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Topic: Travel writers: Press junkets?
| Author | Message |
| ejlyman | Posted – 6/28/2007 6:20:19 PM | show profile | email poster Tired ground In my experience, most magazines are looking for some unusual angle about the places they want reports on -- how are you going to get that from a junket? That's not even counting the ethical implications from your perspective (can you be objective about a place that paid for you to visit?), from the magazine's perspective (do they want to publish what amounts to an infomercial?), and from the perspective of the people offering the trip (how desperate do they have to be to offer a junket to someone who doesn't even know if a story will be published?). When I've done travel stories over the last couple of years I've generally refrained from writing about places that offer junkets -- even if I wouldn't be on the junket -- because it means I'd be covering tired ground by doing so. ------ Italy-based freelancer www.ericjlyman.com |
| dribbledrive1 | Posted – 6/28/2007 7:17:02 PM | show profile This is tired ground, too. Can a movie reviewer who gets into a film for free be objective? Does a sportswriter who gets into the ballpark for free feel a need to be kind? If a lawyer, who charges $1000 an hour does an interview with you for free, to you feel compelled to make him look good? --That's not even counting the ethical implications from your perspective (can you be objective about a place that paid for you to visit?), from the magazine's perspective (do they want to publish what amounts to an infomercial?), -- |
| ejlyman | Posted – 6/29/2007 3:55:45 AM | show profile | email poster moaning As you know, the examples you chose are different: the sports writer or film critic takes a seat in an event that was going to happen anyway rather than something taking place strictly for him or her, like a junket (and those seats aren't worth too much -- I have no problem with accepting courtesies or gifts worth up to a certain amount, say, $50 or $100). And if the lawyer is giving you the interview because he's an expert on something then that's his perk, that he's going to be quoted as an expert (no way should interviewees be paid) ... and if he's talking to you on behalf of someone else, then he is being paid, just not by you. Here's a better example. Accepting a press junket to a new resort and then writing about it in glowing terms is like any film featuring someone practicing the world's oldest profession, moaning in delight and repeatedly shouting out how unforgettably attractive her client is. Maybe it?s all meant to true, but don't you automatically wonder if she's being sincere? (Sorry about the multiple poasts earlier, I was having Internet issues) ------ Italy-based freelancer www.ericjlyman.com |
