Date: Thu, 24 Jun 1999 02:29:35 +0200
From: Thomas Johansson <solek-AT-telia.com>
Subject: RE: Working people get it


OK, Sean. I am aware of the problem. But do you think that there is anything
at all that we can do to improve the situation rather than just give up on 
it? If so, what?
Although your characterization of the working conditions of journalists
probably has much truth to it, it is a generalization, and as such it also
has its exceptions. Some editor is not a bully. There are times when 
journalists have a day off. Some journalists get some room for 
doing their own thing. Etc. 
It is the exceptions that we have to look for and work on, trying to get
hold of the attention we can get, and "get into" the journalists whenever
and to the extent that they are open for it.

Thomas Johansson


At 18:01 1999-06-23 -0500, Sean Gallagher, IW LABS wrote:
>As a member of the media conspiracy, let me share what I know about the
>working habits of local newspaper reporters.
>
>First of all, if you're not a member of the Guild or another trade union,
>and not at a large regional or national paper as full-time staff, odds are
>you get paid crap. A majority of papers use stringers--people who write for
>$5 a column inch if they're lucky.
>And if you don't write what your editor wants to see--and often that means
>writing something that meets your editor's perception of the world, not an
>objective truth--you don't get paid at all. Many local papers rely heavily
>on wire reports for content, and that's dirt cheap compared to your $5 an
>inch--so if you don't write it their way, it either (a) gets heavily
>rewritten until it does match the city desk editor's world view, or (b) it
>goes away and never sees print.
>Smaller locals rely more on their reporters, but their reporters are
>overworked and  very underpaid. Regionals generally have a few stars (Guild
>members or whatever) and some regular stringers, but rely more heavily on
>wires because they try to compete with the nationals for eyeball time.
>Deadlines are daily. City desk editors are bullies. Copy filed early and in
>lowest common denominator fashion wins. Copy filed accurate, balanced and
>late loses.
>Reporters learn pretty quickly to rely on a set group of sources for the
>majority of their research, because, quite frankly, they don't have a lot of
>time to go out and research a story like in those old movies unless they
>become an all-star investigative reporter. At smaller locals, many of them
>have a hard enough time stringing cohesive sentences together. You want them
>to be accurate -too-? That's asking a bit much.
>
>->-----Original Message-----
>->From: owner-anarchy-list-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu
>->[mailto:owner-anarchy-list-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu]On Behalf Of
>->Chuck0
>->Sent: Wednesday, June 23, 1999 4:01 PM
>->To: Thomas Johansson; AnarchyAreWe
>->Subject: Re: Working people get it
>->
>->
>->
>->
>->Thomas Johansson wrote:
>->>
>->> I like your crusade against ("against"?) journalists, seeking
>->to enlighten
>->> them.
>->> Could this be systematised into a larger project for the anarchist
>->> movement to work with? Regular work shops for local journalists, aiming
>->> at analysing mainstream media coverage of activism? An anarchist guide
>->> book for mainstream media journalists? Courses in journalism for
>->> anarchists? Setting up lists feeding local journalists with alternative
>->> news?
>->>
>->> I assume that to some extent the problem with journalists lies in:
>->> (1) Their sources. The sources they choose, seek, and rely on.
>->> (2) Their understanding of what is going on.
>->>
>->> To this extent, an enlightenment campaign should not be entirely
>->> futile.
>->>
>->> Thomas Johansson
>->
>->My letter was part of such a project called "a-act" or the Anarchist
>->Action Network.
>->
>->More details at: http://www.zpub.com/notes/aadl.html
>->
>->
>->Chuck0
>->
>