From a reader standpoint I love The Patch concept since I learned of it's existence about 6 weeks ago. I now find it the best way to stay current on local news and sports. News that I previously had to wait a week to read in local weekly is now available same day.
what's up w/ Patch.com
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podunk press
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I've been contacted by Patch, and the easy thing to do would be to take a job with them, get the slight raise and work out of my office.
And you know what? I'm not doing it.
I think Patch, in a strange, twisted way, is even more unsustainable than newspapers. Eventually, Patch is going to need to generate A TON of online advertising to make this work.
That being said, a lot of decent journalists seem to be popping up there.
And you know what? I'm not doing it.
I think Patch, in a strange, twisted way, is even more unsustainable than newspapers. Eventually, Patch is going to need to generate A TON of online advertising to make this work.
That being said, a lot of decent journalists seem to be popping up there.
Z
zebracoy
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podunk press said:
Well, to be fair, if you're floating in the ocean and someone throws you a life raft, you're going to grab it ... even if it is made of lead.
podunk press said:
Does Patch even have a sales staff? Good luck explaining to the local 72-year-old dry cleaner who has never advertised why he should spend money on a web ad that likely will be blocked by your adware.
sgreenwell
Well-Known Member
wicked said:
The 72-year-old businessmen are obviously a coveted demographic that only newspapers can penetrate, and they're mostly responsible for papers' continued financial dominance. And also, all old people are stupid and obviously can't use them new-fangled computers, ESPECIALLY if they're somehow "with it" enough to still have a small business in 2010.
It's a legit concern. Many weeklies nowadays don't even have the sales staffs to adequately drum up business. And good luck trying to upsell a guy on a web ad, especially if he doesn't know anything about the Internet.
I've heard/seen little about Patch's financial model. It's great they're hiring and investing, but it'd be nice to know if the business plan was solid, too. For instance: How quickly is each site expected to turn a profit? Two months? Two years?
I've heard/seen little about Patch's financial model. It's great they're hiring and investing, but it'd be nice to know if the business plan was solid, too. For instance: How quickly is each site expected to turn a profit? Two months? Two years?
wicked said:
Nope. That's yet ANOTHER title site editors are expected to take on -- sales guy/gal. That's why in the job description aol says they're seeking "entrepreneurial" journalists -- now that's an oxymoron (write a fluff-piece about my business, and I'll buy an ad). ... The ad/sales dept. and the reporters/editorial dept. are located in separate areas of a newsroom for a reason. ... Again, patch editors are expected to wear too many hats.
sgreenwell
Well-Known Member
thedome said:
This is completely false. I've been told repeatedly that we are not to sell ads, and I have people to refer them to. You're either just making stuff up, making assumptions, or basing your statements on things happening in isolated sites.
I guess I didn't make the cut as a local editor. I'm glad, though, since the regional editor I interviewed with listed cutting staff 30 percent and keeping quality "up" as an achievement. He rubbed me the wrong way and didn't seem to have a clue that Twitter and Facebook are just tools and not the Holy Grail of journalism.
S
SudburyPatch
Guest
Where was this interview?
fightingwords1
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Stitch,
I don't know what you're talking about. Don't know how Patch can be cutting staff when they're in the middle of a giant hiring push to fill Patch positions all around.
I don't know what you're talking about. Don't know how Patch can be cutting staff when they're in the middle of a giant hiring push to fill Patch positions all around.
sgreenwell
Well-Known Member
The whole thing is built upon the idea of using less staffing and thus less expense than a traditional paper, yeah. I mean, you're not producing a physical paper. While there is a significant tech staff, I imagine that doesn't outnumber all of the other personnel (production staff, delivery, secretarial, etc.) you need with a traditional media outlet.
As far as the news and editorial side solely, I don't think it's that different from a local paper, depending on what area you're in. I'm full-time with a pretty healthy freelance budget that's essentially equivalent to another reporter and a quarter. That's a bit more than both of the weeklies in the area. It's definitely a different idea and model, but at least personally, I think it could thrive in the area where I am. The other companies in the area either aren't making money off the web, or aren't even trying,
As far as the news and editorial side solely, I don't think it's that different from a local paper, depending on what area you're in. I'm full-time with a pretty healthy freelance budget that's essentially equivalent to another reporter and a quarter. That's a bit more than both of the weeklies in the area. It's definitely a different idea and model, but at least personally, I think it could thrive in the area where I am. The other companies in the area either aren't making money off the web, or aren't even trying,
fightingwords1
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Stitch said:
Understood. I got confused with the way you'd initially phrased it. Apologies.
mustangj17
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Huge hiring push in my neck of the woods for this gigs. They are looking for editors and freelancers everywhere. Anyone know what they pay? What's the ceiling on this things? Worth giving a look?
outofplace
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mustangj17 said:
Standard freelance seems to be $50 for a smaller story, $75 for longer stories with pictures. They might go a bit higher for a take-out piece, though I'm not sure how many of those they do.
No idea what the editors make, but I know one of them and he works insane hours.
Gator_Hawks
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Does anyone know what the editors make?
