freelancer writers wanted for AIR websites

The fine folks at AIR are looking to build long-term relationships with freelancers who can write on a variety of topics. A few themes are below. Contact betsy@airmedia.org with pitches or questions!

• The first time

First-person stories (as told to) about highly interesting, highly educational moments in public media careers: first pitch, first sale, first job, first huge mistake, first time using a fixer, first whatever. I'm looking for two of these each month, $75 per piece, with a mix of famous/not-yet-famous people in our field. Slight preference for independent storytellers, or people who started that way, but we're open to other ideas.

I'd like to work with one or two regular freelancers on these. The right writer has reasonably good access and lots of good ideas, and can get these short-ish pieces (max. 750 words) turned around efficiently.

Also, I am eager to hear pitches for thoughtful reporting. Our pay rate range is based on complexity, length and availability of supporting audio/video/etc. Subjects that we're actively pursuing right now:

• Diversity in public media (perspectives, yes, but especially analysis). This is going to be part of a long-range project and core focus of the site when we relaunch later this year. We're working on how public media leaders, funders and participants define and/or experience diversity; data sets that describe our workforce, our story subjects/sources, and our audience; analysis of efforts to diversify public media's workforce, storytelling and reach; and all of the other things that affect the mission of pubmedia that serves all Americans.

• Skill building for independent producers in public media (one example, not necessarily a template, but a good starting point). Useful subjects: negotiation; finding and cultivating development teams around an indie project; pursuing grants and fellowships; writing a business plan; launching a project/podcast; etc., etc.

• Analysis of R&D and/or interesting pubmedia projects (to include the development of tools like those emerging from Civic Media, the Knight Lab, etc.)

If you have colleagues or students who are interested in these questions, please forward this email and put them in touch with me. We are rapidly (and radically) expanding our editorial effort, and I'd like to build some long-term relationships with writers who need steady work.

Thanks for reading and sharing.

Betsy

Betsy O'Donovan
AIR/editorial
Office: 617-885-4400
Twitter: @AIRmedia
For information: www.airmedia.org
For inspiration: www.airmediaworks.org

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