Multimedia journalist/editor, GatorCountry.com

The position has been filled, thank you.

 

I know one of the Florida sites hired someone and got rid of them after just a year. Is this the same one?

 

GatorCountry.com is a fan site, so you must have a tremendous appreciation for covering Florida Gators sports.

Translation: Objective journalism has no place here.

 

These sites are what they are and they obviously have a following. I doubt the following wants to read about tattoo parlors or shower escapades with assistant coaches.

But if covering a specific team and events is your thing, it could be a good gig. And probably more stable than newspapers.

 

I just can't help but wonder . . .

The hardest work is usually the stories where information is hard to come by, no one wants to talk about and fans definitely do not want to read. Does GatorCountry not only publish these stories . . . but strive to be FIRST with them?

 

Their owner posted this on the message boards to describe what they are looking for in the new writer:

This translates to: we want to hire a fanboy, homerism is required. Objective reporting need not apply. It's a wonder that they are even issued credentials to anything.

The company doesn't appear to be doing very well financially either. Their staff directory lists a CEO, CFO and COO, 2 fulltime writers, and 4 interns. They have cut a higher percentage of their staff than most newspapers in recent years and they don't provide any benefits. I've never heard a story of somebody having a clean break from there. A quick public records search will show they have a federal tax lien against them.

Their latest magazine http://issuu.com/gatorcountry.com/docs/gatorcountrymagazinejuly2012?mode=window&backgroundColor=%23222222 does a cover story on the owner, written by the COO. (Page 30) That same COO was convicted of operating an unlicensed group home for child actors when working as a talent manager in 2009 in California, before moving to Gainesville to work as a "psychic" or palm reader prior to working for them. Do some research and you can find all of the documents.

If you apply for this job, do some homework and contact their former employees, because nobody seems to stay there very long.

 

Why the hell would a Gators sports magazine have a story about its owner? WTF? Thanks for the info AlbertE. Not that I would be interested anyway, but I'd stay a long way away from that one.

 

The staff profiles are hilarious, as often is the case at businesses like these.

http://www.gatorcountry.com/page/about_us/

 

Turns out I know one of those guys. He's known for working hard, at least. Stand up fella. Not sure about the rest of the staff, but Albert's post sounds like the place is awfully awful.

 

I do like "unparalleled coverage not matched anywhere!"

 

Owner on cover tells you all you need to know about that place.

Next month: Princess Daughter!!!
The next month: Darling Wife!!!

 

I covered the Gators in the mid 2000s. GatorCountry's main reporter at the time was such a huge Gators fan, it was embarrassing to everyone else on the beat.

When asking Channing Crowder about choosing to attend Florida over Georgia one time, he asked, "Why did you choose to come to Florida instead of going to the Dark Side." He also once asked Urban Meyer at a press conference what it was like "to be living the dream."

I can't make this stuff up.