Question about big-time columnists...

[BrianM]

I am just a mostly irrelevant Podunk Press sports editor, but writing columns is by far my favorite part of my livelihood. I do eventually aim to end up moving above and beyond where I am now to some type of big-time columnist position at some point.
I am just wondering how travel and incidentals are paid for and handled by employers of big city or big corporation columnists. Are you booking everything (Airplanes? Hotels? Rental cars?) yourself and getting reimbursed? Or is that stuff included in your salary? At that level, can you pretty much decide what events you're going to travel to, and have that automatically approved, or do you still have to jump through some type of corporate hoops in order to cover what you want to cover?
I am just asking out of curiosity.
Thanks......

 

[LanceyHoward]

I am just a mostly irrelevant Podunk Press sports editor, but writing columns is by far my favorite part of my livelihood. I do eventually aim to end up moving above and beyond where I am now to some type of big-time columnist position at some point.
I am just wondering how travel and incidentals are paid for and handled by employers of big city or big corporation columnists. Are you booking everything (Airplanes? Hotels? Rental cars?) yourself and getting reimbursed? Or is that stuff included in your salary? At that level, can you pretty much decide what events you're going to travel to, and have that automatically approved, or do you still have to jump through some type of corporate hoops in order to cover what you want to cover?
I am just asking out of curiosity.
Thanks......

Don't be so hard on yourself. Many big-time columnists are mostly irrelevant also.

 

[Versatile]

I am just a mostly irrelevant Podunk Press sports editor, but writing columns is by far my favorite part of my livelihood. I do eventually aim to end up moving above and beyond where I am now to some type of big-time columnist position at some point.
I am just wondering how travel and incidentals are paid for and handled by employers of big city or big corporation columnists. Are you booking everything (Airplanes? Hotels? Rental cars?) yourself and getting reimbursed? Or is that stuff included in your salary? At that level, can you pretty much decide what events you're going to travel to, and have that automatically approved, or do you still have to jump through some type of corporate hoops in order to cover what you want to cover?
I am just asking out of curiosity.
Thanks......

Answering your questions generally:

• A big-time columnist would have a company credit card. If not, the expenses would be out of pocket, then reimbursed.
• Some events, when large groups are traveling, may be booked by a manager. Some will be booked by the writer.
• Any columnist, even the very biggest, needs to get travel approved before booking tickets. The more experienced and the bigger, the more influence you will have on your itinerary.

Of course, no big-time newspaper would hire a big-time columnist who didn't have years of experience with these types of issues.

 

[Captain Obvious]

Even if you're big time with a corporate card, be careful the company doesn't get sold or file for bankruptcy while on a road trip.

 

[Smasher_Sloan]

Really big-time columnists travel with an entourage, and the lackeys handle all the details.

 

[SellOut]

Really big-time columnists travel with an entourage, and the lackeys handle all the details.

I thought big-time columnists just sat at home and opined from The Throne.
Oh. Wait. That's just Loopy. #spitballsatabattleship