Q: Are there any ads you won't publish?
A: The State reserves the right to censor, revise, reclassify, edit or reject any advertisement. Should The State refuse an ad, any monies paid to The State for publishing the ad will be returned to the advertiser, releasing all parties. Initial acceptance of an ad does not commit The State to publish it, and publication does not constitute an agreement for continued publication.

Q: Who is responsible for the content of an advertisement?
A: The advertiser, agency or agent assumes all liability for the content of advertisements published (including illustrations, text, claims, etc.) and agrees to assume any and all responsibility for claims occurring against the Publisher. Those who purchase advertising agree to indemnify the Publisher against any claims related to said advertising in The State.

Q: Is there a penalty if I cancel my ad?
A: Ad changes or cancellations can be made at no charge when conforming with published deadlines. Ads cancelled after published deadlines are subject to a charge equal to 50% of the ad cost.

Q: Is there a rate discount if I sign a contract?
A: The State offers contracts with rate discounts based on volume and/or frequency of advertising. Such contracts must be signed by an officer of the advertising company, which must be located within the Columbia retail trading zone and qualify for retail rates. Such contracts are automatically renewed at the end of the contract period unless otherwise amended. Rate discounts will be applied according to the rate card in effect at the time of the renewal.

Q: What is the Columbia retail trading zone?
A: The zone includes the counties of Bamberg, Barnwell, Calhoun, Clarendon, Darlington, Fairfield, Kershaw, Lee, Lexington, Newberry, Orangeburg, Richland, Saluda, Sumter and part of Aiken.

Q: Do I pay any tax when I place an ad?
A: At present, taxes are not assessed against advertising. However, should the laws change, applicable taxes will be added to advertising charges.

Q: Who owns the copyright to my ad?
A: By placing an advertisement in The State, the advertiser agrees that the ad, as it appears in the newspaper, will become the property of The State. Advertiser further assigns all ownership interest in the advertisement as it appears in The State under the Copyright Act or otherwise to The State newspaper. Advertiser may still place a similar advertisement, different in form from the advertisement as it appears in The State newspaper, in any other media.

Q: What about other laws that might apply to my ad?
A: As protection for our advertisers and our readers, The State adheres to all federal and state advertising guidelines pertaining to employment, housing and fair trade practices.

Q: Do you pay commissions to advertising agencies?
A: Recognized local advertising agencies are afforded a 15% commission on retail and national categories of business. This incentive is offered to advertising agencies that have signed and continue to meet the terms of an agency agreement. ROS, color and "we-print advertising" are commissionable. Some restrictions apply and some special programs are non-commissionable. Classified categories of business are non-commissionable except for national employment. Pre-prints are also non-commissionable.

Q: How do I find a story online after you remove it from the Web site?
A: NewsLibrary provides online access to articles published in The State dating back to 1987.

Q: How do I search for articles on your Web site?
A: Stories that appeared on the Web site during the past 7 days can be accessed at no charge using the Search at the top of every page. Most, but not all, stories from the newspaper are published online at this time. Older stories dating back to December 1987 can be found in NewsLibrary.

Q: What is NewsLibrary?
A: NewsLibrary is a database containing more than 10 million articles from newspapers across the country. The service will let you find old newspaper articles by finding the words or phrases that appear in those articles. You will be presented with a list of dates and headlines, along with the first few lines of each article. Select the article that you are looking for and click on the link to view the full text.

Q: Is everything that appears in the newspaper included in the NewsLibrary archives?
A: No. From December 1, 1987, to August 1990, only articles concerning South Carolina were included. Since 1990, almost all articles in the newspaper are archived. Exceptions are stock listings, wedding and engagement notices, box scores, calendars, and some syndicated columns (Dear Abby, Heloise).

Q: How can I get articles that appeared before 1987?
A: The newspaper's old clipping files, from the mid-1960s to December, 1987, provide the only index to the paper for those years. An index from 1891-1911 also exists in book form, available at the Richland County Public Library. A search of the clipping files by The State's library staff begins at $30 for the first half-hour. Call (803) 771-8534 for details about our fee-based service.

Q: How much does NewsLibrary cost?
A: Searching NewsLibrary is free. The cost for viewing the complete text of an article is $2.95. The charge for viewing an article will not occur until the article has been completely delivered from the server. If you do not receive the complete text of the article you want, you can click on it again. You will only be charged once for an article even if you happen to view it more than once, provided the viewings occur within a reasonable amount of time.

Q: How soon do articles from the newspaper appear in NewsLibrary?
A: Articles from today's paper should be in the archive tomorrow morning. Some Sunday features or special sections may take a day or two longer.

Q: Are the articles prior to 1987 going to be put online?
A: The technology to convert microfilm into digital form is developing, but The State currently has no plans for such a project.

Q: Are the obituaries available online?
A: Before 1987: You will need to know the date of the person's death so that it can be located on microfilm. There is no index for obituaries before 1987. After 1987: From December 1987 to March 1998, the archives contain the death list from the front page of the newspaper, but not the full obituaries. A search for a name in those years can give you the date the obituary appeared, but not the obituary itself. After March 1998, the full obituaries are available from the archives. Please note that obituaries are not archived individually; a successful search for one name will retrieve a file containing all of the obituaries published that day.

Q: Are wedding and engagement announcements online?
A: Yes, click here.

Q: Can I find photographs from the newspaper online?
A: Unfortunately, photographs and graphics from the newspaper are not available in the archives.

Q: Who do I call if I have a problem searching for articles on your Web site?
A: The State's librarians can further assist you. Please call (803) 771-8534 during normal business hours, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Q: Who do I call if I have a problem searching NewsLibrary?
A: Many questions are addressed on the NewsLibrary FAQ page (http://www.newslibrary.com/nlsite/faq.htm). For further assistance, call the NewsLibrary customer service line weekdays, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern time at (800) 896-5587.

Q: What if I can't afford the download fee?
A: A complete backfile of The State is available at the Richland County Public Library (http://www.richland.lib.sc.us/) the S.C. State Library (http://www.state.sc.us/scsl/)and the South Caroliniana Library (http://www.sc.edu/library/) at the University of South Carolina. A free search on NewsLibrary can give you the dates of the articles you need.

The Richland County Public Library also permits searches of NewsLibrary at no cost to patrons. Librarians are available to assist you with your search. Unfortunately, the library staff at The State cannot do extensive research for individuals outside the company.

Q: Why does the newspaper have an opinion page? Shouldn't newspapers confine themselves to the facts?
A: Getting the facts, and getting them right, is one of the central functions of a newspaper. But being an informed citizen requires more than facts; it requires knowing how the facts fit together. To some extent, a well-written news story can help with that. But for complete understanding of a complex issue, a citizen needs to be exposed to carefully constructed arguments that include subjective opinions. On the editorial page, we try to present a range of opinions - from our own to those that are diametrically opposed to ours - on the news of the day. Our aim is to place the news in context, and to help readers have a deeper understanding of the issues - whether agree with the stands we take or not.

Q: Why do you endorse candidates?
A: Because we believe it would be a cop-out to do otherwise. We offer our opinions on everything else. Many of the topics that we opine about are things that the average reader has no direct say about. Why would we hold back when our readers are faced with the one most important public decision that they do get to make? Besides, readers constantly wonder if there is a bias in favor of one candidate or another on the part of the newspaper. The endorsements are one place where the newspaper, as an influential institution in the community, frankly discloses any preferences it may have. It's important to note, however, that the reporters and editors responsible for reporting the news are not involved in the endorsement process. In fact, endorsements can be a big headache for them. But we think the value of endorsements to readers outweighs the potential problems for our news folks. That value springs not from the mere fact that we are endorsing a certain candidate but from the reasons we provide for that endorsement. Readers can set our reasoning - which is based on a large number of factors, including face-to-face access to the candidates that is not available to most voters - alongside their own thinking regarding the candidates. Even if the reader then rejects our conclusion, his or her own decision will be stronger and better-informed for having been set against ours.

Q: What's the difference between an editorial and a column?
A: An editorial, which runs on the left-hand side of the page, reflects the opinion of the entire editorial board. A column - which usually appears at the bottom of the page, with a name and photograph of the writer - is one editorial writer's opinion. Often, columns by members of our editorial board reflect the opinion of the entire board, as well. But not always.

Q: Why aren't editorials signed?
A: An editorial reflects the opinion of the entire editorial board rather than just of the person who wrote it. The entire board is therefore responsible for what is written in editorials. Very few newspapers have signed editorials. We have considered trying a modified version of signed editorials here, but one concern has stopped us: We worry that the person whose name is on the editorial would have a tendency to write opinion in a more personal manner, and therefore not reflect the consensus of the board in a precise manner. In other words, the editorials would become more like personal columns. We already run personal columns from each of our editorial writers. The unsigned pieces serve a different function, and one that we think is important: They tell readers where the newspaper stands as an institution. If they were signed, they would not do that so clearly.

Q: How do you arrive at your opinions?
A: The editorial page editor and writers discuss various issues and make editorial decisions at their daily staff meeting, Monday through Friday. The most important or controversial issues are saved for the weekly full editorial board meeting. Decisions are reached by consensus, not by majority rule.

Q: What happens if you can't reach consensus on an important matter?
A: We keep trying, or we write an editorial that explains that we are torn about the issue, and why. Sometimes we simply don't comment on the issue until we achieve consensus. Another alternative is to encourage members of the board to write personal columns addressing the matter, until we can reach agreement as a group.

Q: What is the relationship between the editorial department and the news department?
A: Executive Editor Mark Lett (News) and Editorial Page Editor Brad Warthen (Editorial) are both vice presidents of the company, and supervise completely separate departments. Each reports directly to Publisher Henry Haitz. Each department makes its decisions independently of the other. Beyond that, any relationships between the departments tend to be informal, and even those are limited. All four of the people who write editorials once worked in the newsroom, and still maintain occasional contact with some of their former co-workers. Editorial writers and news reporters sometimes share information with each other. But far more often, they don't. If you have information you'd like to share with both news and editorial, you should definitely contact each separately, or at least make a specific request that your information be passed on. Yes, news and editorial could work more closely together, but we don't want them to. We think the separation that exists between departments is fundamentally a healthy thing.

Q: Who is on your editorial board?
A: The board includes President and Publisher Henry Haitz, Vice President and Editorial Page Editor Brad Warthen, and three people who write editorials: associate editors Warren Bolton, Cindi Ross Scoppe and Mike Fitts.

Q: Why do you write so much about local and state matters?
A: Primarily because we believe our readers have a greater opportunity to affect what happens at the state and local level than at the national level. In addition, we believe that we can write with more accuracy, more knowledge and more authority on issues here in South Carolina, which we often cover ourselves, than on issues we merely read about in other newspapers or on the wire.

Q: How do you pick your nationally syndicated columnists, and how could I get you to run my favorite?
A: While we have a number of national columnists from whom to choose, we run about 30 on a regular basis. Normally, we run two national columns each day (sometimes three on Sunday) on the page opposite the editorial page (the op-ed page). The prevailing news of the day drives what selections are made, but certain principles serve as guides. One is mix, meaning we seek to provide a variety of viewpoints. The intent is to provide columns that people, no matter their gender, race or age, can relate to. More importantly, we seek a mix of thought, tone, voice and subjects. Issues range from national to international. If you have a favorite columnist you'd like to see more of, drop us a line and let us know. We can't guarantee that you'll get the results you want, but we'll certainly consider your request along with competing concerns from other readers.

Q: Can anyone write for the op-ed page?
A: We prefer op-eds written by South Carolina residents, as we regularly run nationally syndicated columnists. Otherwise, anyone with an interesting viewpoint is welcome to contribute to our pages. Op-ed pieces must be no longer than 600 words, and submissions must include a sentence or two of biographical information. Timely pieces with a clear viewpoint stand the best chance. If your op-ed is selected, you will be asked to provide us a photo to run with it. We do not pay for op-eds.

Q: Do you make sure the facts are accurate in your Letters to the Editor and op-ed columns?
A: We don't fact-check every letter, and so we can't guarantee letters' accuracy. But all of our editorial writers read every letter and op-ed column before it appears in the paper. If anyone raises a question about the accuracy, we research it. If the information is wrong, we change it, ask the writer to change it or run an editor's note pointing out the error.

Q: Do you publish criticism of The State?
A: Of course we do - as you can see any day in our letters to the editor. We encourage people to write commenting on what they perceive as our shortcomings, errors or lapses of judgment. We believe an editorial page is a marketplace of ideas, and we would not be doing our job if we only published people whose opinions we agreed with. We frequently publish letters to the editor and op-ed pieces that are critical of our viewpoints or of the newspaper's news coverage.

Q: How much is a subscription?
A: For a list of all rates, please call our Customer Service Department at (803) 771-8380.

Q: Why was my paper late today?
A: Your newspaper can be late for many reasons: production problems, weather-related issues or carrier mistakes. Regardless, we want to correct any problems promptly. Please let us know by calling (803) 771-8380. Our goal is to have your paper delivered by no later than 6 a.m. (Richland & Lexington counties) and 6:30 a.m. (other areas) Monday-Friday, 7 a.m. Saturday, and 7:30 a.m. Sunday. In most cases, the delivery time will be much earlier.

Q: What time do you print the paper?
A: The first edition starts to print at 11:30 p.m., and on most days, the final edition starts at about 1 a.m.

Q: Can I get the paper if I live out of state?
A: Yes. We offer mail subscriptions. Please call us at (803) 771-8380 or (800) 888-3566 (toll-free within S.C. only), or e-mail statecirc@thestate.com.

Q: What can I do if I don't understand my bill?
A: If you don't understand your bill, please call (803) 771-8380 or (800) 888-3566 (toll-free within S.C. only). We'll be glad to explain your bill and answer any questions.

Q: How can I get a paper tube?
A: Call our Customer Service Department and request a paper tube. We will deliver a tube to you at no cost once we receive payment for your subscription.

Q: How do I become a carrier?
A: Call the Carrier Hotline at (803) 771-6161 ext.4066 and leave your name and address. A carrier application will be sent to you within three days. Complete and mail the application to the newspaper and a circulation district manager will contact you.

Q: Where do I send a Letter to the Editor?
A: Mail your letter to: The State newspaper, Letters to the Editor, P.O. Box 1333, Columbia, SC 29202. You may send it by fax to (803)771-8639, or e-mail your letter to stateeditor@thestate.com.

Q: How do you select letters for publication?
A: We look for well-written letters that make a concise point. We prefer them to be on a topic that is currently in the news. We try to provide a balance of opinions in our letters section.

Q: How long should a letter be?
A: It should be 200 words or less. We occasionally, but infrequently, publish longer letters. One of our main goals is to open the Letters to the Editor forum to as many people as possible. Limiting letters to 200 words allows us to publish an average of five letters a day.

Q: Do you edit letters?
A: Yes. Nearly all letters receive some editing, mostly to make them shorter. If a letter is too long or complex to edit quickly and fairly, we return it to the writer so the writer can condense the letter. Editing should preserve the main thoughts and, as much as possible, the original language of the writer.

Q: Are there any other requirements?
A: A letter must have the signature, address and telephone number of the writer. Carbons or photocopies are not acceptable. The editors reserve the right to edit or condense any letter and to limit frequency of publication.

Q: Do you make sure the facts are accurate in your Letters to the Editor?
A: We don't fact-check every letter, and so we can't guarantee each letter's accuracy. But all our editorial writers read every letter before it appears in the paper. If anyone raises a question about the accuracy, we research it. If the information is wrong, we change it, we ask the writer to change it, or we run an editor's note pointing out the error.

Q: Why do you reject some letters?
A: We reject letters for many reasons. Some are illegible, some are on outdated topics, some are too personal to be of wide interest, and some are potentially libelous. However, we receive far more good letters than we have space for, so we reject many letters simply because we don't have enough space to publish all the good ones we receive.

Q: Do you publish letters critical of The State?
A: Of course we do - as you can see any day in our Letters to the Editor. We encourage people to write commenting on what they perceive as our shortcomings, errors or lapses of judgment. We believe an editorial page is a marketplace of ideas, and we would not be doing our job if we only published people whose opinions we agreed with. We frequently publish letters to the editor and op-ed pieces that are critical of our viewpoints or of the newspaper's news coverage.

Free tours are conducted between 8:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. each Wednesday and Thursday throughout the year. To schedule a tour, call our administrative office at (803) 771-8469.

Q: Who do I call with a story idea?
A: You can reach the newsroom by calling (803) 771-8415 or (800) 288-2727 if you live in South Carolina. Story ideas also can be sent via e-mail to state@thestate.com.

Q: How do I submit a press release?
A: You can send us a press release by mail, fax or online. The mailing address is Newsroom, The State, P.O. Box 1333, Columbia, SC 29202. If you want the release directed to a specific section, staff writer or editor, be sure to include that information on the envelope.

The newsroom has several fax machines for your convenience: General news items can be faxed to (803) 771-8430; business news items can be faxed to (803) 771-8480; and sports-related news items can be faxed to (803) 771-8613. E-mail submissions can be sent to state@thestate.com.

Q: How do I get a copy of an article previously published in the newspaper?
A: Articles published since 1987 can be obtained online through our Archives page. You can also find copies at the Richland County Public Library, or at the South Caroliniana Library on the USC campus. The libraries also have microfilm copies of all editions of the newspaper since our founding in 1891.

Q: If I see something that will make a good picture, whom do I call?
A: Call the photo assignments editor at (803) 771-8420.

Q: I recently received a promotion at work. How do I get it published in The State?
A: Promotions and special recognitions are printed in the Sunday Business section. Items should be sent to Business News, The State, P.O. Box 1333, Columbia, SC 29202.

Q: How can I get a back copy of the paper?
A: Back copies of The State are retained for one year and are available by calling (803) 771-6161, ext. 7114. Leave your name, a daytime phone number, the date of the paper, the number of copies you would like, and whether you would like copies mailed to you or available for pickup. Rates and availability vary, so please call the above number to determine the price and whether the issue is in stock.

If the edition that you want is sold out, we recommend that you visit the main branch of the Richland County Public Library or the South Caroliniana Library on the USC campus, both of which keep copies of The State on microfilm.

Q: How can I get a copy of a picture that appeared in the newspaper?
A: Photos by staff photographers that have been published in The State can be ordered by calling (803) 771-8560. You will need to know the date of publication, photographer's name (which appears in small type at the bottom of the photo), page number and section. A brief description of the photo also helps. Reprints cannot be used for advertising purposes, including political campaign brochures.

Prices for reprints and republication vary. Call the number above for a quote based on current rates. All reprints are sized 8" x 10", but 11" x 14" can be ordered for an additional cost.

Associated Press wire photos that appear in The State also can be ordered. Call World Wide Photos at (212) 621-1930.

Q: How do I get an item listed in one of your many calendars?
A: Calendar announcements must be received one week in advance of the publication date of the section in which it is to run. For example, announcements for the Weekend Calendar should be received in our office by 5 p.m. the Thursday before you would like it published. As always, announcements are printed on a space available basis. Questions about the deadlines should be directed to (803) 771-8415.

Q: When do the births, marriage licenses and divorces appear in the paper?
A: They appear in the weekly Neighbors sections on Thursday.

Q: How often is the Web site updated?
A: Stories are posted on TheState.com throughout the day. Articles from the morning newspaper generally appear online by 8:00 a.m. each morning. Occasionally, technical problems delay the process. Staff-written coverage of breaking local news may appear on the Web site during the day as events warrant.

Q: Does the Web site include all of the articles published in the newspaper?
A: No. Most staff-written stories are posted each morning, but some stories may not appear due to technical problems. Some wire service stories or syndicated articles also may not be available. All articles are available in NewsLibrary (http:www.newslibrary.com), our online archives, generally within a day of print publication.

Q: Are all of your classifieds online?
A: No. Online publication is an option available to all of our advertisers. However, some prefer that their ads only appear in the newspaper.

Weddings and engagements appear in The State newspaper on Sundays. Free wedding announcements are limited to 13 one-column lines, without a photo. Paid packages, covering a wide range of photo and announcement sizes, also are available.

Wedding and engagement announcements must be received at The State newspaper by 3 p.m. the Monday before the desired date of publication. (For information to be published the Sunday following a holiday, the announcement should be in our office no later than 10 days before publication.)

Black and white or color photos with sharp contrast are acceptable as long as they are no larger than 8 inches by 10 inches. Photographers who do not have a blanket release on file with The State should call 803-771-8431.

If a signature cannot be obtained, be sure to include the photographer's name and telephone number.

The State will return wedding and engagement photos only if they are accompanied by a stamped (two 34-cent stamps), self-addressed envelope when presented for publication. Otherwise, the photographs will be discarded after publication. The State is not responsible for loss of, or damage to, photographs under any circumstances.

Announcements should be typed or clearly block-printed with the day and date of wedding. The State cannot accept responsibility for, and will not run corrections on, information that is illegible or incomplete. The State reserves the right to edit information to standard format.

Announcements may be brought to the newspaper office, 1401 Shop Road, or mailed to Wedding News, The State newspaper, P.O. Box 1333, Columbia, SC 29202. Payment for wedding and engagement announcements must accompany the submission. We accept cash, check, Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover.

Please send us any comments you have using our feedback form. We're interested in hearing from you!