWz and mail it to Nancy Riordan, Healey Library 10th floor, McCormack Graduate School, University of Massachusetts Boston, 100 Morrissey Blvd., Boston, MA 02125. For more information about donating, contact us at 617 287 5550.