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 TM
Below, you'll find: (1) our Mission Statement; (2) Editorial Department Information; (3) Media Information; and (4) Advertising Information.
Our Mission Statement
Who?
SouthernTravelNews.com™ is a news media venture -- an online newspaper dedicated to editorial coverage of travel within the U.S. South and cruising from southern U.S. ports. Our articles change hourly, daily, weekly or monthly, depending on the section. Many pages are updated daily.
What?
Visitors to our site enjoy daily headline news briefs, a weekday blog, major travel features on 13 dedicated state pages and 26 themed category pages (with more themed pages coming soon), a focus on hot packages and deals, as well as photos of the week, downloadable photos, reader trip reports, book reviews and more.
When?
We strive for the latest news. All feature stories also strive to provide fodder about what’s new in the coming year. Throughout the site we put heavy emphasis on new programs, events, and festivals of interest to travelers planning a visit in the coming year.
Where?
We don’t cover the world. That gives a more targeted focus to our coverage. We write about travel to Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia, and cruising from ports in those states.
Why?
Lots of sites focus on “doing it all” in the world of travel coverage. We prefer a narrower focus – just one geographic region. The South is a special place, with its own sense of culture, music and lifestyle. At the same time, the region reflects great diversity even within individual states. We aim to reflect that.
Our Editorial Department
Editorial Leadership
SouthernTravelNews.com™ is owned by Corporate Write LLC, a Florida editorial services firm. Editor-in-Chief is Susan J. Young, a 20-year travel industry veteran and former magazine and newspaper reporter.
A member of the Society of American Travel Writers and that organization's Editor's Council, Young served for nearly a decade on staff with Travel Agent magazine, a major travel industry trade publication, as Southeast (U.S.) Bureau Chief and Cruise Bureau Chief. She was formerly director of public relations-marketing for US Airways in the 1990s. Young has served as a travel industry consultant in the aviation, hospitality and rental car segments.
As a freelancer, Young's articles have appeared in Caribbean Travel & Life, Passport, CruiseMates.com, Florida Living, National Geographic Traveler, Porthole, Overhaul & Maintenance (a McGraw-Hill Aviation Week publication), the Ledger in Lakeland, FL (a New York Times regional newspaper), several airline in-flight magazines and other publications.
In addition, Young is the 1998 winner of the B. F. Goodrich Award, a journalism honor presented by the Royal Aeronautical Society of Great Britain; Young competed with 400 other entrants to win the award. To reach Young, email to editor@southerntravelnews.com.
Editorial Team
SouthernTravelNews.com™ and SouthernCruising.com™ utilize professional freelance copy editors and writers to create and edit site content. All -- except Young -- are independent contractors. All work under contract; no "spec" content is accepted.
Freelance Copy Editors
Our freelance copy editing team is comprised of Lizz Dinnigan, Peggy Cope and Fred Folmer. All have served as editors in varying capacities for major New York magazines. Each has sizable copy editing experience.
Freelance Writers
All copy for SouthernTravelNews.com is written only by professional freelance journalists and travel writers with significant years of experience. (If you are a reader and wish to submit a trip report please visit our Site Guide page, where we we explain our reader submission policy. We welcome reader trip report submissions but do not pay for them. You may upload your trip report via link at the bottom of our Front Page.)
Our editorial team consists of nearly 40 travel writers, most members of the Society of American Travel Writers or the American Society of Journalists and Authors. Most live within the South so they provide a local perspective to readers. Writers' bios accompany each article produced for this site.
We do NOT accept unsolicited articles or photography under any circumstances.
If you are a professional writer, be advised that our publications buy only original content and purchase “all rights.” We do not publish articles used elsewhere. Journalists/travel writers who are assigned a story must sign a “contract for hire” for the assignment to be valid. Professional writers who meet the above requirements, are willing to sign a contract for hire, and are interested in contributing may query the editor and request editorial guidelines at editor@southerntravelnews.com.
Currently, we have need for professional travel writers or journalists who have good travel clips and live within Arkansas or Mississippi. We are specifically seeking local travel writers or journalists in those states to add local flavor and intel to our coverage.
Press Room:
Journalists and editors who wish more information for editorial publication about SouthernTravelNews.com™ or SouthernCruising.com™ may email Susan Young at editor@southerntravelnews.com.
Journalists may also contact our public relations agency. Call Nancy Vaughan, Vaughan Communications in Phoenix, AZ at 602-912-9126 or e-mail to nvaughanpr@aol.com
Our press room is under development. At this time, press releases are re-printed within the Press Room topic (the last item in our Travel Sections area - see the lower right column of most pages).
Advertising:
To receive an advertising kit detailing promotional options, spec sheets and advertising rates for SouthernTravelNews.com™ as well as sister site SouthernCruising.com™ and our weekly e-zine, contact Vaughan Communications in Phoenix at 602-912-9126 or e-mail to nvaughanpr@aol.com.
Alternatively, you may email advertising@southerntravelnews.com.
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