MLB.com seeking 30 interns

[Shaggy]

I did an unpaid internship one summer with a small daily after my sophomore year of college. I got 3 hours of college credit for it, which helped.

Because it was unpaid, they really couldn't boss me around. If they wanted me to cover something on July 4th, I said no, can't do it.

Considering I was 19, it wasn't a big deal to me. I lived at home, worked part-time elsewhere and covered some games and gathered clips when I found time. Once I started making money doing it, the genie was out of the bottle and I'd never do it for free again.

I'd also never do it if it was free AND there was no college credit to it (i.e. graduated seniors). Clips aren't enough, especially in this day and age when newspapers are hacking excellent journalists left and right.

 

[Shaggy]

Emailed Bill Hill last night about this...no answer yet...he usually responds quickly but I guess I wasn't chosen. Let's see....the internship program is 10 weeks..and WAS 500 a week (before taxes probably) and there's 30 interns....that works out to about 150,000 for ther interns.

You must admit, 150 grand is a big budget for interns in the journalism industry.

You can compare to ARod's salary all you want, but MLB isn't getting revenue from the interns' jersey sales and extra ticket sales.

 

[buehrleman]

As a senior entering my last semester in college, it would have been nice to round up about 2 grand doing the mlb.com internship this summer. Like most of my fellow journalism majors, i need a freaking job for when I graduate...not a "great experience" working my ass off for zero money. I wouldn't be getting any college credit. the only thing i would be getting out of the internship would be another resume item.
Yes, it's a hell of an internship... but man... mlb.com sure had big balls to ask their interns to do this for nothing. The sick part: 30 volunteers will emerge... easily.

 

[Boyznblu80]

As a senior entering my last semester in college, it would have been nice to round up about 2 grand doing the mlb.com internship this summer. Like most of my fellow journalism majors, i need a freaking job for when I graduate...not a "great experience" working my ass off for zero money. I wouldn't be getting any college credit. the only thing i would be getting out of the internship would be another resume item.
Yes, it's a hell of an internship... but man... mlb.com sure had big balls to ask their interns to do this for nothing. The sick part: 30 volunteers will emerge... easily.

I too am graduating in May and have no idea what i'm going to do...the funny thing is that i know a few people..but they're all in broadcast journalism...not print...should've majored in broadcast...but majored in print because I love writing...I figure i'll work in retail until I find a paying gig...my thoughts are with you buehrleman

 

[JakeandElwood]

You definitely would not have time for another job unless it had very flexible hours.

 

[shopbg77]

Was an intern there last year and although it was a great experience, there's no way I could have done it without pay. Even living with relatives things like food and gas add up. And when your team is in town there's no way you can have another job since you are gone from 3-11 p.m. or so. Unless your job lets you pick your own hours you won't be making any money.

 

[JLaff]

I had to drop out when it went unpaid. I would've been walking away from a sure thing that pays to interview millionaires for free. Good luck to those who are able to do it, though.

 

[tdonegan]

I applied and haven't heard anything back either way as of yet, but given the fact that it's changing to an unpaid internship it's going to make it pretty difficult to afford 14 weeks. Luckily I have friends/family in a couple MLB cities so it'd still be doable but I'd have to dig into savings to do it.

I could probably use the resume spot so if I got offered it (unlikely, given the competition) I'd probably still take it. I'm graduating in May, but what else am I going to do? Yeah, maybe there's not a lot of dignity in doing something for free that I arguably should get paid for, but I'd rather be working and getting experience for no pay than sitting at home on my dignity for no pay anyway. Congrats to whoever ultimately gets these spots, nobody ever said this business was going to be easy.

 

[Boyznblu80]

nobody ever said this business was going to be easy.

aint that the truth.

 

[bc31]

I formerly freelanced for MLB.com so I can comment on two things:

1.  Their "budget cuts" have ABSOLUTELY nothing to do with the current economic downtown.  It is simply a convenient excuse.  They had all but eliminated their freelance budget over the last few years.

2.  And more importantly - do not assume that an internship for any league website (i.e., mlb.com, nba.com, nfl.com, nhl.com) is a free pass to a newspaper job.  In fact, every single daily SE I spoke to said the same thing: clips from league websites are considered less valuable then newspaper (or magazine) clips because they view league websites as little more than marketing vehicles and thus objective reporting flies out the window.  Bottom line to interns, if you have a choice between your hometown newspaper and mlb.com - no question, choose the newspaper.  (I'd be interested to hear other reporters' experience with this viewpoint from SEs.)

 

[Boyznblu80]

from what Bill told me, selections won't be made until February now.

 

[DarkTower]

A MLB.com beat writer told me recently that not only have they cut interns this season, but they've also chopped their freelance writing budget to exactly zilch.

 

[daemon]

Jesus effing Christ.

Remember: These guys are ****ING PRINTING MONEY. There are NO ECONOMIC PROBLEMS AT MLB. NONE.

If you're an mlb.commer, you are officially on the chopping block. The end game is all interns, none of whom make a dime. Book it. Then buy a ******* T-shirt.

Remember, all of this cost-shedding by MLB.com coincides with the arrival of the Network, whose start-up costs I assume are putting a big drain on MLB Advanced Media. I can't imagine the folks at MLB are doing this just to be pricks. Although when you look at these things in comparison to the commish's alleged salary, it's still hard to justify.

 

[Pendleton]

Meanwhile, however, I'm hearing through the grapevine that Phila. Inquirer Phillies beat reporter Todd Zolecki has jumped to mlb.com, and the Inquirer is starting a speedy search for a new Phillies beat reporter.

 

[Sly]

You can compare to ARod's salary all you want, but MLB isn't getting revenue from the interns' jersey sales and extra ticket sales.

Yes, but I'm sure it can be argued that the writings of the interns is drawing people to MLB.com, where they then spend subscription money on MLB.TV, drop $200 on an A-Rod jersey or simply give a buttload of crucial personal data that MLB can use to its favor. To expect these kids to work for free is absolutely despicable.

 

[S.B. 913]

Anyone hear anything new? Any updates?

 

[jwerner56]

Bill Hill said he'd send out notifications in mid-February.

 

[Shaggy]

The fact that people are begging for information makes it pretty obvious that they'll get 30 people to do it for free without any problem at all.

So why should they pay? Supply, demand, all that...

 

[Boyznblu80]

Did anyone see this job opening on monster.

Baseball reporters @ MLB.com
MLB. ​com, the official website of Major League Baseball, is seeking freelance and/​or full-time columnists and reporters to help cover Major League Baseball and its teams.​

"We're interested in candidates with solid reporting skills and a strong voice who are as well versed in writing about the sport off the field as they are about the games themselves.," the ad states. "Multimedia experience a plus.​"

Responsibilities include: Column writing from live games across the country, as well as the news of the day off the field; non-column writing that helps feed the beast that is a 24-by-7 deadline cycle; factual reporting; intelligent writing; nuanced analysis and insightful commentary; professional representation of our company inside and outside our walls.​

 

[BYH]

Not a bigger crock of **** on the planet than that ad.