These days, most newsrooms are being asked to publish more with fewer people and fewer resources. Third-party content can help fill the gaps.
But as an editorial team made up of veteran journalists, we know how important it is that the content you're publishing is high-quality, accurate, unbiased, and credible.
That's why editors carefully vet each piece of content before distributing it on Stacker's Newswire. Our team includes five editors who thoroughly review each piece of content. They ensure that each claim is backed up by reporting and research, and that each story covers topics that engage and inform readers.
You can read our editorial standards here. Here's how we apply these standards in practice.
How a story gets onto the Newswire
With each story, Stacker follows these steps:
- A partner submits a story to our editorial team.
- An editor reviews it to make sure it meets our editorial standards and flags any promotional elements that need to be removed before approving it for production. Stories that are inherently promotional are rejected.
- The editing process includes checking that every claim is backed by data and confirming that research methodology is properly explained.
- Once the story is edited, it is sent back to the client with any follow-up questions and requested revisions.
- Once partners make any requested revisions and sign off on edits, Stacker's editors and production team finalize the story for distribution.
- The story then gets sent out on the Newswire with the producing brand identified in three places: the byline field, the story intro and a tagline at the end.
- You decide whether to publish it. Nothing appears on your site unless you choose to run it.
- In the rare event that a correction is needed after distribution, Stacker will prominently post it in the story and alert publishers about the update.
What gets a story sent back
Not every submission makes the cut. Here are some of the most common reasons a story goes back to the team that created it.
- Overly promotional language. Content on the Newswire does not directly promote a company's goods and services.
- Claims that are not backed up by evidence. Every claim needs to be supported by reporting, research, data, or another form of evidence.
- Company spokespeople as quoted experts. Articles syndicated by Stacker do not include quotes from sales, marketing or PR representatives of the sponsoring brands. Any subject-matter experts from brands (such as an economist or doctor) must offer useful insights for readers to be included in stories.
- AI-generated content. Only human-written stories are approved for distribution. We partner with Pangram Labs to screen submitted articles for AI content and run a human check on any flagged stories.
How readers know who's behind a story
Every story distributed on the Stacker Newswire carries a disclosure at the bottom of the page, naming the brand or nonprofit newsroom partner and explaining that it was reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
What publishers say
"When I was a reporter, I remember thinking, 'These are great story ideas, but when will I get time to do all these? I have local news to attend to.' Stacker fills a gap that no one else is doing in our network." — Tereza Verenca, Director of Digital Content, Lodestar Media
Read the full case study.
"Your team speaks the language of journalism. The way you handle feedback, your willingness to improve — it feels like working with editors, not vendors." — Debra Worley, Digital Content News Director, Gray Media
Read the full case study.
Frank Sennett is the Executive Editor of Stacker Connect.