Media Musings

Hi, my  name is Laura and I'm a Freelance Journalist.  I used to be a Freelance Journalist looking for a home- a fancy way of saying I'm looking for a job with some health benefits. It's taken me almost four years to get where I am right now. I freelance now for two websites, and a magazine.  (Shameless Plug: Milton Villager, milton.net and DiscoverMilton.com)

And I love what I do- every second of it; and  wouldn't trade the experience I've gotten, and t he friends I've made through my job for the world.  But I'm struggling with the truth that media is becoming a freelancing business; I've seen that coming the longer I've worked/ looked for work.   Especially when you take into account the trend of citizen journalists- why pay people when there are others who would do it for free?

There is value in what I do.  There's value in knowing how to evaluate sources; knowing w hat questions to ask.  But I'm finding it's being cheapened. My first example comes from Storyboard, is from a well-known publisher Trans Continental Media (TCM), a contract in which the publisher asks the writers to give up both all copyrights, and by-lines.  Essentially TCM would be allowed to change the work without giving credit to the original writer. If there's one thing I've learned; you are nothing without a by-line.  That line that says "By Daisy Smith," for example gives you some ownership  over the work; it gives you that often hard-fought recognition. 

The other example the one that probably breaks my heart more than the others.  This one comes out of the twitter sphere courtesy of Susan Delacourt.  She tweeted today about a blog entry by Nate Thayer called "A Day In The Life of a Freelance Journalist.  It goes through an exchange of emails between him, and an editor... let's just say it's as if they spoke different languages.  The editor expected something for nothing- the journalist wanted payment for a job well done.

The problem with example two is we're all guilty of the freebies. I think it's born of ambition; there will/has come a time when journalists will do or have done anything to get their name out there.  Younger journalists are especially prone to this condition; you'll get out school, and  be so desperate for work, and to make your name that they'll even work for free.  And that's partially a symptom of the job market; it's tough field to a) get in, and b) stay in.

It's worth it to stick it out.  Because eventually the times where you'll say "I love this job" will eventually outweigh the frustration.  It's going to be okay; the industry will right itself, we just have to give it time.