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Long time Pittsburgh reporter leaves paper to start own site

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by Elliotte Friedman, Jul 21, 2014.

  1. BurnsWhenIPee

    BurnsWhenIPee Well-Known Member

    I Google's the shit out of his name, but came up with nothing.

    There's a nagging familiarity to his name. Was he in the news for something out of the ordinary or controversial in the journalistic sense a couple of years back, or am I dreaming it all?
     
  2. Especially considering the product can be had for free with little-to-no drop in quality. Even if what the competition produces is of lower quality, quite frankly, it's a product where the mass public doesn't care if it is not up to snuff. If Americans are OK with cheap crap made in China bought at big-box stores, they'll be more-then-happy with sports news from "GENERIC SPORTSWRITER."
     
  3. From the City Paper story:
    I don't know much about the quality of his work compared to the field, but I will say that he does treat Twitter and his blog like active dialogues with readers. Whether this translates into subscriptions I have no idea, but I don't think that part is lip service.
     
  4. Riptide

    Riptide Well-Known Member

    I hope it works for him.
    And I wouldn't rip the guy.

    At least he's got the guts to give it a shot.
     
  5. Meatie Pie

    Meatie Pie Member

    It's possible to respect the "guts" of the move while also wondering about the judgment and potential for success.
     
  6. Riptide

    Riptide Well-Known Member

    He knows the risks. And I'm sure he's done his homework.
    Entrepreneurial projects can bring success in more ways than one,
     
  7. So no discussion necessary? Thanks for letting us know. We wouldn't want to pose questions on a journalism board.
     
  8. 3_Octave_Fart

    3_Octave_Fart Well-Known Member

    I knew a guy who tried this years ago.
    Before long he was back working for the man and writing press releases.
     
  9. Riptide

    Riptide Well-Known Member

    Hey, knock yourself out, Sluggo.
    All the backseat experts meet here.
     
  10. SFIND

    SFIND Well-Known Member

    I hope he is very successful.

    I like others on here have doubts. I've seen writers try to go on their own online only to return to paper/radio/TV in a few years after having no success.

    I'm not familiar with him at all. However, I do live in the region and I know Pittsburgh fans (especially Steelers) are more diehard than most. If he has much popularity in the market as he and others claim, I think he could get a modest 5,000 subscribers. At $24 bucks a year, that's $120,000. I'd love to have that salary.
     
  11. LongTimeListener

    LongTimeListener Well-Known Member

    He's going to have to be pretty damn original to make 5,000 fans pay 25 bucks a year instead of just taking what the P-G, ESPN and everybody else offer for free.

    I can't think of a single writer anywhere in the country who is so important and unique that I'd pay to read him. Maybe the guy who covers my alma mater. Maybe. Probably not, though.
     
  12. Jake_Taylor

    Jake_Taylor Well-Known Member

    $120,000 wouldn't be his salary. He's got to have expenses and it sounds like his wife is his partner in this so it's split between at least two people.

    It's very unlikely subscriptions are going to make it work for him. I wonder if he has any advertisers or some kind of big sponsor he's going to line up.
     
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