Publishing News FAQ UT Dallas

Publishing News

What is a news item?

A news item is something of interest to the general public and/or the general UTD community. The Office of Communications can help you – a UT Dallas student, staff or faculty member – publish a news item you'd like to share with the UT Dallas community (and perhaps beyond), such as a(n):

Recent research result or publication in a scientific journal.
Interesting speech or campus event.
New program or academic initiative.
Prestigious award or authorship of a new book.
Friend, co-worker or student at UT Dallas with an unusual hobby.
Photo or set of photos that you think others would find interesting.
Alumni achievement.

How does a news item get created?

It starts with your rough draft. Write a rough draft and submit it to the News Center.

Who decides if my news item will be published?

The News Center managing editor decides whether your news item qualifies for coverage within the UT Dallas News Center or in Comet Calendar or Galaxy instead. The assistant vice president of communications decides whether the news item qualifies for promotion to outside media outlets.

If selected for publication, where will my news item appear?

The Office of Communications has several outlets for publicizing all types of stories and announcements. We can help you decide which outlets are right for your news. Our primary publications are:

The UT Dallas News Center Web site and e-mail list, which are updated almost every day with news, events and reminders for the general public and the UT Dallas community. The top items from the UT Dallas News Center (as determined by the managing editor) will be linked from the UT Dallas home page.
The Comet Calendar is the home for events open to the public or the general UTD community. The Comet Calendar is one of the top 20 pages on the UT Dallas Web site, can be automated to publish to your departmental site, and is the source of information for the printed “This Week’s Comet Calendar” publication, the switchboard operators and the information guard booth.
Galaxy, the campus intranet. Your content may appear in the Announcements channel where it can be targeted to students, faculty members or employees. Or it may appear in the Campus Spotlight, which appears on the Students tab (visible only to enrolled students).
News releases to media outlets (wire services, newspapers, TV and radio stations, Web sites, etc.) that we think would be interested in the story. If we decide the item is worthy, we may also contact editors and writers of selected publications directly to “pitch” a story idea to them. When editors decide to run UT Dallas stories based on news releases, they almost always do more research and interviews; releases are almost never published verbatim by members of the media.
For specialized advice in crafting a high-level media campaign or working directly with the news media, contact the UT Dallas Office of Media Relations.
If you're primarily interested in reaching students, you should also submit your article to The UTD Mercury, UT Dallas' independent student newspaper.

Each week we receive many different story ideas and submissions. We write, publish and promote stories that are of greatest interest to our readership, which ranges from UT Dallas employees to the international media. We exercise editorial judgment about what is most newsworthy, and we reserve the right to edit all copy and to decide when and where each submission will be published. We'll also recommend other publications in the event we cannot accept your story.

What if my idea has already been published by a well-known magazine/TV station/newspaper? Is that news?

It could be. The News Center features an In Print & On Air category where we show off mentions of UTD accomplishments in local, national and international media. Please share a hard copy, an audio or video recording, or other appropriate sample of the mention if you would like it to be considered for further promotion.

Will the Office of Communications assign a writer for my story?

Contact us and describe your story or idea, and we'll let you know if we're able to cover it. We'll often ask for an e-mail synopsis with contact information and websites for more information.

When will my news item appear?

You may suggest a specific publication date for the News Center website and daily e-mail, and we'll do our best to accommodate you. Please be aware that your submission may have to contend with space restrictions and the need to publish other news stories. Articles to be considered for the daily News Center e-mail generally must be finished and received five days before publication.

How do I get an event promoted?

Read how to add your event to the Comet Calendar. The Comet Calendar is also the source of the Events section on the News Center.

If you feel your event may be worthy of promotion to media outlets, please contact Office of Media Relations well in advance of your event date.

May I have a picture published with my news item?

For news items with good photographic potential, there are two options:

1) Provide your own photograph.

We can use electronic photos or prints as long as they meet the following technical requirements. Photos should be:

In focus and clearly lighted.
Properly composed, without too many people, with a subject that is clear and interesting. Think action. We encourage shots of people actively engaged in doing something
Adequate resolution. If it’s a digital photograph for print use, the image should be at least 300 dots per inch (dpi) at actual size.

2) Locate an existing photo.

Communications maintains a database of photographs and images. We may already have the photo you need. If you would like to pursue this option, ask the managing editor.