Community Contributions Policy

Santanero Media Group, LLC. d.b.a. Santanero Media Group, LLC, The Santanero and KSNG-DB “Santanero Radio”

Effective July 1, 2026

1. Overview

Santanero Media Group, LLC ("Santanero Media Group," "we," "our," or "us") owns and operates The Santanero, KSNG-DB "Santanero Radio," Santanero.org, and related media properties.

Unless otherwise stated, this policy applies to all publications, broadcasts, websites, newsletters, podcasts, social media accounts, and other media properties owned or operated by Santanero Media Group, LLC.

We welcome community participation through opinion submissions, letters to the editor, event announcements, photographs, story ideas, news tips, and other contributions.

All submissions are evaluated according to editorial standards, relevance, accuracy, available resources, public interest, and community value.

By submitting content to us, contributors agree to the terms described in this Policy.

2. Our Editorial Mission

Our mission is to connect the people of Santa Ana with the information that shapes their daily lives.

Through independent local journalism, public-interest reporting, community engagement, and civic participation, we strive to bridge the gap between residents and local institutions while keeping our community informed about important events, decisions, and issues affecting Santa Ana.

We seek to provide accurate, accessible, and understandable information that helps residents make informed decisions, participate in civic life, and remain connected to their community.

3. No Guarantee of Publication

Submission of content does not guarantee publication, broadcast, distribution, investigation, follow-up reporting, review, response or future coverage.

We reserve the right to accept, reject, edit, delay, archive, remove, or decline any submission at our sole discretion.

Editorial decisions remain subject to our policies, standards, legal obligations, editorial priorities, and available resources.

4. Contributor Responsibility

Contributors are responsible for ensuring that submitted material:

• Is accurate to the best of their knowledge;
• Does not knowingly contain false or misleading information;
• Does not violate copyright or intellectual property rights;
• Does not infringe the rights of others;
• Complies with applicable laws;
• Is properly sourced when appropriate;
• Includes supporting documentation when available; and
• Complies with Santanero Media Group policies.

Contributors remain responsible for the content they submit.

5. Editing and Publication

Reasonable editing will generally seek to preserve the contributor's intended meaning.

We may edit submissions for grammar, clarity, style, length, formatting, headline presentation, legal compliance, accuracy and editorial standards.

Contributors may be asked to revise or clarify submissions prior to publication.

6. License to Publish

By submitting content, contributors grant Santanero Media Group, LLC a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free license to publish, reproduce, edit, archive, preserve, display, promote, distribute and republish the submitted material through any current or future media format.

Contributors retain ownership of their original work unless otherwise agreed in writing.

7. News Tips

We encourage community members to submit news tips, story ideas, public-interest concerns, and information relevant to Santa Ana and surrounding communities.

News tips may be submitted by email at news@santanero.org or via DM on our Instagram @thesantanero.

Press releases may be submitted to press@santanero.org.

Submission of a news tip does not guarantee coverage, investigation, publication, or follow-up.

We may contact submitters for clarification, supporting documentation, or additional information.

Confidentiality Requests

Individuals submitting news tips may request confidentiality.

While we make reasonable efforts to protect confidential sources when appropriate, submission of information does not automatically create a confidential, privileged, or legally protected relationship.

8. Opinion Content

Opinion submissions reflect the views of their authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of Santanero Media Group, LLC, its editors, contributors, advertisers, sponsors, partners, affiliates, or related organizations.

Opinion content may include:

• Guest columns;
• Community commentary;
• Editorial responses;
• Civic viewpoints;
• Public-interest perspectives;
• Analysis and commentary.

Opinion Submission Requirements

Opinion submissions should include:

• The author's first and last name;
• A valid email address for verification;
• A preferred headline (subject to change);
• The full opinion article;
• A brief author biography;
• Disclosure of relevant affiliations or interests.

Authors should also provide, where applicable:

• Whether they reside in Santa Ana;
• Their Santa Ana ward;
• Their city of residence;
• Their elected office, campaign status, occupation, or relevant position;
• Sources used in preparing the submission;
• Supporting documentation;
• Relevant citations or links.

Opinion submissions should:

• Present a clear viewpoint or argument;
• Remain respectful;
• Avoid personal attacks;
• Be original;
• Be free of plagiarism;
• Comply with our Artificial Intelligence & Authenticity Policy;
• Not contain knowingly false information;
• Not function primarily as commercial advertising.

We may publish contextual information about the author when relevant.

10. Disclosure of Relationships and Interests

Contributors should disclose relationships, affiliations, interests, or circumstances that could reasonably influence, affect, or appear to influence a submission.

Examples may include:

• Employment relationships;
• Consulting relationships;
• Financial interests;
• Campaign involvement;
• Political affiliations;
• Organizational leadership positions;
• Elected office;
• Public appointments;
• Advocacy roles.

Failure to disclose material relationships may result in rejection, removal, publication of an editor's note, or other editorial action.

11. Letters to the Editor

Letters to the editor are welcome and may be published online, referenced in broadcasts, distributed through newsletters, or shared through other media properties.

Letters should generally:

• Be concise;
• Address matters of public interest;
• Remain respectful;
• Avoid personal attacks;
• Comply with applicable laws and editorial standards.

We reserve the right to edit letters for:

• Clarity;
• Style;
• Length;
• Legal compliance; and
• Editorial standards.

Submission of a letter does not guarantee publication.

12. Photograph and Media Submissions

Contributors submitting photographs, videos, audio recordings, graphics, or other media represent that they created the material or possess the necessary rights and permissions to authorize publication.

Submitted media may be:

• Edited;
• Cropped;
• Resized;
• Captioned;
• Reformatted;
• Archived; or
• Prepared for publication.

Acceptance of submitted media remains subject to editorial review.

13. Artificial Intelligence and Authenticity

All community submissions are subject to Santanero Media Group's Artificial Intelligence & Authenticity Policy.

Contributors should not submit substantially AI-generated articles, opinion pieces, letters to the editor, photographs, videos, or similar content where readers would reasonably expect human authorship or authentic visual representation.

We may request information concerning authorship, source materials, or AI involvement.

Additional requirements and standards are described in our Artificial Intelligence & Authenticity Policy.

14. Community Calendar Submissions

We welcome event announcements from residents, nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, community groups, businesses, public agencies, and local organizations.

Publication of event announcements is not guaranteed.

Event submissions should generally:

• Take place within or substantially relate to Santa Ana;
• Include accurate dates, times, locations, and descriptions;
• Include contact information when appropriate;
• Comply with applicable laws;
• Comply with permit requirements when applicable.

Event organizers should disclose known admission fees, registration fees, parking charges, or other attendance-related costs.

We may contact organizers to verify information, request clarification, or correct errors before publication.

Readers should independently verify event information before attending.

Events may be postponed, canceled, relocated, or modified after submission.

15. Existing Community Calendar Events

To avoid duplicate submissions, we may already publish certain recurring public events, including:

• Santa Ana City Council meetings;
• City commission meetings;
• Santa Ana Unified School District Board of Education meetings;
• Public agency meetings;
• Events appearing on official public calendars.

Not all future meetings or events may appear at any given time.

16. Advertising

Organizations, businesses, campaigns, nonprofits, agencies, and other entities seeking advertising or sponsorship opportunities must comply with our Advertising Guidelines.

Paid advertising does not guarantee editorial coverage, publication of submissions, Community Calendar or "CommunityCal" placement, or favorable treatment.

Advertising decisions remain separate from editorial decisions.

Questions regarding advertising may be directed to sales@santanero.org.

17. Removal Requests

Published content generally remains part of the public record.

Requests for removal, modification, anonymization, or deletion may be reviewed on a case-by-case basis but are not guaranteed.

Editorial, historical, legal, public-interest, and record-preservation considerations may be taken into account when evaluating requests.

18. Relationship to Other Policies

This policy should be read together with our other policies published by Santanero Media Group, LLC.

Contact

Questions regarding submissions, community contributions, opinion content, event announcements, letters to the editor, or this Policy may be directed to:

Daniel Diaz, Santanero Media Group, LLC.
Email: ddiaz@santanero.org

News Tips: news@santanero.org
Press Releases: press@santanero.org
General Editorial Inquiries: ethics@santanero.org