If you are considering contributing to Exeter Observer please see our contributors guide.
We use Signal for all our team communications, including story text and photography submission.
Please send messages as below from a smartphone, tablet or computer to this number:
This number does not receive ordinary mobile network calls or texts.
Text
Please submit text to Exeter Observer via Signal and NOT via email.
Please either paste text directly into a Signal message edit box or attach a markdown file to a Signal message and NOT as an attached Word document or via Google Docs or similar.
Please ensure that each paragraph is separated by a line break, as follows:
This is the first sentence in a news story. This is the second. And a third makes up the first paragraph of the story.
This is a second paragraph, beginning after a line break has clearly separated the first paragraph from the one which follows.
And here is a third paragraph, also separated from its predecessor by a line break. This one, unlike the second paragraph, has a second sentence. And a third.
Please also use Markdown link syntax for hyperlinks. It looks like this:
An example sentence in which [an example link](https://example.org) is included.
You can indicate the position of photos or graphics in the text, or insert notes for editors, using square brackets:
[photo goes here]
[infographic at https://flourish.studio/examples/ goes here]
[quote from source TBC after interview]
Any typographic features such as bold or italic text will be determined during editing.
No double spaces, please!
If you would like to submit a news brief or feature outline, please format as follows:
HOOK: text goes here
VALUE: text goes here
PUBLIC INTEREST: text goes here
etc.
Photos
Please submit photographs to Exeter Observer as Signal attachments and NOT via email or Dropbox or similar.
Photos should be in jpg, png or tiff format and must be at least 800px x 450px @ 240dpi. Ideally they should be at least 1920px x 1080px @ 350dpi.
Please send original, uncompressed images if possible: editors will crop to the correct aspect ratio and compress the files to appropriate sizes for web and/or print publication.
If you are submitting photographs that you have not taken yourself, you must confirm that the copyright holder has given permission for their use.
Such images must be accompanied by appropriate use permission, license and origin information, such as a link to a web page which clearly indicates these usage rights and which will allow Exeter Observer to appropriately credit the copyright holder.
Images of children under sixteen can only normally be used with the consent of their parent or guardian. If in doubt, do not submit such images.
Videos
Videos can be embedded on the website via the Exeter Observer Vimeo account by arrangement.
If you are not the copyright owner, you must confirm that use permission has been granted in the same way as above.
Infographics
Infographics created using Flourish can be imported into Exeter Observer’s newsroom account and published from there.
You can use a free account to create an infographic then send the URL of your project to import.
Alternatively, you can share your account URL (e.g. https://app.flourish.studio/@username) and indicate which project you want to use.
Please see our contributor guide on multimedia collateral & copyright for more information and get in touch if you are unsure about any aspect of the above.
