The Story Behind the Story

It’s finally out.

My research for what would become my debut mini-feature for Pressland, a Medium publication that covers media, began in Fall 2018.  As an independent journalist myself, I kept hearing about freelancers not getting paid on time, sometimes waiting three, six, 12 months or more for payment. 

I’m generally interested in stories of exploitation and labor struggles, so I felt like this would be an opportunity to dip my toe into media reporting. 

It took months to get the first and second batches of documents from the New York City Department of Consumer Affairs. And it took longer than expected to actually place to piece. I could speculate about why the latter was true, but I think doing so would be useless. 

But that’s the sad thing about these publication closings and layoffs, they leave behind fewer outlets for publishing stories and more writers fighting for space. If it weren’t for Pressland, it wouldn’t have seen the light of day. 

Resources for understanding how much media companies pay and how long they take to pay are already available. I regularly use Who Pays Writers (and had a great conversation with Manjula Martin) as well as the Contently Rates Database. There are already whisper networks for discussing the conditions under which freelancers work, but perhaps this article will bring those conversations further into the light. 

What are your strategies for covering labor? How did you feel about the story? Feel free to tell me in the comments or email me at contact@thefreelancebeat.com. If you want to send a tip, here’s how to get in touch with me confidentially.