We are delighted and very excited to announce the Country Editors/Reporters Program World Architecture Community launched as of 2017. We are actively seeking fellow community members from all around the World, to volunteer as the face of their country on World Architecture Community while being the voice of World Architecture Community in their country.

The idea is very simple: we call for volunteer community members to join the World Architecture Community’s news team. By enrolling these community members scattered around the globe and interested in sharing their countries’ architecture news, we are now expanding our ability to share exclusive and local news, which we trust will be a great addition and benefit to our Community.

Country Reporters and Country Editors are responsible for selecting, writing and submitting local architectural news, that are interesting and important enough to be published on the World Architecture Community’s News section. Country Editors have news articles approval authority. They are volunteer community members who have a desire to share their local architecture news with their country and the whole World through World Architecture Community, on a regular and sustained basis. 

Since we announced the program in mid-December 2016, there’s been great interest and we are receiving applications every week from every corner of the globe (see map on the World Architecture Community's homepage).

Besides, all new recruits are first engaged as reporters for a 3-month trial-period. If WAC doesn't see any activity on the new Reporters' account within 3-month period, the positions will be removed. After that period, the reporters, who are found successful, are evaluated for the Country Editor status, while others will remain as Country Reporters, where applicable. It is important to note that there is no specific limit on how many may join a country team, so even if we announce a reporter for your country, you can still apply.

We are looking forward for more to join our team.

What is a World Architecture Community Country Editor/Reporter?

WAC Country Editors or Reporters have the responsibility of picking, writing and submitting local architectural news stories, on a regular and sustained basis, that are newsworthy of being published on the World Architecture Community’s News section and to be promoted over twitter and other social media means. Often times, the WAC Country Editors will in fact act as reporters / journalists and editors at the same time, for a given country or group of countries as per their assignment. They will not only write the news and their headlines as a reporter, but they will also check for the accuracy and fairness of their articles as an editor.

What is the language of the World Architecture Community Country Editor/Reporter?

The official language of World Architecture Community is English; therefore it is imperative that our Country Editors and Reporters do have a very good level of written English language, as well as in the language of the Country they are reporting or editing for. All articles must be submitted in English to the World Architecture Community and no other language articles will be accepted, even if the stories and/or news are local.

Who is the typical World Architecture Community Country Editor/Reporter?

Typically, the ideal WAC Country Editors will be from an architecture background or active architects in a given country. Architecture students are also welcome if they are at least on their last year of undergraduate architecture studies. The WAC Country Editors must have a desire to share their local architecture news with their country and the World. Being or having been an architecture blogger with experience or an architecture critic with published papers will represent a plus in the selection process but it is not a mandatory condition.

What rules World Architecture Community Country Editors/Reporters must respect?

What we look for in your news stories:

• SURPRISE US: We are looking for true stories, projects or people that present or represent something new, innovative, important and/or interesting to a national and international audience in the area of architecture that will surprise our community.
• BOTH NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL INTEREST: Would your story be more interesting to your local, country based, architecture portals than to people across the World? WAC is an international news portal, so we are looking for stories with possibly an international angle – although local national stories are always welcome, if they represent a particular interest to the country, be it innovation, unusualness, or other angles that  would. World Architecture Community Country Editors/Reporters do not have to always find an international angle in their pieces, if the story is interesting or appealing enough for the country.
• KEEP IT SHORT ENOUGH: We don’t want 3 or more pages of a story. Write a few paragraphs about the story you intend to produce; include your angle and a list of the sources whose voices you will use in your story. It is a good idea to develop confirmed contacts with the sources you intend to interview before you pitch the story.
• BE SPECIFIC: Tell us why your story would interest our audience: for example: “The building in the article represents a new approach to living spaces or solves this or that problem, that actually may be internationally experienced.”
• WHAT’S THE NEWS PEG: Let us know whether the story is time-sensitive: for example: “This story will be published on XYZ news tomorrow.” Or: “This would be a great story to run with the ‘XYZ special event’ that will happen next week.”
• OUR PROCESS: Your pitch will be circulated around the editorial team and a general consensus will be reached on what news we accept and which we decline, after which one of the editors will get back to you as soon as possible. For breaking news and same-day publication, please send pitches by 15:00 UTC Time. For less time-sensitive stories, you can send them anytime. If you want to propose a story for Monday, try to get your pitch in by 15:00 UTC on Friday. In general an editor will respond with our decision generally within 48-72 hours.

Important notes:

• Be factual;
• Be able to quote at least one or two sources for each fact;
• Make sure to not hurt any reputation, brand or other sensitivities;
• Make sure not to engage the responsibility of World Architecture Community;
• Make sure your visuals have the appropriate copyright information, and finally;
• Make sure your finished piece is in the appropriate length.

What does WAC offer its World Architecture Community Editors/Reporters?

In essence, we are a community portal founded in 2006, with the sole desire to provide the architecture community around the globe with a platform or portal to present themselves, showcase their work and to compete with peers. We have no financial offer to make to you at this point, however, because of its reputation on the architectural scene, World Architecture Community will offer its Country Editors/Reporters with title and a platform to express themselves. The fact that they are an Editor/Reporter will also be flagged in their profile page(s) and all the articles they successfully submitted will be displayed as part of their own news portfolio.

All new candidates will first be World Architecture Community Reporters. Over a period of 1-3 months, our Chief Editor will evaluate your contributions and decide whether or not you are suitable as a World Architecture Community Country Editor. If WAC doesn't see any activity on the new Reporters' account within 3-month period, the positions will be removed. Country Editor positions will be evaluated after 3-month period if the Reporter is found successful. Once this is confirmed, all Reporters within the country will be feeding their articles into the Country Editor. The Country Editor will then have editor responsibility to publish those articles or not, although the World Architecture Editor-in-Chief will have the final say in case of dispute.

Furthermore, over time, we plan to extend the role of the most successful Country Editors to that of Regional Editors, responsible for several countries in their region. All accepted Country Editors and Reporters would receive an @worldarchitecture.org e-mail address. Please note that this e-mail address is only to be used professionally and may be monitored by our management team. Editors and Reporters must pay particular attention not to engage World Architecture Community without the prior written consent of the WAC management team.

All articles submitted by the Country Editors/Reporters will carry their names on World Architecture Community. Furthermore, all confirmed Editors/Reporters will be listed on the World Architecture Community’s country pages. An official mailing will be sent to the Country members announcing the nomination(s) of Editors and Reporters. Your @worldarchitecture.org e-mail address will be visible both on the Country page and the announcement e-mails to make sure local members can reach you.

How do World Architecture Community Editors/Reporters submit their articles?

We use an online editor (Froala) as our main news upload tool. Editors and Reporters will be given access to write up their stories and to upload their visuals that support their stories. These news articles will then go into a pool to be approved by their Editor, first the Editor-in-Chief, then the Country Editors as they get selected. A separate document describes the step-by-step use of the online editor.

There you have it, all you need to know about becoming a World Architecture Community Country Editor/Reporter. You feel up to it? Send your motivation message and your CV to [email protected].

Best of luck!