It’s so nice to see Mayhill Fowler score two of the biggest stories of the campaign season, and so predictable to hear the complaints from the mainstream press and others out to protect their turf and rules and mirage of power. But I have a more practical issue: Shouldn’t Mayhill be getting paid? Look at how she’s raised the profile of The Huffington Post. She and Arianna have been good for each other, and now it’s time to draw up a generous contract to reflect the good times.
And Mayhill needs a new title. The term “citizen journalist” is offensive at a time when we should be in the streets fighting for the rights of all immigrants. Besides, aren’t most journalists “citizens?” And don’t we want more “non-citizen voices” writing about their communities? Until Mayhill gets her contract, George Orwell and I would like to suggest a more descriptive term: Mayhill Fowler is an “unpaid journalist.”
But I want to change that, Mayhill. I’ll be your agent and will open negotiations with Arianna as soon as you call or email me.
OK, OK, OK, it’s fine if you don’t need the money. Even better, actually. We’ll put your well-deserved salary toward setting up an online news site to report local news in Los Angeles. We’ll hire top student talent from USC, UCLA and other local colleges and cover City Hall and the county Hall of Administration like it was done in the very recent past when this was a three-newspaper town.
A proposed name: The Fowler Post.
I’m an “unpaid commenter.” Will you represent me, too,
Alan?
Oh please–the woman covering the Pellicano trial didn’t get paid, and she raised the HuffPo’s profile as well.
But Mayhill’s stunt journalism isn’t going to work a third time. Why did she have to phrase her question to Clinton in such an opinionated way–it’s sleazy, and OTB should have clued her in. No wonder Assignment Zero was such a mess.
And Alan–the top student talent is more likely to be found at the community colleges, rather than USC and UCLA. Or Oxy.
Thanks Kate for injecting some sanity and perspective. I had to read two other blog posts over at Huffington to get decent context for the supposed Obama “gaffe” in SF. And Fowler was predicting a tight North Carolina race. Not that she’s any worse than a lot of clueless “pros.” But she’ll never stumble into another supposed “scoop” (and frankly the notion that these were two of “the biggest stories of the campaign season” – which is a scary thought if it’s accurate – says more about how Fowler managed to feed the beast of pre-fab MSM narratives than anything she came up with that was important or revealing.)
If Arianna wants to pay Fowler, that’s between the two rich ladies. But would Josh Marshall hire her in an entry-level position at TPM ? That’s my bar for online journalistic talent, not Fowler’s pap.
“The term “citizen journalist†is offensive at a time when we should be in the streets fighting for the rights of all immigrants. ”
Oh Jesus…pleeeeze. Stop the stupid.