New England Entertainment Digest - Online
Brought to you by JAC Publishing & Promotions - Serving New England Since 1979!

New England Entertainment Digest (NEED) is an theatre arts news-monthly published since 1979, currently by JAC Publishing of Burlington, MA. It has a circulation of about 5,000 readers monthly.  Approximately 65% of its readers are theatre activists and arts agencies. The other 35% range from musicians to dancers, teachers and youth. Other subscribers include libraries, newsstands, studios and halls.

The primary editorial objectives of the magazine are: to provide a monthly accounting of the happenings throughout the New England and New York region in the areas of theatre, dance, music and film/video. It is also to provide notice of auditions, job openings, apprenticeships, workshop and other valuable opportunities in the respective industries.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR CONTRIBUTORS

Paid submissions range each month, with no cap on entries. The general length 800 to 2,000 words. Articles are accepted on any area of the performing arts. A typical issue might include an interview with someone who has made a significant contribution to the theatre; an article describing some innovative approach to blocking, costume design, or set construction; a survey of leading theatre schools describing what they look for in students; and a photo spread, with copy, on some ground-breaking performer or theatre group. News items, performance and book reviews are also part of the mix.

GRAPHICS

Photos and illustrations to accompany articles are welcomed, and when available, should be submitted at the same time as the written piece. Acceptable forms: 35mm or larger; black and white or prints (though B/W is preferred), 5"x7" or larger. Electronic images, such as .jpg and .gif are accepted, but chances are won't be used because of reproduction quality. Unless other arrangements are made, payment for articles includes payment for printed photos ($5 per reprint). If a writer submits a general photo from a press agent or professional agency, the writer will not be paid for the photo. Payment is reserved for those instances whereby the writer is also the photographer.

RIGHTS AND RETURNS

We buy first publication rights (unless we make other arrangements with an author), pay on acceptance. We will return all material that is accompanied by a self-addressed stamped envelope. All other materials (photos or otherwise) becomes the property of NEED unless return is requested.

SAMPLE COPIES

Sample copies of the magazine are available upon request. Subscriptions cost $25 a year standard mail; $40 a year first class delivery for the monthly 40 page (minimum) publication.

PAYMENT

Honorariums ranging from $15 to $125 are paid for accepted work at this time for printed submissions, or if assigned (regardless of whether or not it's printed). Contribution amounts are paid based on item post print.  Payment is based on quality of work, amount of editing or rewriting needed, length of work, and inclusion of photos or graphics. Contributors also receive up to five free copies of the issue in which their piece appears and may obtain additional copies at a minimal charge.

SUBMISSION SPECIFICATIONS

Articles should be typed on a sixty-character line. Photocopies are acceptable as long as they are clearly legible. All pieces, if sent via hardcopy, are scanned using OCR software and, if excessive editing and repair are needed, the likelihood is that items will not be used. Authors can score big points with the editorial staff by supplying their work electronically via e-mail or on IBM-compatible diskettes. All submissions are subject to editing.

· Writers who are too lazy or careless to do basic reporting & research. Very few articles are complete with only one quoted source.

· Writers who misrepresent themselves as experts, or are not up front about if and where a piece has been previously published.

· Submissions that ignore or misunderstand our audience; articles that either talk down to our readers or are way over their heads.

· Contributors who create an impression of conflict of interest by writing about an organization in which they themselves are involved-although we do sometimes publish first-person accounts.

· Writers that cannot meet deadlines but still complain if their materials are not printed in a given issue.

· Writers who really understand and relate to our audience.

· Writers who bring lots of strong, specific article ideas to the table, and keep abreast of topics recently covered by the magazine.

· Contributors who submit written queries or complete articles, rather than interrupting our work to make a sales pitch by phone.

· Writers who understand the need for editorial input, and can make and/or accept necessary changes gracefully.

· Writers who can provide publishable photography to go along with their pieces (snapshots are not publishable, in most cases)

· Writers whose work is well organized, factual, and clean.

· Writers willing to work for what we can afford to pay.

· Writers who can respect the meaning of and remember the date of a "deadline"

CATEGORIES REQUESTED