Stringing for semi-competing newspapers

[BertoltBrecht]

I've accepted an assignment to cover a few baseball games for a sister paper and a paper about 50 miles away from the sister paper.

Signing the standard freelance agreement, I was wondering how best to handle this. Should I give the same story, two semi-different stories — with different ledes — or two totally different stories with none of the same quotes.

I'm leaning toward the two different ledes.

 

[lono]

Do you want to keep both gigs?

The more you differentiate the stories, the more likely you are to keep them both in the future.

 

[slappy4428]

Two semi-different stories -- byline one, no byline on the other.
You're the one who got into this -- ask yourself what happens if neither one is happy with what you did for the other and felt they should be exclusive.

 

[BertoltBrecht]

It's kind of a freak gig. But sending the same story seems ethically wrong — though, if someone from another paper asked to use my story, I don't think I'd have a problem with it.

 

[lono]

sending the same story seems ethically wrong

Only because it is wrong.

 

[BertoltBrecht]

One saving grace may be they are slightly different assignments. One is two straight gamers — the other is two online updates and a long wrap of the series.

But I get what you're saying slappy — though I don't think they won't mind for a fringe playoff game — it's probably best to avoid situations like this in the future.

 

[zebracoy]

Very difficult to do well, and, in my opinion, you're shortchanging the first paper.

Avoid at all costs.

 

[Dan Hickling]

Better to sacrifice the extra $$ and recruit a competent stand in for the second gig...

 

[editorhoo]

I have a guy who writes for me part-time who is an editor of a twice-a-week paper in a town 15 miles away. If he covers the same event for me, he writes a similiar, but different story for his edition.

 

[Piotr Rasputin]

I've accepted an assignment to cover a few baseball games for a sister paper and a paper about 50 miles away from the sister paper.

Signing the standard freelance agreement, I was wondering how best to handle this. Should I give the same story, two semi-different stories ? with different ledes ? or two totally different stories with none of the same quotes.

I'm leaning toward the two different ledes.

Two totally different stories. No other choice.

 

[forever_town]

One piece of advice: DON'T string for two competing papers. If you're found out and you're not up front about what you're doing, you'll end up with no gig.

 

[BertoltBrecht]

One piece of advice: DON'T string for two competing papers. If you're found out and you're not up front about what you're doing, you'll end up with no gig.

I accidently let it slip, second gig didn't balk — I think they just want something in. I'll avoid the situation in the future.