The 15th Street News and The 6420 welcome and encourage letters to the editor. Letters should be a maximum of 300 words and are subject to editing for obscenity, clarity and space. Submissions must include name, major and phone number. Rose State Media Group reserves the right to not publish submitted letters.
Letters to the editor may be hand-delivered to FA110 or emailed to 15thstreetnews@gmail.com.
Anyone having a complaint may contact the Editor-in-Chief, 15thstreetnews@gmail.com.
File Format:
Preferred Formats: JPEG, TIFF, or PNG and in CMYK.
Resolution: Photos should be at least 300 dpi at the final print size. This ensures high-quality reproduction.
File Size: Minimum of 1 MB for clarity, but large files are acceptable if needed for high-quality prints.
Naming Convention: Name photos clearly and descriptively (e.g., “John_Doe_Community_Event.jpg”).
Photo Specifications:
Captions: Provide concise captions (100–150 words) including the names of people, locations and context.
Rights and Permissions: You must have full ownership of the photo or written permission from the photographer to submit it. This applies especially to copyrighted work.
No watermarks: Photos should not contain any visible watermarks, logos or text overlays unless part of the original image.
Photo Credits:
Always provide the name of the photographer (or “Staff photo” if applicable) to accompany the image.
File Format:
Preferred Format: Word document (.doc, .docx) or Google Docs link. Text must be submitted in a plain text format without any special formatting (e.g., no bold, italics, or underlined text).
No PDF Submissions.
Word Count:
News Articles: 300–500 words for a standard news story.
Feature Articles: 600–1,500 words, depending on depth and importance.
Formatting:
Headline: Include a suggested headline for the story (max 10 words).
Written in AP Style.
Lead Paragraph: The first paragraph should answer the 5 Ws (Who, What, Where, When, Why).
Subheadings: For longer stories, break them up into sections using subheadings.
Paragraphs: Use short paragraphs for readability (3–5 sentences per paragraph).
Spacing: Double-space the body of the article. Do not add extra spaces between paragraphs.
Font: Use a standard, readable font (e.g., Times New Roman, Arial) at size 12.
Attribution: Clearly attribute quotes, statistics and any external information to credible sources.
Copyright:
Ownership: Writers should submit original work. All submitted content should be free of third-party copyright restrictions unless properly licensed.
Permission to Use: By submitting your work, you grant the publication the exclusive right to use the content in print and online formats, unless otherwise agreed upon.
No Plagiarism: Submissions must be free of plagiarism. Any quoted material, statistics, or sourced information must be properly attributed to its original source. Plagiarism will result in immediate rejection and possible blacklisting.
No AI-Generated Content:
The use of AI-generated content is not allowed unless explicitly stated and disclosed as part of the submission. Any content created by AI without full human oversight will be rejected.
Fair Use:
Be cautious when using third-party content (e.g., photos, videos, quotes, or statistics). Use the Fair Use doctrine sparingly, and always seek permission or credit the source.
Story and Photo Approval:
Editing Rights: The publication reserves the right to edit submitted content for style, length, and clarity. Writers may be asked to approve major changes before publication.
Fact-Checking: All submitted content must be factually accurate. Ensure accuracy by verifying all details with reliable sources.
Pitches and Ideas:
If submitting a story pitch or idea, provide a brief summary (200–300 words) explaining the angle, why it's newsworthy, and any potential sources.
Include your contact information and any prior work samples if applicable.
Deadlines:
Adhere to all deadlines. Late submissions may be rejected or postponed to a later issue. Publications often work on tight schedules, so timely submission is critical.