Terms of Service

1. About The Townie and These Terms

The Townie is an independent local publication serving Greater Newburyport through journalism, opinion, community events, cultural coverage, and local storytelling.

Our website is www.townienbpt.com. You can contact us at info@townienbpt.com.

By using the website, you agree to these terms to the extent permitted by applicable law. If you do not agree, please discontinue use of the website.

Additional terms may apply to a particular submission, event, promotion, or paid offering. Those terms will be provided with the relevant activity. A separate written agreement governs where it conflicts with these general terms for that activity.

2. Responsible Use

You agree not to use the website or its features to:

• Violate applicable law or infringe another person’s rights.
• Submit unlawful threats, harassment, defamatory statements, or content that violates another person’s privacy.
• Impersonate another person or organization or misrepresent your affiliation with them.
• Submit information you know to be false or misleading.
• Upload malicious code, send spam, or interfere with website operation or security.
• Attempt to access restricted systems or information without authorization.
• Manipulate nominations, voting, forms, or other participation features through fraudulent entries, unauthorized automation, or attempts to bypass participation limits.
• Reproduce or exploit website content in violation of applicable law or the rights described in Section 8.

We may reject or remove submissions, moderate comments, or restrict access to features when reasonably necessary to address violations, protect people or systems, or maintain the integrity of the website.

3. Submissions and Publication Permissions

When you submit articles, opinions, photographs, videos, or other material expressly for publication:

• You retain ownership of your content.
• You represent that you own the material or have the rights and permissions necessary to submit it and authorize its intended use.
• You grant The Townie a non-exclusive license to reproduce, publish, display, distribute, promote, and archive the submitted material in connection with The Townie’s publication and related channels, subject to any separate written agreement.
• This permission includes reasonable formatting, cropping, and editorial adjustments for clarity, length, grammar, and presentation, subject to any restrictions agreed with you.
• Submission does not guarantee publication, payment, or a particular publication date. Any compensation must be separately agreed.
• Editorial and publication decisions remain at The Townie’s discretion.

The publication permission also applies to comments submitted for public display.

Sending material solely for private review, discussion, fact-checking, or an inquiry does not automatically authorize publication. Private contact information and correspondence are not covered by a publication license merely because they accompany a submission.

Clearly identify any publication restrictions when submitting material and obtain our agreement before relying on those restrictions.

If you wish to withdraw an unpublished submission or request a correction or removal after publication, contact info@townienbpt.com. We will review the request in light of any applicable agreement, legal requirements, and editorial considerations. Removal of published material is not guaranteed, and we cannot control copies held by third parties.

A separate written submission agreement governs where its terms differ from this section.

4. Comments and Moderation

Article comments are reviewed before publication. We may decline or remove comments that violate these terms, contain spam, disclose private information, or are otherwise unsuitable for the discussion.

Approval of a comment does not mean The Townie endorses it or has independently verified every statement it contains.

Use a name you are comfortable displaying publicly and avoid including private contact details or sensitive information in comment text. Our Privacy Policy explains how comment information is handled.

We may close comments or limit participation when necessary to manage moderation or prevent misuse.

5. Editorial Independence and Corrections

Opinions expressed by contributors, authors, and community members are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Townie, its editors, or affiliates.

Purchasing a ticket, advertising, sponsoring an activity, or otherwise supporting The Townie does not grant editorial control, guarantee favorable coverage, or guarantee publication.

If you believe an article contains a factual error, contact info@townienbpt.com with the article URL, the statement in question, and any supporting information. We will review correction requests and determine an appropriate response.

6. Townie Awards Nominations and Voting

Townie Awards nominations and voting are subject to the instructions, eligibility requirements, deadlines, and participation limits presented with the relevant form or Awards information.

Participants must provide accurate information and use only the permitted submission and verification methods.

Attempts to bypass voting limits, submit fraudulent entries, impersonate others, or interfere with the voting process are prohibited. We may review and exclude entries that violate the published rules or cannot be validated using the stated verification process.

Submitting a nomination does not guarantee that a person or business will appear on the ballot, receive an award, or be featured in coverage.

Any award-specific rules or judging criteria will be provided with the relevant activity. These terms do not establish additional voting limits or eligibility requirements beyond those published for that activity.

Voting and verification may be provided through Fillout and other connected services. Their applicable terms also govern use of their services. See our Privacy Policy for information about voting data and related communications.

7. Event Tickets and Other Paid Offerings

Townie Awards event tickets are sold through Eventbrite. Before purchasing, review the applicable event listing and checkout information for prices, fees, event details, cancellation terms, and refund policies.

Eventbrite’s applicable terms also govern use of its ticketing service. Using a third-party ticketing provider does not remove any obligations The Townie may have as an event organizer under applicable law.

Questions about a Townie event or its ticket policies may be directed to info@townienbpt.com or through the organizer contact option on the event listing.

If The Townie offers another paid membership, subscription, or supporter program, its price, benefits, billing arrangements, and applicable cancellation and refund terms will be disclosed before purchase. These general terms do not independently enroll you in a paid or recurring service.

Nothing in this section limits refund rights or other consumer protections that apply by law.

8. Intellectual Property and Permitted Sharing

Website content, including articles, photographs, videos, logos, graphics, and design elements, belongs to The Townie or its respective contributors, licensors, or other rights holders.

You may share links to publicly accessible Townie pages and use sharing features provided on the website.

Except as permitted by applicable law, including fair use, or by an applicable license, content may not be reproduced, redistributed, republished, or used commercially without permission from the relevant rights holder. Attribution alone does not replace permission where permission is required.

For permission inquiries, contact info@townienbpt.com.

If you believe material on the website infringes your copyright or another right, email us with the page URL, a description of the material, an explanation of your concern, and contact information so we can review it. This contact process does not represent that The Townie has a registered copyright agent or guarantee a particular legal remedy.

9. Third-Party Services, Links, and Listings

The website may include links, embedded content, forms, calendars, ticketing tools, and other features provided by third parties.

These services may have their own terms and privacy policies. The Townie does not control their independent operations, availability, content, or information practices.

A link, listing, or mention does not by itself constitute an endorsement or guarantee of a third party’s products, services, or conduct.

Event dates, business hours, prices, availability, and other third-party details may change. Confirm information directly with the relevant organizer or business before making plans or purchases.

10. Privacy and Communications

Our Privacy Policy explains how The Townie collects, uses, and shares information and how to make privacy requests.

Agreeing to these Terms of Service does not, by itself, subscribe you to a newsletter or authorize marketing communications. Email subscriptions and other communications are handled according to the notices and choices presented when you provide information, as explained in our Privacy Policy.

The website is a general-audience publication. Our signup, contact, commenting, and voting features are not intended for children under 13 to submit personal information. Please contact us if you believe a child under 13 has submitted personal information through those features.

11. Website Availability and Information

We aim to provide useful, accurate information, but website content may contain errors or become outdated.

Content is provided for general information and is not a substitute for individualized legal, medical, financial, or other professional advice.

To the extent permitted by applicable law, the website is provided “as is” and “as available,” without warranties of uninterrupted availability, complete accuracy, or fitness for a particular purpose.

We may update, suspend, or discontinue website features for maintenance, security, editorial, or operational reasons. Any obligations associated with a paid offering remain subject to its specific terms and applicable law.

12. Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, The Townie will not be liable for indirect, incidental, special, or consequential losses arising from use of, or inability to use, the website.

Nothing in these terms excludes or limits liability for fraud, willful misconduct, gross negligence, or any other liability that cannot lawfully be excluded or limited. Nothing waives consumer rights or other protections that cannot be waived under applicable law.

13. Changes to These Terms

We may update these terms as our website, services, or practices change.

Revised terms will be posted on this page with an updated “Last Updated” date and any separately stated effective date. Changes apply prospectively and do not retroactively alter a separate written agreement or completed purchase.

Where required by applicable law, we will provide additional notice or obtain agreement to a change.

14. General Provisions

If a provision of these terms is found unenforceable, the remaining provisions continue to apply to the extent permitted by law.

A delay or failure to enforce a provision does not by itself waive the right to enforce it later.

These terms do not override mandatory legal protections or any separate written agreement applicable to a particular submission, transaction, or activity.

15. Contact Us

For questions about these Terms of Service, submissions, permissions, or website concerns, contact:

The Townie
Greater Newburyport, Massachusetts
Email: info@townienbpt.com
Website: www.townienbpt.com