Comments on: A tech journalist's unexpected path to freelance

Changing reader tastes and the downturn in print advertising are making it tough on some longtime trade magazine hands.

[Penguinisto]

Seriously? Maybe its time for the guy to get out there and, you know, work on servers and open-source software. Get his hands dirty.

Not saying his is an example (never read his articles), but a professional journalist covering FOSS who cannot tell the diff between an int and a long is going to be less credible than one of those 'amateur bloggers' who came out of the coding trenches to write articles instead of code.

Sure, there's always a need for the big-picture type of folks, but give me a good read by someone who has had to debug a bad callback. Give me a blog or article by someone who has had to deal with the occasional brainless system architect who, say, thinks nothing of modifying malloc() to lie to the kernel instead of solving an ugly memory leak (no, seriously - I knew an idiot like that).

If you want to write about tech, then maybe its time to roll up your sleeves and, you know, figure out first-hand the plagues and joys that folks you cover are dealing with. If you've got the experience, then great - perfect opportunity to refresh your skillset. If you never had to get your hands dirty? Well, maybe it's time you did...

/P

[sandonet]

Penguinisto,

You're right. In this day in age, journalists must learn everything they can about their beats so they can offer as much insight as possible. But I I covered the NBA and I covered city government in Santa Clarita and cops in the Antelope Valley. Does this mean I have to know the crossover dribble as well as Allen Iverson or do I need experience in drawing up city ordinances or making an arrest? If you're interested in just getting tips from insiders or features on do-it-yourself stuff then you're fine. But if you're interested in news then you need people who know how to earn people's trust, develop sources, learning how to anticipate where a story is going and then can write in a clear, interesting way as well as do it faster than the competition. Anyway, I hope you guys still want the news.

[Penguinisto]

Depends, really. I understand the need to get the indider POV, and I certainly understand the need to clear, concise writing. OTOH, the journalist (like it or not) help form opinions, and claiming a rather narrow slice (two aspects of one industry) tends to put the word 'expert' on the writer - a title that may or may not be deserved. Our article's subject seems to be more like the sportswriter than a beat reporter though, no? I don't expect a beat journalist to have deep insight or knowledge of the subjects, since they more often than not cover what happened on the surface, from which I the reader can gather my own insights from. OTOH, I expect a sportswriter covering, say, basketball, to know the game deeply enough to give me insights into a game or draft pick that I might not have thought of.

I don't expect a whitepaper, but I have a far higher appreciation for someone who knows the subjects well that he or she covers (e.g. WSJ's Walt Mossberg) than someone who does not, or worse, someone who is easily blinded by hype, doesn't know the subject all too well, but plows on anyway (see also the likes of Rob Enderle).

It's pretty hard to express the idea I'm chewing on here, but I hope I expressed it well enough. :)

[Vurk]

Well, I can tell you've never had to shift jobs like Mr. Mullins has. Because a)if you had, you'd be more sympathetic and less Republican and b)yours is exactly the mindset that the story was talking about: "you're old and theyre young. they obviously know more than you do, AND they'll work for dog food" (allowing Mr. Manager to get a bigger bonus).

[Penguinisto]

I went from Electronics engineering to IT nearly 15 years ago, from working in the server room to academia in 1999, and back in 2005. I've had to do it the hard way. It is precisely because of such shifts that I can say with confidence that maybe that's what he should be doing.

[cparente]

Good article, and very representative of what I've seen as a tech PR guy. Many bloggers are excellent, but less experienced writers and a demand for lots of clicks changes the kind of stories written. A long time reporter told me last year how she's really feeling the squeeze, since often very opinionated pieces will get more clicks than balanced, well researched ones.

[test_tester7]

this is a good point

[patmack1]

I'm 77. I was a junior reporter (the lowest form of journalistic life) 50-odd years ago. Since then, I've gone through the mill (from reporting, photography, P.R., editing, publishing and magazine ownership). The lot.

Now, the economy forces me to seek freelance work. But, things publishing have changed beyond my recognition. Digital no longer refers to fingers. Photography no longer requires film and prints. Writing no longer requires a brain. Lord, help us!

Anybody out there needs a, cheap, real live jjournalist/editor? Get hold of [e-mail].

[flitcraft33]

I don't know about the rest of you, but this stuff scares the heck out of me.

[corbey50]

Unfortunately, hi-tech is also starting to lay off people. In this economy, your personal ability and contribution to the company often don't matter. If you're working in a division that's not making money, you could be out the door. Just ask the 12,000 employees in AT&T's switching divisions or the thousands losing their jobs at EDS.

[bjdooley]

Nothing wrong with freelancing. Part of the big picture in technology is the continuing development of the virtual contract workforce. For the canny operator, there are opportunities around the globe. Finding a good niche is important, and it will not always include blogging. PR stories and white papers, for example, are enormous users of tech reporting talent. I have been doing this for more than 10 years, writing for companies in the US, Canada, Australia, Singapore, Japan, and New Zealand. This is the way of the future, and it can be quite profitable---not to mention liberating!

[bjdooley]

Nothing wrong with freelancing. Part of the big picture in technology is the continuing development of the virtual contract workforce. For the canny operator, there are opportunities around the globe. Finding a good niche is important, and it will not always include blogging. PR stories and white papers, for example, are enormous users of tech reporting talent. I have been doing this for more than 10 years, writing for companies in the US, Canada, Australia, Singapore, Japan, and New Zealand. This is the way of the future, and it can be quite profitable---not to mention liberating!

[test_tester7]

good insight to what journalist do

[farker1]

"trolling the Web for leads"

Trolling? Unless you mean the job of the journalist is to bait people, you mean trawling. The first duty of a journalist is to use words correctly.