Media Business

The Pulitzer and the Hungry Horse News

By Michelle V. Rafter on April 16, 2012 | Leave a response

As winners of the news industry’s major annual prize are announced today, it’s a good time to remember a small-town journalist who made it big.

Posted in Media Business | Tagged a Park and a Pulitzer, community newspapers, Hungry Horse News, hyperlocal news, Mel Ruder, Patch.com, Pictures, Pulitzer Prize, The Pulitzer and the Hungry Horse News | Leave a response

Lies, lies, lies, yeah, they’re gonna get you

By Michelle V. Rafter on March 19, 2012 | 5 Responses

Mike Daisey, Jon Flatland and an Oregonian breaking news editor made headlines lately by being less than forthright. Why do writers lie?

Posted in Media Business | Tagged David Sedaris, Jon Flatland, Malcolm Gladwell, Mike Daisey, Oregonian, plagiarism, reporters who lie, The Agony and Ecstasy of Steve Jobs, This American Life | 5 Responses

Say it loud: We are Journalists

By Michelle V. Rafter on November 9, 2011 | 1 Response

Want to feel inspired about what you do? Spend a few minutes with We are Journalists, a Tumblr site for journalists about journalists. According to Romenesko, a St. Petersburg Times reporter patterned it after the Occupy Wall Street movement’s We Are the 99 Percent Tumblr site. My favorite line: “Don’t call me ‘the Media.’” How [...]

Posted in Media Business | Tagged journalism careers, journalist entrepreneurs, media criticism, Occupy Wall Street, We Are Journalists Tumblr blog | 1 Response

Demand Media to writers: we don’t need you (as much) anymore

By Michelle V. Rafter on October 11, 2011 | 4 Responses

The controversial content site informed contributors last week it won’t be making as many how-tos and other quick-turn assignments for the foreseeable future.

Posted in Media Business | Tagged content farms, content mills, Demand Media, freelance markets | 4 Responses

Helium CEO defends finder’s fee, dishes on freelance opportunities

By Michelle V. Rafter on August 25, 2011 | 2 Responses

Mark Ranalli details what the site pays writers producing copy for its premium content division, and shares details of its June purchase by R.R. Donnelley.

Posted in Media Business | Tagged content sites, Helium, Helium Content Source, Mark Ranalli, R. R. Donnelley buys Helium, should freelancers work for Helium | 2 Responses

Helium’s $10,000 hands-off-our writers clause

By Michelle V. Rafter on August 22, 2011 | 18 Responses

Buried in Helium’s Content Source publishers’ contract is a clause every writer contemplating working for the content site should be aware of.

Posted in Media Business | Tagged content farms, Helium marketplace publishers agreement, writing for content farms, writing for Helium | 18 Responses

The ins and outs of working as a content strategist

By Michelle V. Rafter on August 18, 2011 | 1 Response

Journalists and editors are well suited to lead companies’ content marketing efforts, if they can overcome several pitfalls, two experts on the subject explain.

Posted in Media Business | Tagged content marketing, how to become a content strategist, new opportunities for journalists, what is a content strategist | 1 Response

WordCount Redux: The writer as content curator

By Michelle V. Rafter on August 12, 2011 | Leave a response

While I’m out this week, enjoy this WordCount post that didn’t get the love it deserved the first go around. The subject: what the heck is content curation?

Posted in Media Business | Tagged adding links to blog posts, content aggregation, content curation, writer as content curator | Leave a response