How to become a CNS Correspondent?

CNS Correspondents' Team specializes in rights-based and in-depth, health and science journalism. CNS Correspondents are voluntary non-paid citizen journalists, bloggers, media personnel, writers, or people with experiential and lived knowledge of conditions such as HIV, TB, among others. They come from over 20 countries (mostly in Asia-Pacific and African regions). CNS Correspondents have something to say on issues they feel for or are affected by in their daily lives. Together they help document local realities and give a voice to the voiceless.

How to become a CNS Correspondent?
Self-motivated writers should read the following documents before sending their request to become a CNS Correspondent.

 By sending a request to join the CNS Correspondents' Team to email address: fellows@citizen-news.org, it implies that the sender has read the above documents, including CNS Content Submission Policy and Agreement, privacy policy, issues CNS focuses on, Creative Commons (CC) attribution license among others.

 What it means to be a CNS Correspondent?
Although no monetary compensation is given in any form to any CNS Correspondent, still there are a mosaic of benefits which they enjoy - such as they:
  • Get free mentoring, editing, publishing and syndication support
  • Get a free online profile with their photograph, brief bio and links to their articles
  • Get free registration for e-Media Dialogues/ webinars on global health 
  • Get preference for annual CNS Health Fellowship Certificate Programme
  • Get a professional CNS Correspondent's email address (@citizen-news.org!)  
  • Get access to all their articles published on CNS at a single click
  • Get support with media registration at health and development conferences
  • Are first considered for media and communication projects of Solutions, a division of CNS 
  • Are first considered for on-site conference coverage assignments at national, regional or international health and development conferences
  • And a lot more!
How to remain a member of CNS Correspondents' Team? 
CNS Correspondents contribute at least one news article every three months in response to CNS issue briefs on global health priorities. Their articles should be based upon interviews with key affected populations and other stakeholders. We are not looking for opinionated articles. The status of CNS Correspondents is reviewed every quarter. Those Correspondents who have not contributed any article which got published on CNS in the last quarter, will automatically seize to enjoy above-mentioned benefits. However their articles will continue to remain online so that they can access them at a single click!

 CNS Special Correspondents
CNS Special Correspondents contribute at least one article per month in response to CNS issue briefs on key global health priorities. They are also commissioned to do specific news stories.  

 CNS Columnists
CNS Columnists are distinguished and experienced columnists who contribute opinionated or editorial articles upon our request.

Points to remember as a member of CNS Correspondents' Team
  • Please do not use press releases or lift previously published content of someone else. We want unique content in response to issue briefs based upon interviews with key affected populations as well as other experts. Your voice matters!
  • Please do not submit photographs clicked by other people. Photographs clicked by you are welcome with suggested photo credit line. Please obtain due consent from people who are being photographed especially those from key affected populations.
  • Please do not use language or refer to key affected people in a manner which is not rights-based. For example, instead of "diabetics" use the phrase "people living with diabetes", or instead of "prostitute" please use "sex worker".