International news
Editor: David Scott
Deputy editor: Amelia Newcomb
Preferred e-mail(s) for inquiries: Appropriate regional editor (see below), with copy to Amelia Newcomb
Overview
The Monitor has long been valued for its thoughtful and balanced coverage of world affairs. Stringers make an essential contribution toward that end with the incisive analysis and vivid description that comes with on-the-ground reporting. Writing for us has its challenges: Our deadlines are early; we require lively, concise writing that sets events in context; and we expect you to back up your analysis with the voices of intelligent observers and to enliven your stories with a sense of place.
Best opportunities for freelancers
We are almost always disappointed with a spot-news, day-one account of a news event. Our readers like us because we step back, sum up, and look ahead. Monitor coverage – though you may have to write it before journalists from other US dailies file their day-one stories – almost always has to read like a day-two analysis.
How to pitch and follow up
For stories that aren't tied to breaking events, we prefer a written pitch. Please e-mail us a brief description of the story, specifying the number of words you think you need and when you could deliver it. E-mail addresses and fax numbers are listed below. Transmitting approved stories: E-mail the story or phone us if you need to make other arrangements.
Copy deadline for news is 7 a.m. EST the day before publication. This is an inflexible deadline; we make final decisions on the content of the next day's paper at 8:00 a.m. EST. If you foresee a problem delivering a perishable story on time, you must call us at 7 a.m., and we will discuss how to proceed. The rule to remember: You must file or call at 7 a.m. Boston time.
If news happens after 7 a.m., we nonetheless appreciate a call. In certain circumstances we can make arrangements to take stories as late as 10 a.m. or make changes to stories in hand as late as noon.
Regional contacts (all numbers in area code 1-617)
International News Editor: Dave Scott 450-2410
Asst. Int'l News Editor: Amelia Newcomb 450-2440
Regional editors
Europe/Former USSR: Dan Murphy 450-2407
Latin America/Africa: Matt Clark 450-2433
Asia: Carol Huang
Middle East: Christa Case Bryant 450-2415
Foreign desk fax: 450-7506
Payment and expenses
In commissioning a piece from you, it is understood that we will pay the costs you incur in discussing the piece with us, before and after filing, and the costs you incur in transmitting the story to us. We do not pay filing and communication costs associated with on-spec pieces unless we accept the story.
All other expenses – travel, long-distance phone costs for your reporting, or anything else – must be approved in advance of expenditure. In other words, you must estimate what these costs will be and receive our approval before you proceed to spend the money. Otherwise we will not reimburse it to you.
We do not accept material produced by journalists receiving benefits (such as free travel) from any entity or person who could be perceived as an interested party to the story in question. So if you are proposing to travel from your place of residence and write stories for us on your trip, we will want to know who is funding your travel.
Please note
Until we commission a story from you, you may not represent yourself to officials, sources, or credentialing authorities (or anyone else, for that matter) as a representative of The Christian Science Monitor. Until we designate you as our stringer in a particular locality, you may not identify yourself as a Monitor writer in researching a prospective piece prior to pitching it to us. And you may not identify yourself as a Monitor writer for the purpose of obtaining a visa or a credential as a resident correspondent from a foreign government without the express written consent of the International News Editor.
Obviously, once we have established a relationship, you have more leeway in identifying yourself as the Monitor's representative. Nonetheless, we ask that you do so judiciously.
More information here.
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