Publication analysis
About the publication
Title: Slate
ISSN: 1091-2339 (Online)1
Website: http://www.slate.com
Purpose, objective, or mission: Founded in 1996, Slate is a “general-interest publication offering analysis and commentary about politics, news, business, technology, and culture.”2
Target audience: Internet news seekers interested in current events and contemporary topics with a unique perspective and sharp commentary.
Publisher: The Slate Group, a Graham Holdings Company.3
Peer reviewed? No.
Type: Civilian publication / online magazine.
Medium: Online.
Content: Current events, political commentary, culture–all sorts of topics within the United States. Slate has a self-proclaimed liberal slant.4
Frequency of publication: New content published daily.
About the publication’s submission guidelines
Location of submission guidelines: http://www.slate.com/articles/briefing/slate_fare/2017/10/how_to_pitch_slate.html
Types of contributions accepted: Slate asks that you read over their website and get familiar with the types of work they accept before you send in a pitch. They’re known for making strong statements, so if your piece falls under opinion or analysis, be sure to make a compelling argument. Scroll towards the bottom of How to pitch Slate to read a successful pitch example, a particularly funny take on food featured on the Game of Thrones TV show.
Submission and review process: Send short pitches stating the general content of your article, or the argument you intend to make. Do not send complete drafts of your piece.5
Slate asks that you please Google the topic of your article to see what has already been written on the subject–they strive for fresh content and new perspectives. Be sure to include the section of the site in which you would like your article to be featured–Brow Beat, Health/Science, Human Interest, etc. Include a short bio on yourself. Slate asks that you please refrain from emailing multiple editors. Due to the high volume of submissions that they receive, if you do not hear back from an editor in a few days, your article was not accepted.6
Editorial tone: Informative yet casual.
Style guide used: Unknown.
Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors
Slate could be a great option to look into for those writing about push-button topics in the LIS field. Recently published articles regarding library and information science include “The Library of Congress Will Stop Archiving Every Tweet. Good.,” from 2017, and “Who Is in Control of Your Library’s Data?” from 2015.
Audience analysis
About the publication’s readers
Publication circulation: According to their media kit, Slate reaches 20 million unique visitors a month.7
Audience location and language or cultural considerations: Slate is a U.S. publication, and, as of 2015, international readers must pay to access Slate.com if they wish to read more than 5 free articles a month.8 slate.com, accessed September 19, 2020, https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2015/06/slates-new-international-paywall-how-it-will-work-for-readers-abroad.html] Therefore, it is safe to assume that most of the readers are geographically located in the U.S.
Reader characteristics: According to an older article published by Slate, their general demographic is comprised of (mostly) college-educated readers between the ages of 25-54.9
Knowledge of LIS subject matter: Varied, as Slate is read by the general public.
Conclusion: Analysis of reader characteristics and their potential impact on authors
With 70 million viewers a month, you can guarantee that readers of Slate have a wide range of knowledge. Recent articles on a David Lynch typing game and the dubiousness of octopus intelligence show potential authors that Slate could be a good outlet for more offbeat LIS writing. All articles feature a lively readers’ commentary section, so be prepared for (potentially) heavy debate about your content.
Last updated: September 29, 2020
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