Hiring Writers for CBSSports.com NFL Correspondent Network

[jetssack]

From JJobs: http://www.journalismjobs.com/Job_Listing.cfm?JobID=1051313

Position: Hiring Writers for CBSSports.com NFL Correspondent Network
Location: Your NFL Team City, Other
Job Status: Temporary
Salary: Commission/Contract
Ad Expires: June 10, 2009
Job ID: 1051313
Website: http://bleacherreport.com/cbs/correspondents


Description:



Bleacher Report is thrilled to announce an exciting new position being brought to you by CBSSports.com and BleacherReport.com.

The CBSSports.com NFL Correspondent Network is a unique opportunity whereby sports journalists will be given the chance to provide in-depth coverage of NFL teams as fully credentialed members of the press corps.

CBSSports.com and Bleacher Report will select one writer to follow each of the NFL’s 32 teams from the club’s training camp and practices through their regular season and playoff games. The reporters covering the AFC and NFC Champions will also be credentialed to cover Super Bowl XLIV for CBSSports.com and BleacherReport.com.

Candidates will be evaluated on the basis of written work submitted during the evaluation period, as well as education and prior journalism experience. The program is open to any qualified applicant.

Please feel free to submit an application and forward this post to any interested friends or coworkers. Applications are currently being accepted.

Apply Here:
http://bleacherreport.com/cbs/correspondents

 

[Comma Chameleon]

Sports journalists with a chance to provide in-depth coverage of NFL teams as fully credentialed members of the press corps? Wow. That is unique.

 

[BYH]

Notice no mention of a salary. "Commission/Contract" sounds like a revenue share to me. And those always work out for the writer!

 

[write receiver]

If you click the link...it looks like the pay is 400 a week. Seems like it would be a fun hobby, but I'm not sure about trying to turn this into a job

 

[BYH]

Well, I assumed the worst. It's usually the right instinct.

 

[Angola!]

Can I do this from home? I would supplement my income by writing NFL based stories based on the myriad SportsJournalists.com threads on the NFL. It might have a slight Steelers bias.

 

[Moderator1]

I wouldn't assume the worst about this. I've talked to a few people about it and I've also seen what's going on in the job market. MLB.com isn't paying its interns, right?
So this is entry level - is that a negative?
If I'm a young person looking for an in during difficult times, I wouldn't be so quick to sneer here. Can you support a family on this? Probably not. If you are in position to bust hump for a season, you can make a little bit of money and make some inroads.
This one has the Moddy Seal and you haven't seen that handed out much lately.

 

[pseudo]

I wouldn't assume the worst about this. I've talked to a few people about it and I've also seen what's going on in the job market. MLB.com isn't paying its interns, right?
So this is entry level - is that a negative?
If I'm a young person looking for an in during difficult times, I wouldn't be so quick to sneer here. Can you support a family on this? Probably not. If you are in position to bust hump for a season, you can make a little bit of money and make some inroads.
This one has the Moddy Seal and you haven't seen that handed out much lately.

True 'nough. The only thing I didn't like was the exclusivity tag tacked onto that $400 paycheck, but getting some NFL clips AND getting paid can't be an altogether bad thing.

(Doesn't matter in my case, because I think the local franchise is ready to shoot me on sight right now, but that's a different story ...)

 

[JD]

I got laid off from my rag back in November.......Covering mostly preps.....If I lived close enough to my local team (which is 2 and a half hours away) I would jump on this. But, I can't.

 

[tapintoamerica]

To me, this sounds like a full-time job (cover every preseason practice?) with stringer pay. Perfect for somebody right out of college whose parents are willing to provide financial support. Probably not great for the rest of us.

 

[Angola!]

I got laid off from my rag back in November.......Covering mostly preps.....If I lived close enough to my local team (which is 2 and a half hours away) I would jump on this. But, I can't.

Seems like a lot of effort for $400 a week. Will they pay mileage? I'm assuming no benefits also. I'm sure it could be a good opportunity and I respect Moddy, but I don't think this is quite as great as some are making it out to be.

But that's just me.

Edit: There, I took out glorious, though I really like that word.

 

[Moderator1]

Who said glorious?
I said it was a fine opportunity for some. Obviously, it is not for everybody.

 

[write receiver]

About the only thing this job seems perfect for is a recent college kid, who is from an NFL city and can live with his parents. On a weekly basis, it pays a little bit more than my job, but I live in a tiny ass town with real low cost of living. I couldn't imagine trying to live in Chicago, New York, Miami, etc. on 400 a week. But it is bleacher report, so what they're really looking for is a super fan who can do the work. The ad even says journalism experience preferred but not required.

 

[Moderator1]

Actually, it is for CBSSports.com as it says on the top line:

Hiring Writers for CBSSports.com NFL Correspondent Network

 

[write receiver]

Well i guess it's a tag-team effort then. The link sends you to bleacher report. And candidates will partly be evaluated based on work submitted to BLEACHER REPORT.

 

[write receiver]

...which means they'll be shuffling through applications from the millions of FANS who write on that site. I doubt many journalists do.

 

[playthrough]

If training camp is across the state -- or another state -- that's another strike against.

But at least someone put some thought into this, though it's borderline psycho when you look at the application essays.

 

[Moderator1]

...which means they'll be shuffling through applications from the millions of FANS who write on that site. I doubt many journalists do.

Well, since you gots a gig already, it isn't an issue for you.
Unless you are somehow the one shuffling through all those millions of FANS. Somehow I doubt that.
I suspect they'll end up with 32 folks who are a lot better than you think.
Anyway, I've said my thoughts on this. I've been around the block for a few years. This is NOT the job for everybody. However, it is a solid gig for many of the young people who are out there seeking work in a very tight job market.

 

[write receiver]

Moddy, sounds like you're getting defensive. Don't. I wasn't trying to negate your opinion on the matter. Just trying to state mine. But did you actually take a further look, or are you basing all of this off the brief description posted atop? If you look into it, I think you'll see that they're not exactly looking for trained journalists here. Playthrough is right, the application essays look crazy. It honestly looks like it will be a strike against you if you're not a 'fan' of the team you want to cover. If I had to guess, I'd say this is just a stunt to try and get more writers to their site.

What is your favorite team of all time? What does that have to do with getting a job?

And you're probably right moddy...there probably will be 32 people who apply for this that are pretty talented. Probably more talented than me. But this doesn't look like a job for a trained journalist.

 

[Moderator1]

I know a little more about it than what is posted.

And, no, not necessarily defensive though I can see how you'd get that impression. I just know what's going on in this market and young people need to look at any opportunity that gets them in some door, which is how MLB was able to get interns without even paying them. A young woman who was an intern in my office at VCU applied for an entry level job that was perfect for her. I put in a call to the hiring manager on her behalf. A job that would normally draw 25-30 applicants like her drew TWO HUNDRED, many with 10 years experience.

The favorite team question may be a way to judge NFL knowledge. If you say the Redskins, well that's one thing. If you say the Doug Williams-led Redskins that won a Super Bowl because yada yada *** it shows you have some familiarity with the league. I don't know, I could be way off base, but it is a possible explanation.

You have a job, so you have some talent. Don't sell yourself short. I'm just trying to be a little encouraging to a lot of frustrated young people who are looking for some in to this crazy business. This could well be it.