Editorial Guide

Editorial FAQ

Network World, an IDG Enterprise brand and registered trademark of IDG Communications, Inc., is the leading provider of news, analysis, reviews and events for Network IT Executives who manage the digital nervous systems of large organizations. We focus on everything that changes the network and everything the network changes.

The mission: Network World synthesizes industry developments so Network IT Executives can make informed technology business decisions. Network World's service focus recognizes that, while technologies change, the basic needs of the reader remain constant. Network World's audience needs: detailed information about products and services; help identifying ways to apply technology to advance business success; career and management advice; and information about technology advances.

What does Network World cover?

Enterprise network products, services, issues and trends, everything from data center trends to developments in mobility and security and hiring.

Who is Network World's audience?

Network IT Executives who are responsible for designing, implementing and managing the systems their companies use to support everything from business critical applications to employee collaboration and electronic commerce. The goal is to empower the readers by delivering a mix of breaking news, analysis of products and trends, and advice on managing technology, people and their own careers.

Are exclusive stories important to Network World?

We welcome them, but our news hounds are more than capable of digging up their own scoops.

Do you sign embargoes?

No. But we will agree to keep news under wrap in particular cases, like when we are testing a forthcoming product or working on a feature with a long lead-time.

Does Network World accept vendor-written contributions?

Yes, we accept original vendor-contributed articles to explore emerging enterprise technologies. The focus is on education so the articles range in scope from explaining how something works to comparing competing technologies, but most tend to address “How to solve X with Y.”

All of the articles must be vendor-neutral, meaning they cannot promote a technology that is particular to an individual company or mention any product brand or company name. The only place the vendor's name will show up is in the author's byline at the top, which lists his/her title, and in a brief company description at the end of the article that also provides the company’s URL.

The pieces are published online and will carry this notification after the byline:

This vendor-written tech primer has been edited by Network World to eliminate product promotion, but readers should note it will likely favor the submitter's approach.

Submissions should be no longer than 1,200 words.

If you think you have a suitable pitch, send a brief abstract to Editor in Chief John Dix (jdix@nww.com). Due to the volume of mail it may take a few weeks to get back to you.

How do I pitch an idea for an article or story to a Network World editor?

Know your contact. Calling one of the editors occasionally is ok, but they don't follow your industry day in and out and they don't write news stories. Make the beat reporter your best friend. (View the editorial beats list here)

Reporters are interested in breaking news and scoops and investigative stories that piece together industry developments. Knowing that should help you figure out how you can help them.

An educated reporter is one that will benefit you the most, so take the time to teach. You'll be happier with the coverage you get and it will increase the chance of getting mentioned when the reporter covers a competitor (e.g., Company A's new router does this, but it lacks the functionality recently announced by Company).

Teach us:

• About your market. What makes it tick. Basic differences between the players.
• About your product/service. Why is it important? How is it different? What is the value you are adding?
• How does it work? Boil it down. Diagram it. If you can't draw a good simple diagram of what this thing does and why it does it and how it is different/better than how other things do it, you're missing an opportunity to convey your message clearly and simply. The more we understand, the more we are likely to say about the real difference about your product and why it matters.
• Tell us who uses the product and how they use it and why. Seeing something in action makes things click.
• What analysts have heard your pitch? Give us their name and phone numbers and tell the analysts to expect our calls.

Related to teaching: Start off slow and accelerate. You are living and breathing your product. The reporter is living and breathing journalism and dealing with multiple vendors, multiple technologies, multiple markets and multiple deadlines. Unless you happen to personally know the knowledge level of the reporter you're talking to, it is best to start off at ground level and work your way up, accelerating the build if it becomes apparent the reporter happens to be in tune with your sliver of the networked world.

Countless meetings have been wasted because the vendor presumes too much knowledge. Refresh our memory about where you fit in, why you matter, how you're different. If you're boring us we'll tell you. Presuming the reporter has intimate knowledge about a company's market and its product is possibly the number one mistake vendors make.

Send us white papers describing how your products work, how they are different.

Guidelines for submitting new products for inclusion in our weekly new product slideshow.

Network World's online products slideshow What it is: A snapshot of new products and services from vendors published online each Monday. While we welcome submissions, they must be submitted in the exact format specified below to the editor you work with (check here for a list of beats) who will review it for content and may suggest changes.

Please follow this format, which requires in a single e-mail (can be sent to Ryan Francis at rfrancis@nww.com):

1. JPEG illustration of the product or service (please no marketing slides) should be 620pixels wide (NOTE THE NEW SIZE)
2. Exact product name
3. Manufacturer name
4. Pricing (please be as specific as possible) DO NOT SEND SAYING PRICING VARIES
5. Brief description of main features, what's new, 30 words or less
6. When it's available
7. Link for more information
8. Embargo date on this information The deadline for submission of product information is each Thursday for publication online Monday.
   
   

Who do I contact with a product/service announcement, news story or meeting request?

Find the most appropriate beat reporter, contact one of the news editors.

When's the best time to contact Network World editors?

For news, contact beat reporters directly by looking over the coverage listed in the updated beat list and e-mailing them.

NetworkWorld.com reprints and links

• Adding links to specific articles
• Getting feeds of Network World headlines
• Obtaining reprints of print and online articles

Network World offers three options for referencing our content online. You may purchase a reprint (including all related graphics and charts) to host on your server for an unlimited time, create links to specific NetworkWorld.com articles or resources or use one of our headline services to provide your users with the latest news, analysis and opinions from the leader in network knowledge.

Referencing content from NetworkWorld.com can help position your company as a leading provider of networking products and services, plus, allow you to offer information which helps to educate visitors about your product or technology solution.

Adding links to specific articles

Most content on NetworkWorld.com is open - anybody can read our content without registering. Simply create an HTML link to the article you want your users to see and they'll be able to read it; no specific permission or fee is required to create links to our articles (you can also use the first paragraph to explain the link).

We encourage you to use our logo as part of the link, as visitors will be more likely to read an article about your company written by an objective source. To request a copy of our logo, please contact Whitney Cwirka at wcwirka@idgenterprise.com. If you do not use a logo, we do request that you reference "Network World" in the text link you create.

You may change and update your links to NetworkWorld.com at any time.

Our search engine (available at the top of any page) can quickly find you links to relevant articles.

Getting feeds of Network World headlines

Our RSS feeds will let you get topic- and company-specific headline feeds. That link will take you to information about the feeds we offer and conditions of their use.

Obtaining reprints of online article

Let our editorial coverage of your company assist in your sales efforts. Reprints of Network World articles are available in PDF or HTML format for display on your Web site.

For information about reprints and copyright permissions, please contact The YGS Group at (800) 290-5460 Ext. 100 or networkworld@theygsgroup.com.

Editorial Beats/Contacts

Online story requests, Press releases and story tips should be sent to the appropriate editorial beat writer.