Policy on Special Sections

We at The Prism newspaper aim to share our experience in producing a grassroots newspaper with local progressive, grassroots, pro-democracy organizations.

From time to time (for example, this issue) we will carry a "Special Section" from a locally-based organization. In such a section, everything that appears on its page(s) has been written, selected, and edited by the organization which sponsored it.

In such a section, unlike in our 'regular' pages, The Prism accepts no editorial responsibility for the material printed. The organization sponsoring that section assumes that responsibility. Apart from minor changes which are agreeable to both us and the sponsor, we will not interfere editorially unless the material would violate our statement of purpose or would bring suit against us (though we may decide to risk a suit anyway).

The staff at The Prism approves of such guest-written sections by a thorough discussion and a consensus vote. The staff is guided by our statement of purpose and by our assessment of the histories of the organization that wants to work with us.

In return for editorial independence within their section, sponsoring organizations also agree to provide their material according to our guidelines and schedule and to share the proportion of the paper's production costs their material takes up. (If a 12-page Prism costs $600 to produce, and a group sponsors 2 pages, they owe 2/12 of the cost, or $100.)

Note that this is different than an advertisement: our staff and another group agree to work together for mutual goals; our services are not purchased. However we will work with groups who hold opinions contrary to many of our staff's.

We at The Prism hope that readers will appreciate the variety of perspectives this approach offers. We understand that this is an unusual thing for a publication to do, but then, we aim to do unusual things.