Write for The Boston Report: Contributors & Partners

Header photo: Boston skyline from the Charles River, by EgorovaSvetlana / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped).

The Boston Report is looking for Boston-area writers, photographers, contributors and community partners who want to help cover the news that matters in their neighborhoods and towns. If you know your corner of Greater Boston, from a city council chamber to a high school hockey rink to a new restaurant opening on your block, we would like to hear from you.

Why contribute to The Boston Report

• Cover your own community. Local news coverage has thinned across Massachusetts. Reporting from people who live in a neighborhood fills real gaps.
• Get a byline and editing support. Published contributors are credited by name, and every piece goes through an editor before it runs.
• Build a portfolio. Students, career changers and experienced freelancers can publish clips on news, sports, food and civic life.
• Reach readers across Greater Boston. Stories appear on our Boston News hub and the related section pages.

What we cover

• Cities, towns and neighborhoods: Boston neighborhoods such as Dorchester, Roxbury, South Boston, East Boston, Jamaica Plain and Allston-Brighton, plus nearby communities including Cambridge, Somerville, Quincy, Newton, Brookline and more.
• Local government: city councils, school committees, zoning boards, town meetings, budgets and State House actions with local impact.
• Sports: the Patriots, Celtics, Bruins and Red Sox, plus college and high school sports. See our Boston Sports hub.
• Restaurants and food: openings, closings, reviews and neighborhood dining guides on our Boston Restaurants page.
• Events and community life: festivals, arts, public meetings, fundraisers and things to do around the region.
• Transportation, housing, business and weather: the MBTA, development projects, small businesses and storms.

Roles we are looking for

• Freelance reporters and writers for local news, government meetings and features.
• Neighborhood correspondents who can file regular short updates from one community.
• Sports writers covering college, high school and pro games.
• Food and restaurant writers for openings, guides and reviews.
• Photographers who can provide original, properly licensed photos of local events and places.
• Opinion and guest contributors with expertise on Boston issues. Opinion pieces are clearly labeled.

Contributor guidelines

All contributions must meet our Editorial Policy. In short:

• Original work only. Submissions must be your own reporting and writing and must not be published elsewhere first unless we agree in advance.
• Source every fact. Name your sources, link to public records and primary documents, and keep notes so editors can verify claims.
• Stay neutral in news coverage. News stories report what happened and attribute opinions to the people who hold them. Disclose any conflict of interest, such as a personal or financial tie to a subject.
• Images must be original or properly licensed. We accept your own photos, public-domain images and correctly credited Creative Commons images. We do not use AI-generated images, Getty Images or other wire photos without a license. See our AI & Media Disclosure.
• Corrections are part of the job. If an error is found, we fix it promptly and note the change under our Corrections Policy. Contributors are expected to help correct their own work.
• Editing. Editors may edit for accuracy, clarity, length, headlines and style, and decide whether and when a piece runs.

Partnership options

We also want to work with organizations that serve Greater Boston, including local newsrooms, neighborhood associations, civic groups, universities, nonprofits and businesses.

• Content sharing: local and student newsrooms can discuss republishing or co-reporting arrangements with clear credit to both outlets.
• Event listings: community groups, venues and schools can send public event details for our events coverage and “things to do” roundups. Listings are an editorial choice, not a guarantee.
• Experts and story ideas: universities and research centers can connect us with faculty experts on local issues.
• Business listings: local businesses can join our Boston Business Directory.
• Advertising and sponsorship: see Advertise with The Boston Report. Advertising is kept separate from news decisions.

How to apply

Use the form below and choose the topic that fits best (“News tip or story idea” for writers and photographers, “Advertising or sponsorship” for business partnerships, or “General question or feedback” for other partnerships). Please include:

1. Your name, the town or neighborhood where you live or work, and the role or partnership you are interested in.
2. Two or three links to published writing or photos, or a short writing sample if you are just starting out.
3. One to three story ideas you could cover, with a sentence on how you would report each one.

You can also email contact@thebostonreport.com with “Write for Us” in the subject line, or contact@thebostonreport.com for partnerships. We read every message and reply to applicants whose interests match current needs.

Frequently asked questions

Do contributors get paid?

Compensation, if any, depends on the role and assignment and is discussed individually before any work begins. We do not ask contributors to pay to be published.

Do I need journalism experience?

No. We welcome students and residents new to reporting. You do need to be accurate, meet deadlines and follow our editorial standards.

Do I have to live in Boston?

We focus on Boston and Greater Boston, so contributors should live, work or study in the region or have strong knowledge of the community they cover.

Can I submit a story that ran somewhere else?

Usually not. We prefer original work. Republishing is possible through a partnership agreement with the original publisher.

Can I use AI tools to write my story?

Submissions must be your own reporting and writing. AI-generated images are not accepted. Read our AI & Media Disclosure for details.

Will my story be edited?

Yes. Every piece is edited for accuracy, clarity and style, and editors make final decisions on headlines and publication.

Is sponsored content labeled?

Yes. Paid or sponsored content is always clearly labeled and is never presented as independent news reporting.

How long does it take to hear back?

Response times vary with volume. If your pitch is time-sensitive, say so in the first line of your message.