Membership

NowPublic’s members are the crowd that powers our news — a diverse international group of writers, journalists, photographers, videographers and news junkies who report, discover and share news that matters to them. Through eyewitness stories, photographs, videos, voice reports, and highlighted news stories from around the world, our global network of members is crowdsourcing the next generation of online news.

Our community features several different kinds of members: Contributors, Editors, Wranglers, and NowPublic’s Editorial Team. All members of NowPublic have access to our powerful set of digital reporting tools that allow them to post stories and organize the news as they see it.

NowPublic members also earn points in our Member Ranking system for their contributions to the site. NowPublic members start out as Contributors but, if they have been active, trusted site members for a while, they are able to gain additional privileges, responsibilities, and influence by becoming Editors.

Finally, NowPublic’s Editorial Team helps keep everything running smoothly by managing the site’s content and working with our Editors and Contributors to coordinate NowPublic’s news reporting and featured coverage.

Not a member yet? Join NowPublic and get published!

Contributors

Got a story to tell? As a NowPublic contributor, you can write and upload your stories, photos and videos to the site and recommend other people’s contributions. To reward you for giving something back to the community and to recognize your quality contributions, you receive points as part of our Member Ranking system. As you accumulate points, you move up through our three levels of ranking – from Bronze to Silver to Gold. The higher your ranking, the better your visibility within NowPublic and around the web will be. To learn more, check out our Member Rankings.

If you like what someone does on the site, you can also add them as a NowPublic Favorite. This makes it easy to see what they do in the future and, you’ll be even more likely to see their work as it appears. The same goes for you— the better your content, the more likely you are to be added as a favorite by someone else. (Plus this adds points to your Member Ranking!)

Want to do more on the site? Once you’ve been an active, trusted member for a while, you will be eligible for additional site privileges by becoming an Editor. Keep reading to learn more.

Contributors' Flag: Recommend

Editors

NowPublic’s Editors are leading members of our community — a group of dedicated volunteer contributors who have clearly demonstrated their ability to provide consistent, quality reporting and good editorial judgment. As an Editor, you have access to all of NowPublic’s flags and, along with the Editorial Team, your recommendations have the greatest weight in our Member Ranking system. If you have a particular interest in a specific region, topic, or area of expertise, you also have the opportunity to manage a content channel on the site.

Editors are selected by NowPublic’s Staff to help define the site’s news agenda and to curate content from our international community of contributors. Editors are here to contribute reporting, promote quality content by other members, and to help ensure members abide by the Code of Conduct. Check out our list of current Editors.

Editors are not staff however, they are members just like everyone else, but with more responsibility; they do not get paid for the fabulous work that they do.

Further details about this valuable role on NowPublic.

Guest Editors should:

Welcome and encourage other members, as it can be intimidating when you join a new community. If you see a member that needs a helping hand, lend them one and they’ll appreciate it.

NEW MEMBERS

When a new member comes to the site, it’s important to welcome them and help them out. A friendly private message is the best way to alert a new member to a potential problem and it is discreet and respectful. If the member chooses to ignore your suggestions and continues to post in the same manner, then consider flagging a subsequent post as “Needs Improvement”. If you’re unsure, message a Staff Editor and we can take a look.

USE TOOLS

Our Tools

Use NowPublic’s tools to their fullest capabilities — lead by example by using the Highlight tool and adding widgets or other forms of media to your stories.

INTERACTING WITH MEMBERS

Start discussions with comments and step in to remind others of the Code of Conduct when necessary, if the discussion becomes overly heated. If this makes you uncomfortable or if the situation is too intense, please message me or another Staff Editor and we will have a look at what is happening

CODE OF CONDUCT

Code of Conduct

We’re all here to help each other and NowPublic Staff Editors are here to help you, so if a conflict arises because you’ve stepped in to enforce NowPublic’s Code of Conduct or Member Guidelines, please let a staff member know. We do not tolerate any member, Guest Editor, or NowPublic staff member being subjected to a personal attack for making suggestions regarding our site’s guidelines and best practices.

FLAGGING

Flagging Guide

Identify spam appropriately, flag stories as Needs Improvement if necessary, and report spam or inappropriate comments to staff. We’ll do our best to ensure offensive material is deleted from the site as soon as possible.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Recommend stories that are unique and original, that follow our Recommendation guidelines (Recommendation flag) and that are interesting and promote discussion. Remember that your flags carry more weight so try to make sure that the post follows our guidelines before recommending it.

If you feel up to it, alert members to spelling errors or grammatical errors via a private message, and offer to help them with making corrections. By offering suggestions in private, they will be less likely to take offense.

We value your contribution to NowPublic and we hope that you will find being a Guest Editor to be a rewarding, challenging and exciting experience. Your input is always welcome. Please don’t hesitate to contact Amy or another Staff Editor with your ideas, comments, and suggestions!

Interested in becoming an Editor? Get in touch with one of our Staff Editors to learn more (apply?).

Not sure who’s an Editor? Look for the crown icon next to their member picture.

Editors' Flags: Breaking News | Recommend | News Wanted | Needs Improvement | Fishy | Spam

Staff Editors

Staff Editors are members of NowPublic’s Editorial Team and they’re here to ensure that the site runs smoothly. By managing and editing the site’s editorial content, encouraging members’ contributions, promoting quality reporting and, when necessary, making suggestions for improvement, NowPublic’s Staff Editors are here to help make your experience better. They have access to the full range of NowPublic’s flags and, along with our volunteer Editors, their recommendations have the greatest weight within our Member Ranking system.

Staff Editors also post stories to the site to provide coverage of major international events and breaking news stories, as well as current topics of interest to NowPublic readers and contributors. For more information on our individual Staff Editors, check out the NowPublic Team or find one on the site and send them a message to say hello. Not sure who’s a Staff Editor? Look for the pink NowPublic icon next to their member photo. Non-editorial NowPublic staff members and interns are identified by the white NowPublic icon next to their member photo.

Staff Editors' Flags: Breaking | Recommend | News Wanted | Needs Improvement | Fishy | Spam