Last updated · reviewed by the Essentras editorial team
Newspaper guide
How to get an article published in a newspaper
To get an article in a newspaper, pitch a news story to the reporter who covers your topic, send 1 paper an exclusive op-ed (600 to 800 words at the papers we checked), write a letter to the editor or list an event. Editors decide, at no cost. Paid pages differ: US local listings on Essentras have a $2,167 median.
Sources: The Boston Globe and Chicago Sun-Times submission pages, 2026 journalist surveys and 3,886 Essentras listings
What you will do
- Pick the kind of article: a news story, an op-ed, a letter, a listing or a paid page.
- Find the reporter or the opinion editor, and the paper's own submission rules.
- Pitch a local story in 6 steps, and submit an op-ed the way the papers ask.
- Time it, follow up once, and use 6 copy-ready templates.
- See what a paid newspaper page costs, how fast it runs and the label it carries.
Start here in 1 click
Free tools first. Paid newspaper pages are listed with price, turnaround and label before you pay.
Placement cost calculator
Free, no account. Set the region, authority floor and link policy you need and see the real price range, with named outlets.
AI Match: papers that fit
Free. Describe your business and your town in 1 sentence and get a ranked shortlist, with the price next to each outlet.
US local and regional news (paid)
558 outlets
- Median price
- $2,167
- Live within 1 week
- 48% of listings
- Labels
- Stated on every listing; 19% carry a sponsored, partner or discreet label
Or browse every US news outlet with its price
Paid placements are not earned coverage. Each listing states its price, turnaround, link policy and label before you pay.
The options
What kinds of newspaper articles can you get published?
A newspaper publishes 4 kinds of content you can start for free, and 3 you can pay for. Editors decide the free ones; the paid ones run with a label, or as a notice or an ad.
| Route | What it costs | Time to publish | Who decides | What the reader sees | What you control |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A news story by a reporter | $0 plus your time | No date: the reporter decides if and when | The reporter and the editor | A news story (earned coverage) | Your pitch, nothing after it |
| An op-ed (guest opinion) | $0 | Assume a no after 10 business days at the Globe and the Sun-Times | The opinion editor | Your byline in the opinion section | Your argument, subject to editing |
| A letter to the editor | $0 | Assume a no after 10 business days at the Globe | The letters editor | A short letter with your name | Your words, if it runs |
| A calendar or community listing | $0 at papers that run them | By the paper's own listing deadline | The listings or community editor | A listing of your event or milestone | The facts you submit |
| A press release page on a newspaper site | $3,333 at each of 26 US papers on Essentras | 3 to 5 business days at 24 of them, 1 week at 2 | You pick the paper | As the listings state: "Published with a discreet disclosure." | The text and the timing |
| A paid article on a newspaper site | Median $2,167 for US news outlets tied to a state; Milwaukee Journal Sentinel $2,167 | 48% of those listings within 1 week; 1 to 2 weeks at the Journal Sentinel | You pick the paper | The label the listing states (paid placement) | Paper, timing and text (you approve the draft) |
| A legal or public notice | Set by the paper's legal notices desk | By the paper's notice deadline | You, within the law that requires the notice | A notice, not an article | The notice text |
Free tool: which way into the paper fits you?
2 questions. The answer names a route with its cost, its timing and what it will not do for you.
Answer the 2 questions to see your route.
Every answer, in a table
| If | Route | Price | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| You want a news story about your business | Pitch the reporter or the news desk | $0 plus your time | No date can be promised |
| You want to publish your opinion on an issue | Send an op-ed to 1 paper at a time | $0 | Assume a no after 10 business days at the Globe and the Sun-Times |
| You want to reply to an article the paper ran | Write a letter to the editor | $0 | Send it while the article is fresh |
| You want an event, opening or milestone in the paper | Use the calendar or community section, then pitch the desk | $0 | By the paper's listing deadline |
| You need a page on a named paper but can spend $0 | Price it first, then pitch | $0 | No date for earned coverage |
| You need a local news page for up to $1,000 | Patch, a local news network | $433 | 3 to 5 business days |
| You need a page on a named paper for $1,000 to $3,500 | A regional daily by name | Median $2,167; Milwaukee Journal Sentinel $2,167; press release pages on 26 papers $3,333 | 1 to 2 weeks at the Journal Sentinel; 3 to 5 business days for most press release pages |
| You need a page on a big-city paper and can spend more than $3,500 | Big-city dailies by name | Detroit Free Press $4,167, LA Times press release $4,400, NY Post $10,000 | 1 to 2 weeks at the Free Press; 2 to 4 weeks at the LA Times |
Step by step
How do you get a reporter to write about your business? 6 steps
The earned route into the news pages. It costs nothing, and the reporter decides.
1. Find the local angle
Jobs, an opening, an expansion, an event, a local person or local data. Newspapers cover what changes something for their readers.
2. Find the reporter or the desk
Search the paper's site for your topic and open the bylines. Pitch the reporter who covered it, or the business or local news desk.
3. Prepare the facts and photos
1 page on your site with the facts, a quote, photos the paper can use and a contact who answers the same day.
4. Pitch in under 200 words, before noon
What is new, why it matters locally, the proof, and who can talk. Journalists in Muck Rack's 2026 survey prefer 1-to-1 pitches before noon.
5. Follow up once
A few days later, with something new: a figure, a photo opportunity or an interview slot. Then stop.
6. Be ready when they call
Answer within hours, offer a site visit or a call, and never ask to approve the story.
Op-eds
How do you get an op-ed published? The rules at 2 newspapers
An op-ed is an opinion piece by an outside writer. You send the finished piece to 1 paper, it decides, and it edits. These are the rules the papers publish themselves.
| Newspaper | Length | Where to send it | Exclusive? | When to assume a no |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Boston Globe | About 800 words, a good target; other lengths considered | [email protected] | Yes, exclusive to the Globe | At least a few days to review; assume a no after 10 business days |
| Chicago Sun-Times | 600 to 750 words | [email protected] | Yes; send elsewhere only after a no | Aims to reply within 7 business days; assume a no after 10 |
Argue 1 point on a current issue
The Boston Globe says its most successful op-eds present "vibrant arguments bolstered by facts", and that the writing and fresh ideas matter most.
Send the finished piece
Both papers take the full text by email. Paste it in the body under a short note, and keep a copy of what you sent.
1 paper at a time
Both ask for exclusive submissions. After 10 business days of silence, assume a no and try the next paper.
Say who you are
The Sun-Times asks for your name, a brief bio, email and phone, and at most 2 co-authors. Say why you can speak on the issue.
Declare your interest
If your business gains from your argument, say so in the note. An editor who finds out later will not run you again.
Big national papers
The Washington Post and The New York Times publish their own rules on their help pages. Those pages did not load for our reader on 19 Oct 2026, so read them there.
Letters
How do you write a letter to the editor that gets printed?
A letter replies to something the paper published. It is the shortest way into a newspaper, and the most competitive per word.
- Reply to a specific article, by headline and date, while it is fresh.
- Keep it short: the Boston Globe asks for 200 words or less; the Chicago Sun-Times allows up to 350.
- Make 1 point, with 1 fact the editor can check.
- Include your full name, your address or hometown and a phone number: both papers ask for them to verify the letter.
- Send it to that paper only. The Globe asks for letters exclusive to it and says to assume a no after 10 business days.
- Use the address the paper gives: [email protected] at the Globe, [email protected] or its form at the Sun-Times.
Local and free
How do you get into your local paper for free?
Local papers need local material. Give them a reason that is about their readers, not about your marketing.
- Use the paper's calendar or community pages for events, openings and milestones, through its own submission form.
- Pitch the business desk with local facts: new jobs, an opening, an expansion, a local first.
- Look at hyperlocal sections and alternative weeklies: That's Great News, a company that frames published articles, notes that papers fill hyperlocal sections with pieces from area residents, and that alternative weeklies always need new content.
- Offer photos and a person to interview on site. A local story with a face runs more easily than a statement.
- Respond when the paper covers your field: a quick, useful comment to the reporter, or a letter to the editor.
- For a paid local page, regional media placements list the paper, price, turnaround and label before you pay.
Timing
When should you submit, and when should you follow up?
News pitches: before noon
Journalists in Muck Rack's 2026 survey prefer pitches before noon, 1 to 1, with 1 timely follow-up.
Op-eds: while the issue is news
An op-ed answers a current debate. Send it while the issue is in the paper, not weeks after.
Wait out the stated window
The Boston Globe takes at least a few days and says to assume a no after 10 business days; the Sun-Times aims to reply within 7.
Letters: within days of the article
A letter responds to something the paper ran. The longer you wait, the less it fits.
Listings: before the deadline
Calendar pages close before the event. Check the paper's form for its lead time.
Paid pages: by the listed window
1 to 2 weeks at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 3 to 5 business days for the Charlotte Observer press release page, per the listings.
Our data
Can you pay to publish an article in a newspaper? What it costs
Yes, as a paid placement, a press release page, an ad or a legal notice. Never as a reporter's story. This is what newspaper-type listings in the Essentras catalog cost on 19 Oct 2026, with the label each listing states.
| Outlet type | Outlets | Median price | Middle half | From | Within 1 week | Labeled |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US news outlets tied to a state | 558 | $2,167 | $2,000 to $2,167 | $217 | 48% | 19% |
| Press release pages on named sites | 46 | $3,333 | $2,795 to $3,333 | $213 | 85% | 87% |
| Every US outlet | 1,550 | $2,000 | $500 to $2,500 | $70 | 56% | 23% |
| Every outlet in the catalog | 3,886 | $2,167 | $752 to $4,260 | $53 | 49% | 38% |
- "US news outlets tied to a state" are US listings that name a state and are tagged News, without press release pages and impression packages. Most are city and regional papers; the rest include city magazines, business and legal titles, TV news sites and local news blogs.
- "Labeled" counts listings that state "Published with a sponsored or partner label." or "Published with a discreet disclosure." The rest state "Published as a standard editorial article, with no sponsored label."
- Prices are Essentras list prices on the read date, not the papers' own ad rates.
Press release pages on 26 US newspaper sites
26 US newspapers, including the Miami Herald, the Charlotte Observer, the Kansas City Star, the Sacramento Bee and the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, sell a press release page through Essentras at $3,333 each. 24 list 3 to 5 business days and 2 list 1 week. Each of these listings states "Published with a discreet disclosure.", is nofollow, and says indexing is "Maybe". A press release page is your text in the paper's release section, not a news story.
Named newspaper listings, cheapest first
| Outlet | Price | Turnaround | Label, as the listing states it | Indexed | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Patch (local news network) | $433 | 3 to 5 business days | Published with a sponsored or partner label. | Yes | Nofollow |
| San Francisco Examiner | $1,667 | 1 to 3 business days | Published as a standard editorial article, with no sponsored label. | Yes | Dofollow |
| Miami New Times (listed with a 6 month lifespan) | $1,667 | 3 business days | Published with a sponsored or partner label. | Yes | Dofollow |
| LA Weekly | $1,833 | 1 business day | Published as a standard editorial article, with no sponsored label. | Yes | Nofollow |
| Milwaukee Journal Sentinel | $2,167 | 1 to 2 weeks | Published as a standard editorial article, with no sponsored label. | Yes | Nofollow |
| Indianapolis Star | $2,167 | 1 to 2 weeks | Published as a standard editorial article, with no sponsored label. | Yes | Nofollow |
| Arizona Daily Star | $2,167 | 1 week | Published as a standard editorial article, with no sponsored label. | Yes | Dofollow |
| Chicago Tribune | $2,500 | 2 weeks | Published with a discreet disclosure. | No | Nofollow |
| New York Daily News | $2,500 | 3 to 5 business days | Published with a sponsored or partner label. | No | Nofollow |
| Tampa Bay Times | $3,030 | 1 week | Published with a sponsored or partner label. | Yes | Nofollow |
| Charlotte Observer, press release page | $3,333 | 3 to 5 business days | Published with a discreet disclosure. | Maybe | Nofollow |
| Miami Herald, press release page | $3,333 | 1 week | Published with a discreet disclosure. | Maybe | Nofollow |
| Detroit Free Press | $4,167 | 1 to 2 weeks | Published as a standard editorial article, with no sponsored label. | Yes | Nofollow |
| Los Angeles Times, press release page | $4,400 | 2 to 4 weeks | Published as a standard editorial article, with no sponsored label. | Yes | Nofollow |
| Washington Times | $5,410 | 1 week | Published with a sponsored or partner label. | Yes | Dofollow |
| Los Angeles Times (listed as Sponsored) | $8,250 | 2 to 4 weeks | Published with a sponsored or partner label. | Yes | Nofollow |
| New York Post | $10,000 | 1 to 2 weeks | Published as a standard editorial article, with no sponsored label. | Yes | Nofollow |
What paying does and does not buy
- A paid article is not a reporter's story, even when the listing says "no sponsored label". Describe it as paid.
- Index status varies: the Chicago Tribune and New York Daily News listings say "No", the newspaper press release pages say "Maybe". Check it if search matters to you.
- Lifespan can be limited: the Miami New Times listing name says the page stays up for 6 months.
- In the US, the FTC says ads that look like editorial content should be readily identifiable as ads (Native Advertising: A Guide for Businesses, December 2015).
- Legal notices (a name change, a business filing) are booked with the paper's notices desk. They are notices, not articles.
- Every Essentras listing includes writing on request, a draft you approve, a dated screenshot and the live link, and is refunded if it does not publish.
Regional media: pick the city, see the papers and prices Placement cost calculator (free)
Copy-ready
Copy-ready newspaper templates
6 templates. Replace everything in [brackets]. Paste them in the email body; do not attach files.
Local news pitch to a reporter
A local story, to the reporter who covers it.
Subject: [Town]: [the news in plain words, with a number] Hi [First name], You covered [related local story] on [date]. [Company], based in [town], is [the news] on [date]. It matters locally because [jobs, residents, a local first, in 1 sentence]. [1 proof point: a figure, a customer, a local partner.] Photos: [link]. [Name, title] can meet at [place] or talk by phone, [days or times]. [Your name] [Phone]
Op-ed submission
A finished, exclusive piece, to 1 paper at a time.
Subject: Op-ed submission: [headline] ([word count] words) Dear Opinion editors, Below is an op-ed of [word count] words on [issue], written for [paper] and not sent anywhere else. Why now: [the news hook, in 1 sentence]. About me: [name, title, why you can speak on this]. Interest: [any personal or financial interest in the issue, or "none"]. [Full name] [Address, phone, email] [Paste the op-ed here]
Letter to the editor
A reply to an article, within days, under 200 words.
Subject: Letter: re "[headline of the article]" ([date]) To the editor: [1 sentence that names the article and your point.] [2 or 3 sentences with 1 fact or experience that supports it.] [1 closing sentence: what readers or officials should take from it.] [Full name] [Town or neighborhood] [Phone, for verification]
Calendar or community listing
An event, opening or milestone, through the paper's form or listings address.
WHAT: [Event name, in 1 line] WHEN: [Day, Month Day, Year], [start time] to [end time] WHERE: [Venue, street address, town] COST: [Free, or the ticket price] WHO IT IS FOR: [Audience, age limits if any] DETAILS: [2 sentences on what happens] CONTACT FOR READERS: [website or phone] CONTACT FOR THE PAPER: [name, phone, email] PHOTO: [link to a horizontal image, with credit]
Business desk pitch: opening, expansion or hires
Local business news, to the business reporter or desk.
Subject: [Town] business: [Company] [opens / expands / hires] [number] [what] Hi [First name], [Company] is [opening, expanding or hiring] in [town] on [date]: [number] jobs, [investment or size], [what it adds for residents]. [Owner name] can show you the site on [days] and talk about [the local angle]. Facts and photos: [link]. Questions: [phone]. [Your name]
Follow-up with something new
Once, a few days after the pitch.
Subject: Re: [original subject] Hi [First name], 1 addition in case it helps: [new figure, a photo opportunity, a confirmed interview slot or a local resident affected]. [Link to it.] If it is not for you, no reply needed. [Your name]
Avoid
What mistakes keep you out of the paper?
No local angle
A national press release with your town added at the end is not local news.
Pitching the wrong desk
Find the reporter who covered your topic, or the business or local desk, not a general inbox.
Sending an op-ed to several papers
Both papers we checked ask for exclusive submissions. Wait for a no, or 10 business days.
Going over the word limit
About 800 words at the Globe, 600 to 750 at the Sun-Times. Cut before you send.
An op-ed that is an ad
An argument about an issue can run. A case for your product will not.
A letter that answers nothing
Letters reply to something the paper published. Name the article and date.
Attachments and group emails
Paste the text, link the photos, write to 1 person at a time.
Following up 3 times
Once, with something new. Then stop.
Hiding your interest
If your business gains from your opinion, say so in the note.
Calling a paid page news
A paid article or press release page is paid. Keep the label the paper uses.
Checklist before you send
- The story has a local angle you can state in 1 sentence.
- You named the reporter, desk or opinion editor, from the paper itself.
- Op-eds are within the paper's word limit and sent to 1 paper only.
- Letters are under 200 words and name the article they answer.
- Your name, address or town and phone are in the email for verification.
- Photos are ready by link, and someone can talk today.
- You will follow up once, or wait out the paper's stated window.
- Any paid page is described as paid, with its label.
Optional add-ons, and cheaper starts
Optional. You can get coverage without any of these.
Often added
Business Insider, Yahoo and AP News in 1 order
$833 instead of $1,404
National press release pages next to your local coverage: the 3 bought separately cost $1,404, the order saves $571 (41%). The listing states: "Published with a discreet disclosure."
See the 3-outlet orderVolume discount
10% off 3 or more, 15% off 5 or more
Taken off the basket at checkout, for example 3 regional papers in the towns where you operate (5 or more for 15%).
See regional mediaA Google Knowledge Panel once coverage exists
From $650; $1,200 for a business
Own the box Google shows for your name or brand. Placements are never required for it, and the price covers the panel work.
See the panel service
Not ready yet?
A local page on Patch
$433, 3 to 5 business days
Patch runs local news sites by town. Nofollow. The listing states: "Published with a sponsored or partner label."
See the Patch listingA page on Medium
$97, 1 business day
An article on Medium, a publishing platform, not a newspaper. The listing states: "Published as a standard editorial article, with no sponsored label."
Publish on MediumStart free
$0
Price local and regional outlets in the free calculator, or get a ranked shortlist from AI Match.
Open the calculator
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How can I get my article published in a newspaper?▾
Choose the format first. Pitch a news story to the reporter who covers your topic, send a finished op-ed to 1 paper within its word limit, write a short letter that replies to an article, or submit an event to the calendar. Each is free, and the paper decides.
Can I pay to publish an article in a newspaper?▾
You can pay for a placement, a press release page, an ad or a legal notice, not for a reporter's story. On Essentras, US news outlets tied to a state have a median price of $2,167, and 26 US papers sell a press release page at $3,333. Each runs with the label its listing states.
How long should an op-ed be?▾
Follow the paper's own limit. The Boston Globe calls about 800 words a good target, and the Chicago Sun-Times asks for 600 to 750. Cut to the limit before you send.
Can I send the same op-ed to several newspapers?▾
No. Both papers we checked ask for exclusive submissions. Send it to 1 paper, and move on only after a no or the paper's stated window: the Globe and the Sun-Times say to assume a no after 10 business days.
How long does it take to hear back from a newspaper?▾
The Boston Globe takes at least a few days and says to assume a no after 10 business days. The Chicago Sun-Times aims to reply within 7 business days. A reporter you pitch may not reply at all: follow up once, then move on.
How do I get my business in the local newspaper?▾
Give the paper a local reason: new jobs, an opening, an expansion, an event or local people. Pitch the business or local desk with photos ready, and use the calendar for events. A paid local page is a separate, labeled option.
How much does it cost to publish an article in a newspaper?▾
Op-eds, letters, listings and news stories cost nothing. Paid pages on Essentras range from Patch at $433 to big-city dailies such as the New York Post at $10,000; the median for US news outlets tied to a state is $2,167 (catalog read 19 Oct 2026).
What is the difference between a press release page and a news article?▾
A press release page is your own text, published in the paper's release section for a fee and labeled as the listing states. A news article is written by a reporter who chose the story. Only the second is earned coverage.
How do I publish a legal notice in a newspaper?▾
Contact the paper's legal or public notices desk, which sets the price, the deadline and the format. A legal notice is a paid notice required by law, such as for a name change or a business filing, not an article.
Next steps
- 01
Pick the kind of article
A news story, an op-ed, a letter or a listing. Use the route finder if you are unsure.
- 02
Read the paper's own rules
Word limits, exclusivity and addresses differ by paper. Follow them exactly.
- 03
Write it short and local
Under 200 words for a pitch or a letter, within the limit for an op-ed, with a local fact up top.
- 04
Send, then wait or follow up once
Pitches before noon with 1 follow-up; op-eds and letters wait out the paper's window.
- 05
Add a paid page only where you need a date
Pick the paper, read the label and approve the draft. It is paid, and you say so.
Need a newspaper page by a date?
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel $2,167, 1 to 2 weeks. The listing states: "Published as a standard editorial article, with no sponsored label." Draft approved by you; refunded if it does not publish.
See the Journal Sentinel listing Or see regional media by cityChecked on . Every price, turnaround, label and rule on this page comes from a listing in the Essentras public catalog or a page named in the sources below, read on the date shown there.
Sources
- The Boston Globe, Meet Globe Opinion (op-ed and letter rules), read 19 Oct 2026
- Chicago Sun-Times, Submitting op-eds and letters (archived page, 1 Jun 2022), read 19 Oct 2026
- The Washington Post Help Center, Submit an op-ed (did not load for our reader on 19 Oct 2026)
- Cision, 2026 State of the Media press release (13 May 2026), read 19 Oct 2026
- The PR Net, summary of Muck Rack's State of Journalism 2026, read 19 Oct 2026
- That's Great News, How to get articles published in newspapers or magazines, read 19 Oct 2026
- Knowadays, How to get an article published in a magazine or newspaper (updated 8 Jul 2025), read 19 Oct 2026
- Indy, How to write and sell your articles to a newspaper or magazine (updated 11 Jan 2024), read 19 Oct 2026
- FTC, Native Advertising: A Guide for Businesses (December 2015), read 19 Oct 2026
- Essentras public catalog API: press release pages (?q=Press Release), read 19 Oct 2026
- Essentras public catalog API: US news outlets up to $2,500, read 19 Oct 2026
- Essentras public catalog API: every listing, read 19 Oct 2026
Essentras sells paid placements on named outlets, including the newspaper listings on this page. Paid placements are not earned coverage, and no route on this page makes a reporter or an editor publish you. Submission rules are each paper's own, as dated.
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