Citizen Journalists may owe IRS taxes

But there is a money trail FB. They can google your name, and see how many articles you have written. They can see how many views an article or Blog! got. That relates to ad revenue. It would surely be a guestimate. But if CNN goes at gets 12 million page views off of some breaking news iReport, Joe Blow is screwed.

And isn't that the point if you are an iReporter? To make it big?

 

Your teacher-student reporters were invaluable in the past year. Can't really put a price tag on it, Poin. I've got some friends in the IRS I can contact about it to try to determine a fair value for you.

 

I trust citizen journalism like I trust citizen surgery.

Somebody's gonna get their privates sued off and this will soon go away.

 

Again, the YourHub model of citizen journalism in many markets, including Colorado Springs, hasn't really worked. In the Springs, staff of managing/compiling/cajoling resident reporters has been cut from several to a couple, because 1) No one really cares what citizen journalists say, 2) Advertisers don't trust the source, and 3) Few citizens wantt to be journalists, even if they are paid.

 

Fixed for purposes of this thread.

 

Order now and you'll receive a second list of assignments, PLUS a hi-bright keychain light, yours FREE!

 

Pretty much, yeah.

Working for free? Not at all.

I am in favour of doing away with the stupid idea that journalism is some kind of secret society, and if you don't actually work for a "recognized" media outlet, you have no place in it.

I've always believed that "citizen journalists" or BLOGGERS! or whatever you want to call them are a lot like the entrepreneurs who founded the newspapers of today - people like Ben Franklin. They may have had little or no formal training. They were often motivated not necessarily by profits but by a desire to tell stories in their communities or spheres of influence that weren't being told by the existing media, or weren't being told in a way that satisfied people like Franklin.

In today's media world, there are far fewer voices than there were before due to consolidation and endless cutbacks. There are fewer still that are truly independent. If a "citizen journalist" has something new/unique to say, who are we to say they shouldn't or can't? If they decide to give those stories away, that's their deal. If they fuck up somehow and get themselves sued, that's their deal. If they can, you know, actually inform people, bonus.

So, just to recap.....

Pretty much, yeah.

 

Double J I think you are wrong. My point is newspapers are wicked for going to free reporters and selling it on "you can cover your favorite team for free." It is total bullshit. What is with newspapers trying to get free help? it is an insult to those who went to J-school and are good at this. The higher ups think what we do is easy. If you think that is acceptable I think you are the fool that you call me.

 

Ah, but what if you use a nom de plume? Then they have to dig up IP addresses, etc. Then what if you file from the county library on occasion? Multiply that by 10,000.

The IRS isn't opening that can of worms.

 

The death of citizen journalism won't make up for all the disastrous events in real journalism the past few years, but it's a good thought.

 

Really? I've always thought they were like a cross between Fergie and Jesus ...

 

My roommate has bounced his last three utility checks and just got a letter from the IRS wondering why they shouldn't bend him over for not filing in 08. Dude's talking about how he's only shooting for top 10 MBA grad schools, but can't even keep his shit straight to pay basic monthly utilities. If only he was a citizen journalist might he have his head out of his ass...