"Contract" position just taking advantage

This is unbelievable. Found on journalismjobs.com in the freelance section.

During this program, you will be responsible, on average, for writing three stories per week, and occasionally recording a podcast, creating a slideshow or other pieces of content. The stories vary in length from 500-600 word pieces to 1,500-word features. Previous knowledge of AP style is required. Stories are published online and in print magazines, depending on the client.

Content writers are expected to research topics, find sources, conduct interviews and write stories. Be ready to write for a variety audiences including the insurance, construction and banking industries. Have an openness and wiliness to learn how to write in different voices, styles and tones.

The program lasts for twelve weeks, and will begin in April. Writers are paid $600/week during the program.

 

Make sure you keep that "wiliness" about you.

 

What's unbelievable? That they would actually pay $600 a week for that? The going rate on the web for a 500-word piece of content is about $2 -- provided it passes the plagiarism machine.

 

Doesn't sound that bad in the current climate particularly.

 

what's so unbelievable?

 

If you have current knowledge of AP style, can you still apply?

It doesn't sound like a bad internship type thing, honestly.

 

I dunno. Previous knowledge of AP style would imply that you knew AP style before David Minthorn turned it into his personal fiefdom.

 

There's much worse out there.

I don't like the shift in the economy in general toward temporary contractors over actual employees, but that's the climate right now in every sector. In the current job market context, this isn't bad at all.

 

That hardly seems bad at all.

 

It sounds like it's essentially an internship. I wrote more than three stories a week and made $400 a week when I was an intern.

 

Yes, this gig sounds like a good one, especially for someone new out of college. You could do much worse than that? Is the poster expecting a six-figure salary?

 

$600 per week is more than $30k a year. This won't run that long, but that's the pay range you'll be in for awhile.

You might not be getting benefits and you won't be getting rich, but that's better than some actual jobs a lot of journalists are doing. My first reporting job out of college sure as hell didn't pay that.