Corner Post is an independent non‐profit media organization covering the Colorado Plateau in the American Southwest.

Corner Post seeks to explore human relationships to land and landscape unique to the Colorado Plateau, with an eye toward cultural, economic and environmental resilience and sustainability. Our goal is to support in-depth reporting that investigates all aspects of human activities related to land, air and water that influence quality of life on the plateau. We define our mission as: Digging deep into the intersection of culture and land. 

The Colorado Plateau is a unique region. Roughly centered at the juncture of the Four Corners states of Arizona, Utah, Colorado and New Mexico, the plateau falls primarily within the Colorado River watershed. The majority of the plateau geographically is distinctly rural and remote, known for its rugged landscape and for its biological diversity. Of 110 defined ecoregions in North America, the Colorado Plateau ranks in the top three for endemic fish, flora and fauna species, and in the top five for biodiversity.

It is also culturally diverse, incorporating two dozen Indigenous cultures in addition to the Navajo Nation, as well as descendants of early European pioneers–most notably from Hispanic and white Mormon cultures–and newer arrivals, often driven by lifestyle choices and shifting opportunities in the economy. 

Corner Post invites pitches from freelance journalists and writers with an intimate knowledge and understanding of the land and cultures of the Colorado Plateau. Writers who are the best fit for us will have a deep understanding of the lifeways and economic underpinnings in the region’s small rural towns, and of the activities and relationships among residents, landholders, businesses, and local and federal governing entities that affect management of resources. We’re looking for reporting that digs below the surface to look at both problems and solutions to issues related to land, and in particular that explore not just competing opinions but definable and measurable impacts on land, environment, culture and/or economy. 

Our focus areas include: Public lands management, government policy and accountability (federal, state, and local) related to land/resource use, food and agriculture, Indigenous cultures, economic development, evolving lifeways, energy use and development, innovations in land and/or resource use, air and water quality, climate, sustainability, watershed management, cultural diversity and biodiversity, traditional ecological knowledge, and justice, equity and equality issues related to land/water/resource use. 

We consider our audience(s) to be those living on the plateau, and/or those intimately familiar with and interested in the region. We will consider all pitches, but preference will be given to journalists and writers located within the Colorado Plateau region. 

We are looking for fact‐based and rigorously reported stories in the range of 750 to 2,000 words. We pay on publication @ $.75 per word. Story length will be agreed upon by both parties before any story is assigned or accepted. Please, follow this link to reference our code of ethics and editorial policy (or refer to them on our Web site at cornerpost.org).  

Corner Post is a web‐based publication. Our work is published under a Creative Commons License and is made available for re‐publication under specific guidelines for re‐publishing and attribution.  We welcome and encourage other newspapers and media outlets to publish stories that we produce.

Guidelines for pitching reported stories to Corner Post

 1. Please send us:

Your name:

Email:

Phone number:

Do you have a working headline or title for your story?

 2. Please describe your proposal, specifically addressing each of the following questions in your pitch.

a) What is the central thesis, or question, that your story is exploring or seeking to answer?

b) What is important about this story, and why should Corner Post cover it? 

c) What are the general questions in your own mind about this topic as you approach this story?

d) What communities are affected by this story? Is this story relevant to communities across the plateau? If so, how? Is there a national interest? 

e) Does this story identify measurable impacts to land, the environment, cultures or economy? What are they?

f) If this is an investigation, what unique information are you working to uncover?  

g) If this is not an investigation, what elements in your story are new and noteworthy? 

h) Have you done a search to identify whether your story has already been covered elsewhere? If your topic has had some coverage already, how is your story different, or how does it build on other reporting?

i) What sources, or types of sources, will you be working with to develop your story? Which people or kinds of people—experts, participants, witnesses, officials—do you want or expect to interview? Are there any documents you will be working with to develop the story? 

j) What are some of the specific questions you expect to ask your sources? What types of supporting data or information will you be evaluating?

PLEASE NOTE: As the reporter for this story, you are also responsible for submitting images as part of the package. Corner Post requires a minimum of three high-quality images (photos should specific to subject matter, high quality/resolution image, well framed). The reporter will receive an additional $25 above the per word rate for these photos. Images of sources and subject matter, and contextual images are all important, and supporting images such as graphics, documents, are also worth considering including. 

3. Please tell us a little bit about yourself and your reporting experience, and if we have not previously worked with you, please, submit 2‐3 attachments of (or links to) your best work.

Please note that if a story is accepted, we will request that you submit a short bio and photo.  

Email pitch submissions to admin@cornerpost.org