A magazine wants me to interview the editor of a newspaper I write for

[Sneed]

A local magazine suggested I interview the editor-in-chief of the daily newspaper in my city. Solid idea. I like the idea a lot, actually. But I feel like it would be too much of a conflict of interest. Most of my freelance assignments right now come from this newspaper. While I deal with the sections editors and never with the EIC, she's still the head of the paper.

I've pretty well decided I couldn't do it, but I was curious what you fine folks thought about it.

Plus, I don't want the EIC to see my story and interview about her and realize I'm just making everything up as I go along for her paper, which is the only reason her editors like me enough to keep hiring me for stuff.

 

[somewriter]

Or, you could impress the heck out of her and give your career a boost.

 

[Sneed]

I was just joking about that last part. I was just wondering if there was anything wrong with that, interviewing the editor of one publication for which you write for a different publication in the same area.

 

[golfnut8924]

I was just joking about that last part. I was just wondering if there was anything wrong with that, interviewing the editor of one publication for which you write for a different publication in the same area.

I don't see newspaper vs. magazine as competition. It would be a totally different ballgame if the interview was for another newspaper. But a newspaper and a magazine are apples and oranges.

What's wrong with simply asking the newspaper EIC if they are okay with it? If they are great, if not, what's the big deal? You're a freelancer. They can't get mad at you for writing for other publications. I assume (I hope rather) that they already know that you do.

 

[Sneed]

OK, cool. Yeah, they definitely know I write for other folks. They definitely wouldn't be mad about it. My only concern was about the possible conflict of interest, you know, ethically or something like that, interviewing the head of one publication I write for for another publication. But since you guys sound like it's cool then I'm going to go ahead and go for it.

Appreciate it.