Leave paper and start paywall site?

I've been waiting to get the axe for a while now, a feeling that's only intensified since the pandemic began last year. I'm fairly certain PPP loans are the only reason why our entire chain was able to stay open.

Things have stabilized a bit, but the end is coming sooner or later, and I'm guessing sooner. The pandemic has made the job far less enjoyable for me for several reasons and have only added to the other reasons that have developed in the last several years. Frankly, I'm embarrassed of the product. The paper's less than half the size it was when I started, I'm the only sports writer now, coverage is far decreased, etc. etc. You all get the gist -- similar complaints have been made by others here for a decade.

I've been planning various exit strategies for years, and I could kick myself for not having taken one several years ago. I worked in the university's mail room while in college, and the boss liked me and was still employed by the institution and would let me know when full-time positions opened up for years after graduation. He's gone now, and I could kick myself for never having applied and trying to get one of those jobs. Not glamorous, but slightly more money than I make at the paper for a hell of a lot less work, and much better benefits.

The main exit plan now is to start a photography business with the paper's photographer (we already have the business formed and are beginning to look for gigs). Our main idea is to focus school photography and to compete with the big national chains -- a couple of other local photographers have successfully wrangled away school contracts from those national companies. Failing that, we'll do it all -- real estate, seniors, weddings, etc. There appears to be enough of a demand to make a go of it in the region, and we believe we're well-enough known entities locally to get business.

In addition to that? Set up a paywall Wordpress site to cover two local high schools, the big one in the city we're in and the small catholic school that draws from a larger region, is undercovered by the paper (because half or more of its students are from out of our circulation area), and, of course, has money.

The paywall site would be a big part, at least initially. That's the avenue for getting revenue quickly. We know it'll take time to get photography contracts and gigs, where the paywall site can start earning money immediately after launch.

What makes the issue so time sensitive: this would be a hell of a time to launch the site, right before the start of fall sports. And there'd be a few weeks (or longer) where the paper would have next to no coverage, obviously, as they look for my replacement.

I think I could get 1,000 subscribers from those two schools. If it was successful enough and I could employ freelancers, I'd love to expand it to the surrounding region, in which villages' high school sports is the only thing going for them. Huge interest there. Problem is now for the paper, it's way too many high schools for one guy to cover well. I'd like to focus just on those two high schools, because I believe the coverage I can produce of those two would be a product worth paying for, as opposed to trying to cover over a dozen.

I have enough savings to live on for up to a year. In addition, my income will be low enough to qualify for a subsidized healthcare plan. Hell, from looking at plans on the Marketplace, I could get better coverage for far cheaper than I get through the paper.

If the business doesn't pan out and I burn through all my savings, I've got fall-back plans. In addition to trying to get a communications or technical writing job or something similar that's a common occupation for former journalists, warehouses around here are basically begging for people to work, and I don't see that changing much in the next year (they were begging before the pandemic, too). I'm not above doing warehouse work, and I'm healthy enough to do it.

So, do I give myself the axe and go out and give this a real try now in what I think is an opportune time, or do I just suffer through and wait for the eventual layoff and take the stable income while it's there?

Any feedback is appreciated.

 

The biggest hurdles I can think of that you didn't identify in your post - How big is your social media footprint, and, can you "take" those accounts with you, independent of the paper you're working with? The second you start this plan, I doubt the paper is going to support you, and they might even send cease and desist about your Twitter account, depending on what the handle is. Given that your primary market is high school and community sports, you *need* a strong social media account available.

Second thing - Credentials. When Patch first started, several of the local editors in other areas where I am didn't realize that they would need to get credentialed, and the process took longer than expected because it was a start-up in the area. (Just showing up with a camera and taking pictures of kids doing sports is a great way to get a chat from a police officer.) Some states and some HS are more of a pain than others, so you should be checking about that. It's probably something you're already aware of, and not an issue for your local HS, but it could be if you try to cover a playoff game X hours away, and you can't get on the list.

Make it *easy* for people to contribute to you. Some parents fucking suck, but some of them can be great resources. (i.e. Sending you a decent image from a game and a cutline? That's a nice post you can throw up in 10 to 15 minutes, and hopefully, spurs others to submit similar content.)

You might want to also explore things like Substack, just to see if that could work for you. I've used Wordpress sites and mostly find them to be OK, but I don't use plug-ins heavily or anything like that. The thing about the venture you're starting is that you're not just the sports editor - you're going to be the accounting department, circulation, the managing editor, everything. It's going to be a shit ton of work. Try to offload as much of it as you can.

 

First of all, congrats on breaking the mental chains that bind us to this often thankless profession.
Secondly, if you have any path forward that will make you happier and fulfilled, take it. It's very good you have a little cushion. It's more than very good that you are willing to find work wherever it can be offered.
Take the leap!

 

If you can get AM shift work (warehouse or whatever) and try out your HS idea as an evening side gig, you won't have to go without a paycheck while the web effort spools up. It's a burnout track in the long term, but IMO less stressful than having no cash flow while you wait for subscribers to come aboard.

I've never been in this situation, but with newspapers in a death spiral now, I think your approach has more of a future.

When I was a young guy I had a fill-in job at the local small-town post office. The janitor retired (a sought-after slot) and it would have opened up a full-time job I might have gone after. Occasionally I looked back and said, "If only..."'

Really, though, if you have enough of an ego to stick your neck out every Friday night and represent, you wouldn't have been happy in the mailroom. If you have to look back, consider what the other choice would have done to your soul.

 

I've had two friends start up things that became full sites in some fashion. They started very simple, but selling subscriptions rights away, and built both coverage and more comprehensive sites as they grew. Another continues to maintain a very basic site and is making enough for it to be income (though not the only source). That person started on Patreon.

 

I feel like I know where you are based on my experience from years ago... and then I realized your description could probably apply to hundreds of guys covering high school sports nationwide.

You didn't mention if you have a spouse or domestic partner. Depending on the plan and/or state regulations, an unmarried partner is sometimes eligible for benefits on the other's plan.

I would think this would be the perfect time to start up. Beginning of fall sports season, and everyone wants to read about football and whatever else you have going on. Since you're a one-man band you'll possibly have no competition for a few weeks while they fill your spot.

Before you give your notice I'd make sure you have every phone number for ADs/coaches/players. They could wipe the computer clean and toss your Rolodex before they're done escorting you out the back entrance.

 

I will also add - There was a regular poster on this board who started doing a wedding photography side hustle about 10 years ago, and it has now grown to something he loves, and it's his primary job. (He still does layout for a local paper, because I think he's a masochist, but still. So, I've definitely seen people who have had passion for a side gig like you have, and they've made it work.

One other thing - A gap in a lot of local newspaper coverage areas is preps once they're at college. Identify any players from your area that are at D1, D2, D3 or junior colleges. Most SIDs / communications people at those schools will be happy to put you on a distribution list, and that's another free piece of content to use often.

 

Congrats on the forward-thinking, but don't make you want to "kick yourself" again by leaving the newspaper too hastily, and too soon. If and when you do make the move, I'd make sure you're ready to go from the outset.

There are also some things you could try to take from regional/national outlets like the Fall sports posters, Winter Sports posters, football programs, etc - anything that is advertiser-driven. Those things are a gold mine. One great key is having a good relationship with ADs and superintendents.

 

Not to rain on your parade but I would be wary of thinking you can get 500 much less 1,000 subscribers to pay a working wage (say, $10 a month?) unless you are in a large area, have a large following, and the fans are very, very loyal.

Plus, getting those types of subscribers takes weeks / months of promotion and marketing to them.

Also, running a Wordpress site is a lot more difficult than it looks, so, as noted above, consider Patreon as your funding stream.

Despite my obvious pessimism, I wish you the best of luck and applaud you for getting the f out of newspapers.

 

1) How big are these schools?
2) Is there anyone in the paper’s web operation who can clue you in on hit counts for stories about East High relative to those about West High?
3) Can you afford to hire a consultant who can tell you how much to charge? I have no idea what those services cost.

 

Also consider ... people will right-click save photos or screenshot them instead of paying for them. Others might jack them and post them to local Facebook pages and groups. These little things will eat into any revenue.

 

If you can make more doing this than you can make stringing for local papers, I'd say it's a win. I'd say go easy on the paywall early on to build an audience, maybe a metered model.