The Daily Citizen (Searcy, Ark.)

Not to mention, this is one of those glorious Paxton papers.
Walk away slowly, in hopes you don't get somebody's attention you don't want.

 

Yawn and I agree. Since hell is freezing over as we speak, stay away from that one.

 

Ah, to live in the world most y'all are blessed to be in -- The world where you make $50,000 a year STARTING salaries and cover nothing but college and pro sports in a town where the streets are paved with gold, the town square has fountains that gush Fat Tire and all the girls (or guys) are hot, independently wealthy and easy.

Anyway... This is the sort of starting gig that some people have to take. Somebody like me, a guy who is moderately fucking successful in this business despite the fact that == gasp == he took a shitty first job because it was available and he was bound and determined to use it as a stepping stone to a world that didn't include Ramen, tap water and Natural Ice.

So either you want a job in this business so bad you can't stand it and you're willing to do whatever it takes to make it, or you're not that interested. Good. Fewer people serious folks have to compete with.

Just know that if you get it, you're going to work for one of the nicest guys in the business. Some folks might think he's too nice, but when you consider the ass holes that populate the world of journalism, it's refreshing to know there's somebody like Kelly, who sort of, kind of balances it all out.

P.S. Paxton does suck, but, you know, how many chains don't? Nobody is forcing you to apply and nobody is forcing you to take it.

 

You're full of shit.

I didn't start off making $50,000 (I still don't), nor did I start off covering college or pro sports and the streets weren't paid in gold.

I was, however, paid a living wage. If you're willing to lower to yourself this far just to work in the biz, well, maybe you shouldn't be in the biz.

 

Ditto. I started at a crappy little paper, but I certainly didn't make a salary as low as $15,000. And that was 15 years ago.

 

How am I full of shit? I lived this (not this particular job, but very, very similar), survived it and have now a job that's pretty freaking good.

I just get sick of all the Internet bad-assery and people turing their noses up at every job that pops up. Yeah, the money is shitty, but nobody is forcing people to interview or take this job. If you're serious about the biz and you want to get into it, take it, kick ass and get the hell out ASAP.

I'm done. Whatever.

 

Sorry, dude. I don't turn my nose up at every job that posts up. Just ones that ask for college graduates, yet want to pay them what you can make at McDonald's.

 

What friend said.

I turn my nose up at very few jobs on here, but one that's gonna pay a college grad about what folks around here make at a fast food joint deserves scorn.

There are plenty of papers that size that pay a living wage. If you're serious about the biz, there's NO reason to take a job that will put you so far into debt that you'll never get out.

 

I don't think it's right and I really am not trying to condone it, but there are only two papers in the state of Arkansas that pay significantly more than $10 an hour as a starting wage — the Morning News of Northwest Arkansas and the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. It's not surprising that those two papers have the two largest circulations in the state. It's fucked up, but true. And, as someone who has worked a shitty, fast-food type job within the past two years — unless you are working in management, you are not making more than $9 an hour. And you're certainly not working 40 hours a week or getting benefits. I hate the fact that — for most of us — it's damn near impossible to make a living wage as a journalist, but to disparage this job as slave labor or anything like that is misleading.

 

I would say the paper in Jonesboro and Ft. Smith probably pay more than $10 an hour. I think Texarkana probably would, too.

The Log Cabin Democrat in Conway will pay more than $10 to start if you negotiate for it, but you have to negotiate them.

 

I said significantly more than $10 an hour. The point is not that this is a good paying gig. The point is perspective. I think it's deplorable that publishers and advertising directors at even small papers pull in close to six figures while sports writers struggle. But, the Searcy paper isn't some sort of monster, either. For what it's worth, I've never worked there, just know Mr. Fenton and know that there's good people there. P.S., I forgot about the Fort Smith paper, Stephens supposedly plays good coin.

 

I fully agree with Satchmo. Yes, it's a disgusting situation, but it's kinda like bitching about the flu or country music: It's here, so you might as well get used to it.

My first job paid me just over $7.00/hr., and my home was a buddy's couch. And that was before I even started doing sports. I didn't make too much after that either, and thusly have plenty of wonderful memories of large cockroaches and selling plasma.

But rather than bemoan my situation, I worked. And it got me into a pretty good situation that proves hard work can sometimes make up for talent, seeing as how I am pretty much a talent-bereft piece of shit.

I don't think anyone is "turning up their nose" at these kind of jobs, though I do find sportschick's statement of "then maybe you shouldn't be in the biz" offensive. We don't all start equally, but it's where you finish that counts. I started at a much smaller, much cheaper operation than the one being discussed here, but last I checked I'm still in the biz and doing okay in the 'ol pocketbook to boot.

People take shitty jobs as a means of climbing the ladder every day. Some think that's pathetic and sad. I tend to admire those folks just as much as I admire Big Time Beat Writer.