Where are the jobs?

This is a "jobs" question, but not a question about any particular job.

My curiosity is, where can an accomplished newspaper reporter/editor go to, basically, do what he's been doing at his paper for years and years and years, only no longer do it for his paper.

My conundrum is this: as the sports editor of a Big 12 hometown daily, I've been covering good stuff forever — BCS games, NCAA Tournaments, etc. — and, if I say so myself, I'm very good. At least around here, I believe I've proven myself and have earned the respect of my peers, even those at the big statewide dailies.

However, when I'm not in the field, I'm in the office working, writing, rewriting, scheduling, paginating, etc., and I just can't go home 5 or 6 nights a week at midnight or later for another 11 years. It's hell on my family, of course, but it's finally getting to me personally, too. I've never been able to imagine quitting without a full-time gig worked out, but that day may come.

Oh, and my wife has a fantastic job and our extended family is near and our daughter doesn't want to change schools, nor do we really want to move. We like our mortgage and the house it affords. Yes, I'm fully aware that limits the possibilities.

But here are some of the facts I'd like to find:

How many full-time sportswriting jobs are there in online media and where are they?
I know about yahoo, rivals, si.com, cstv.com, scout, espn.com, but there must be more of which I'm oblivious.

Also, beyond full-time status, what are the outlets from which a talented writer, with the clips to prove it, can find regular work as a freelancer?

I've actually done some blogging for cstv and I write for a couple local magazines on occasion, but I still feel like I've had my head down doing so much work for so long, that I don't really know how the freelance game is played, or how one might his name out there to get enough regular work to make a living at it?

Or how about this idea? Creating my own news/sports service and Web site and giving it a shot.
(I have a reputation, but I wouldn't quite call it a bankable following)

Clearly, I'm looking for a way out, but without really changing careers.

Oh, and if I've dropped enough hints to give away my identity and somebody nearby was always wondering if I might be available, by all means drop me a note.

Thanks everybody for any ideas.

sprtswrtr10

 

You might be better off broadening your skills where you're at. Get some experience and exposure outside of the Sports dept. Do some audio and video stuff, since the bloodless bosses seem to think that is one possible salvation (not sure how much longer they'll think that, of course). If you seem like someone who can do two or three people's jobs, then you'll have a better shot of hanging onto one (which will have the workload of two or three). Oh, and avoid all raises that might push you to a level where you're worth more to your bosses as a buyout/layoff.

 

If you want a better life, where you are, give up the profession.I am trying, and I have a good beat, but if that cushy PR job comes in any kind of industry, I am gone.

I crave 9-5, overtime, weekends, holidays, happy hour, softball leagues, and time with the kids.

Heck, my goal is to make enough money where I can still sit close. Then I can make fun of all the writers who are bitching because the double OT game 7 thriller made them blow deadline by 5 minutes.

Yes, I am bitter. I hate getting mad at overtime games.

 

sprtswrtr10, I can empathize with your situation to some extent. After the paper I'd been with forever folded, I was stuck. Moving wasn't an option, I wasn't going to uproot my family when my hubby's job is the main breadwinner job. I love where I live, don't want to move either.

I was blessed with a newspaper opening, even though it wasn't sports. I have a late night here and there, but it's been going great.

One thing I was doing in my two-year stretch is working some freelance which I got on my reputation -- didn't pay much, but it was better than nothing, and I also have a small home-based side business which I've had for 14 years, and so I worked that more than usual.

I had told Mr. Rosie after my interview at the paper I'm now at that if I didn't get the job, I was done interviewing and was going to 1. kick butt at my side business and 2. maybe either do a sports-based website of some sort.

If I were you, I would sit down with a notebook and start writing stuff down. What you like about where you are, what you need to earn, minimum, and what other options you think you have. Write down the good and bad about all of them. Then -- you're a reporter -- research those options.

Hope that helps a bit.

 

Hell fire. What PR job? Everything I see requires business/corporate experience. I'm with you sportswtr, and it's a hopeless situation.

 

If you cover a Big 12 team, you may have a platform for some book ideas, which could 1. Bring in some extra income (though not nearly enough a lot of times to justify the time you'll put in) and 2. Give you some freelancing cred.

 

Start a Big XII blog and make a niche of it. Build up a following and try to get connected with one of the big time blog entities, Yahoo!, ESPN, FanHouse, etc. Balance that with a part-time job until you can start making money, maybe waiting tables. It sucks to start over again, but thankfully it sounds like your wife has a good gig that will afford you to change careers, or at least send it in a different direction.