Reader callouts are a great way to unite your community. You ask readers to submit content –
photos or thoughts – and publish responses online and in print.
All publications should build a highly visible program in print and online to solicit content from readers.
Every week newspapers should be seeking stories and photos from readers on holidays, life-changing events or special community events, such as:
• Asking readers to write in for Valentine’s Day about how they fell in love with their partner.
• Seeking photographs of a child’s Easter egg hunt or photos of kids dressed in their Sunday best.
• Seeking photographs of teenagers dressed up for prom.
Below you will find an abridged calendar of weekly callouts throughout the year when newspapers should seek reader stories and photos. The calendar notes when a newspaper should seek submissions in print and online and when they should run the content. More details on that list can be found here.
Here are some ideas:
Sports | If you have a professional team nearby, ask readers to submit photos of themselves at the ballpark. If you have a local team that’s setting a record, ask readers for their memories of the team.
Businesses closing or reopening | Ask readers to submit their memories of the business, whether it’s a favorite restaurant, watering hole or store.
Local events | When you have parades, fairs, carnivals, car shows or other events in town where people are gathering, ask readers to send photos of themselves and their families. It’s simple to pair this callout with your coverage of that event.
Upcoming events or shows | Ask people who are planning to attend to say what they’re excited to see and what they think about the show.
• General recommendations
Seeking photos | Place a promotion on your front page or run house ads throughout your newspaper at least one week before the event asking readers to send photos to the paper. Run that promotion daily.
Seeking stories | Place a promotion on your front page and anchor house ads at least two weeks before the holiday asking for readers’ thoughts or stories. Run the promotions daily, or if you’re a weekly, run it for at least two weeks. Provide a deadline for submissions and note when the stories will run.
What to run in print and online | Run as many photos as you can in print. Create an online photo gallery with every callout. Start the photo gallery as soon as you have two submissions, encouraging others to submit. Because of the nature of submitted stories, run that submitted content just in print.
Reader callouts are a great way to unite your community. You ask readers to submit content –
photos or thoughts – and publish responses online and in print.
All publications should build a highly visible program in print and online to solicit content from readers.
Every week newspapers should be seeking stories and photos from readers on holidays, life-changing events or special community events, such as:
• Asking readers to write in for Valentine’s Day about how they fell in love with their partner.
• Seeking photographs of a child’s Easter egg hunt or photos of kids dressed in their Sunday best.
• Seeking photographs of teenagers dressed up for prom.
Below you will find an abridged calendar of weekly callouts throughout the year when newspapers should seek reader stories and photos. The calendar notes when a newspaper should seek submissions in print and online and when they should run the content. More details on that list can be found here.
Here are some ideas:
Sports | If you have a professional team nearby, ask readers to submit photos of themselves at the ballpark. If you have a local team that’s setting a record, ask readers for their memories of the team.
Businesses closing or reopening | Ask readers to submit their memories of the business, whether it’s a favorite restaurant, watering hole or store.
Local events | When you have parades, fairs, carnivals, car shows or other events in town where people are gathering, ask readers to send photos of themselves and their families. It’s simple to pair this callout with your coverage of that event.
Upcoming events or shows | Ask people who are planning to attend to say what they’re excited to see and what they think about the show.
• General recommendations
Seeking photos | Place a promotion on your front page or run house ads throughout your newspaper at least one week before the event asking readers to send photos to the paper. Run that promotion daily.
Seeking stories | Place a promotion on your front page and anchor house ads at least two weeks before the holiday asking for readers’ thoughts or stories. Run the promotions daily, or if you’re a weekly, run it for at least two weeks. Provide a deadline for submissions and note when the stories will run.
What to run in print and online | Run as many photos as you can in print. Create an online photo gallery with every callout. Start the photo gallery as soon as you have two submissions, encouraging others to submit. Because of the nature of submitted stories, run that submitted content just in print.
How to promote it | To encourage submissions, place the promotion in a highly visible location in your newspaper, such as the bottom of your front page or at the top of the folio of a local news or community page. Also, place the promotion in your promotional scroll on your Web site or as a ranked story on your homepage.
• 2011 Reader Callout Calendar
JANUARY
New Year’s – Ask readers to submit photographs of their New Year’s Eve parties or time with their kids celebrating the new year. Seek submissions Dec. 26-Jan. 4, run by Jan. 6.
Snow – Ask readers to send in photos of kids making snowmen or playing in the snow. Run the promotion seeking the submissions several times throughout the month. Also run this callout when there is a major snowstorm. Seek submissions Jan. 5-20, run by Jan. 24.
(NEW) Super Bowl – Ask readers for party-food recipes. Seek submissions Jan. 20-31, run by Feb. 3 (game is Feb. 6).
FEBRUARY
Valentine's Day – Ask readers to write in about how they fell in love, what they love most about their partner or how long they’ve been together and why. Seek submissions Feb. 1-12, run by Feb. 14.
(NEW) Pet photos – Ask readers for photos of their pets doing something silly or amazing. Seek submissions Feb. 13-19, run by Feb. 21.
(NEW) Fat Tuesday – Ask readers for decadent recipes in honor of Mardi Gras or Fat Tuesday. Seek submissions Feb. 20-March 3, run by March 7 (Fat Tuesday is March 8).
MARCH
(NEW) Spring break — Ask readers to send in photos of their spring break trips taken with their kids. Seek submissions March 1-8, run by March 12.
St. Patrick's Day – Ask readers to send in photos of their St. Patrick’s Day celebrations. Seek submissions March 14-19, run by March 20.
Spring – Ask readers to send photos of flowers, robins and other birds, or their gardens. Seek submissions March 16-30, run by April 1 (spring begins March 20).
APRIL
Earth Day – Ask readers for comments on what they’ll do to help the Earth and why: Will they plant a tree? Clean up a park? Try a green product at home? Seek submissions April 1-14, run by April 22.
Easter – Ask readers to send in photos from Easter egg hunts or Easter programs at school and church. Seek submissions April 15-25, run by April 26 (Easter is April 24).
Prom – Ask readers to submit photos of their kids all decked out for prom. Seek submissions April 26-May 12, run by May 15.
MAY
Mother's Day – Ask readers to submit stories about the best lesson their mother taught them. Seek submissions May 1-6, run by May 8 (holiday is May 8).
Summer drink recipes – Ask readers to send in recipes for their favorite cool drink to help counter the summer heat. Seek submissions May 7-22, run by May 25.
Memorial Day – Ask readers to submit photos showing how they’re enjoying the warm weather, from grilling to water sports. Seek submissions May 26-June 2, run by June 4 (Memorial Day is May 30).
JUNE
Graduation – Ask readers to submit photos of their kids’ graduation ceremonies and parties. Seek submissions June 1-10, run by June 12.
Father's Day – Ask readers to submit photos of father and sons who look alike. Seek submissions June 12-17, run by June 19 (holiday is June 19).
(NEW) My favorite car – Ask readers for old photos of their first cars, their favorite cars or their family’s cars. Seek submissions June 18-28, run by June 30.
JULY
Fourth of July – Ask readers to submit photos of fireworks or Fourth of July celebrations (parades, concerts, community picnics). Seek submissions June 29-July 6, run by July 7.
Little League – Ask readers to send in photos of their kids’ summer Little League action. Seek submissions July 6-19, run by July 21.
(NEW) Your bucket list – Ask readers to send in the top three things that are on their bucket list. Seek submissions July 20-31, run by Aug. 2.
AUGUST
Summer vacation – Ask readers to submit photos of summer vacations, especially notable locations such as the Grand Canyon and Niagara Falls, or quirky places, such as the spot with the world’s largest ball of string. Seek submissions Aug. 1-14, run by Aug. 19.
High school football – Ask readers to submit photos of their kids’ high school football practice and first game. Seek submissions Aug. 15-23, run by Aug. 26.
Back to school – Ask readers to submit photos of kids on their first day of the new school year. Seek submissions Aug. 24-Sept. 7, run by Sept. 9.
SEPTEMBER
Labor Day – Ask readers to send pictures of their barbecues, picnics or other Labor Day activities. Seek submissions Sept. 1-6, run by Sept. 7 (Labor Day is Sept. 5).
(NEW) Sept. 11 memories – Ask readers for stories of where they were on 9/11, or tributes to people who volunteered or died in the disaster. Seek submissions Aug. 28-Sept. 10, run by Sept. 11.
(NEW) Homecoming – Ask readers for photos of their kids dressed up for the big game or the big dance. Seek submissions Sept. 12-29, run week of Oct. 2.
OCTOBER
Breast Cancer Awareness Month – Ask readers to write in about how breast cancer affected their lives or the lives of their family and friends. Seek submissions Sept. 30-Oct. 17, run by Oct. 19.
Fall foliage – Ask readers to submit photos of their favorite images of fall foliage in their communities or their foliage trips. Seek submissions Oct. 18-25, run by Oct. 27.
Halloween – Ask for photos of kids or pets dressed up for Halloween, or readers’ houses decked out in Halloween decorations. Seek submissions Oct. 26-Nov. 1, run by Nov. 2.
NOVEMBER
Veterans Day – Ask readers to send in their photos of patriotic events to honor the holiday. Seek submissions Nov. 6-11, run by Nov. 13.
Thanksgiving – Ask readers to submit stories on what they’re thankful for this year. Seek submissions Nov. 12-21, run by Nov. 24.
(NEW) What you hunted – Ask readers for photos of animals they have killed this year during hunting trips. Seek submissions Nov. 22-Dec. 4, run by Dec. 6.
DECEMBER
Christmas lights – Ask readers to submit photos or addresses of their favorite Christmas decorations and light displays. Seek submissions Nov. 25-Dec. 14, run by Dec. 16.
Kids' letters to Santa – Ask readers to have their kids’ Santa letters submitted to the newspaper. Seek submissions Dec. 15-22, run by Dec. 24.
2011 memories – Ask readers to write in about the stories – in the news or in their families -- that had the biggest impact on their lives this year and why. Seek submissions Dec. 23-29, run by Dec. 31.
