As a registered subscriber, headlines from your blog or other Website may be put into the news cycle on blogScream. The final decision of what headlines actually are posted is that of the editor and publisher of blogScream. Although every nuance of the decision-making process cannot possibly be written, below are some general rules that may help you understand why certain headlines appear while others don't.
Headline
The title of an article is what will appear, along with the name of the associated blog or other Website, on the blogScream news wire.
Only a certain number of characters will fit into the blogScream viewing window, and this depends upon which particular characters are involved: the letter l, for example, takes up less space than the letter M, so the actual letter count is not precise. However, consider approximately 80 characters the very outside limit on a headline, with 40 to 50 being a more reasonable and normal limit.
In terms of the actual words, themselves, no rock-solid rule will be imposed against words that are generally considered profane, obscene, or vulgar; however, a headline that is little or nothing more than a chain of bad words is not going to be put on blogScream.
A headline that is sexist, racist, homophobic, xenophobic, or otherwise demeaning or degrading to a class of people will not be put on blogScream.
A title that is or includes a promotion of a commercial enterprise will generally not be put on blogScream. This rule is somewhat less stringent than other rules; it is important that companies with progressive labor, environmental, or consumer policies be feated, and headlines for articles about such businesses would certainly be worthy of blogScream syndication. Similarly, headlines critical of and naming non-progressive companies are certainly not automatically excluded.
A noticeable typographical or grammatical error—for example, an egregious misspelling—will almost certainly lead to rejection of a headline for syndication.
Article
The article will be the link embedded in the headline that appears on the blogScream newswire. This is what will be in a reader's browser window that opens when he or she clicks on a headline in the blogScream screen.
Preference will be given to original content, insightful analysis, breaking news, and solid reporting.
Articles that are entirely or substantially quotes from or links to other articles or Websites will normally not be syndicated.
Articles that include wholly unsupported statements presented as facts will not be syndicated unless it is clear to a reasonable reader that the content is parody, satire, or otherwise not to be taken as factual.
Articles that are entirely or little more than a string of profanities, obscenities, and/or vulgarities will not be syndicated.
Articles that present material that is sexist, racist, homophobic, xenophobic, or otherwise intended to demean, degrade, or otherwise bring harm to a class of people will not be syndicated.
Articles that present pictures or narratives that would be considered obscene are unlikely to be syndicated. This is because—aside from the potential for certain kinds of pornographic content to be viewed as degrading to some—the inclusion of such material even as a link within the screen could result in certain browser filtering services identifying blogScream, and possibly even the Websites featured on it, as meriting censorship. Although this guideline against what could be considered pornographic content appears quite restrictive and almost prudish, it will not be used except in cases where the article has pictures or words that are knock-dead shocking. Moreover, if something in an article is obviously newsworthy, but otherwise might violate this guideline, the editor of blogScream will still consider syndicating the article.
An article that has wretched grammar will not be syndicated. Just about everyone but the most annoyingly perfect people misspells a word or misplaces a punctuation mark from time to time, and this guideline has nothing to do with that normal feature of writing. This guideline, instead, refers to writing that clearly identifies its author as a grammatical imbecile. It should be noted here that the editor has only infrequently encountered blogs whose authors cannot write at a good and acceptable level.
Articles that include commercial advertisements will not be syndicated.
An article that promotes or advocates violence or other clearly unlawful activity will not be syndicated on blogScream. Note the words "promotes or advocates" in that last sentence. Reporting about unlawful activities is not, at least in general, the same as promoting or advocating such conduct.
Preference will be given to articles that include breaking news. Also, articles that offer original insight on and/or analysis of current events will always be favored. Articles providing information, resource links, and other useful content will be well considered, too. Human interest stories are strong candidates, as well; but be forewarned that cat- and dog-blogging articles will be shot before they even see the syndication circuit on blogScream.
Cite your sources. This doesn't mean you need to use the AP Style Manual or some other guide to citation of references, but you do need to make your readers aware of and able to find original source material, either by providing hyperlinks or otherwise.
Website
blogScream features the name of the site from which a headline has come, and the name includes an embedded link on which a person can click to be taken to the main page of the site.
A blog or other Website that creates significant difficulties for standard browsers in later releases—Internet Explorer 6.x, Netscape 7.x, Firefox 1.0.x, and Opera—or in standard display resolutions—800x600 or better—will not be syndicated unless those problems are temporary and part of the Webmaster's continuing efforts to improve, upgrade, or otherwise alter the site.
Blogs and other Websites that attempt to install on a visitor's computer spyware, trackware, adware, malware, scumware, or other malicious code will be permanently blacklisted from blogScream.
Websites that are primarily to the purpose of purveying, presenting, or promoting pornography or hate material will not be syndicated on blogScream.
In General
The guidelines listed above make it appear that blogScream will syndicate nothing more than the usual mainstream media tripe. That impression is incorrect. The guidelines are exactly that: guidelines. The editor and publisher of blogScream has every intention of applying rules in such a manner that the general tone and importance of the Blogosphere comes through every day on the news wire. The guidelines are provided to make it clear that editorial decisions are driven by many factors, often times requiring a balance between content acceptability and importance of the message being conveyed.
Write hard; hit home; say what you have to say; be clear; be direct; if necessary, be mean; give credit where credit is due; and rip your ass at injustice. That's how you get syndicated on blogScream.
