Rick Reilly's Advice To Journalism Students: Please Don't Compete With Me And Undercut My Salary

from the that's-not-advice,-that's-fear... dept

Fri, May 6th 2011 2:13pm — Mike Masnick

Simon Bodger points us to a story about how ESPN's Rick Reilly -- who has been described as the highest-paid writer in the country gave the commencement speech for journalism students at the University of Colorado, and told them never, ever to write for free:

When you get out there, all I ask is that you: DON�T WRITE FOR FREE! Nobody asks strippers to strip for free, doctors to doctor for free or professors to profess for free. Have some pride! What you know how to do now is a skill that 99.9 percent of the people don�t have. If you do it for free, they won�t respect you in the morning. Or the next day. Or the day after that. You sink everybody�s boat in the harbor, not just yours. So just DON�T!

Thankfully, folks like Craig Calcaterra are pointing out that this is absolutely "horrible, horrible advice."

Writers need to write. A lot. Indeed, the only way anyone gets better as a writer is to just � do it. Your credential as a J-school grad is nice, but it is insignificant compared to experience. And, as the media world progresses further and further into the digital age, it becomes increasingly insignificant in an absolute sense.

Furthermore, Calcaterra points out what Reilly is really saying here, which is "don't undercut me, so I can keep my super high salary":

What Reilly is really doing here is not giving advice to graduates. He�s giving them a warning: �Don�t take my job! Don�t take my friends� jobs! They make a good living writing, and if you come in and undercut them with your blog or your contributed piece, you may screw with the system, so cut it out, will ya?�

Also, I think Reilly is wrong. Plenty of people ask doctors to doctor for free and professors to profess for free -- just not all the time. I assume that people also ask strippers to strip for free as well, and my limited knowledge of stripper employment suggests that they make most of their money from tips, rather than salary, anyway... But the point -- which seems to go right over Reilly's head -- is that doing something for free is not the same thing as not earning money. No one is saying "write everything for free." What people are saying is that writing some things for free can have serious benefits, in terms of exposure, or recognition, or the ability to improve your writing. And, for many, it becomes a way to make money. I wrote Techdirt for free for many years, and now it makes me a good living. If I had followed Reilly's advice, I never would have started Techdirt in the first place.

"Free" isn't the enemy.

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Filed Under: free, journalism, rick reilly, work

46 Comments

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Jay (profile), 6 May 2011 @ 1:33pm

" Doctors to doctor for free"

Doctors without Borders - an international medical humanitarian organization working in nearly 70 countries to assist people whose survival is threatened by violence, neglect, or catastrophe.

"Engineers to engineer for free"

Engineers without Borders - EWB-USA helps create a more stable and prosperous world by addressing people's basic human needs by providing necessities such as clean water, power, sanitation and education.

I could do this all day. However just these two examples far exceed Reilly's paycheck in terms of societal benefit.
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- Anonymous Coward, 6 May 2011 @ 2:30pm
  
  Re:
  Check this out:
  
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reporters_Without_Borders
  
  According to the annual accounts, its total budget is of �4,000,000, which is mostly financed by sale of photo-albums (of which the authors freely grant copyright, and which are freely distributed by the Nouvelles Messageries de la presse parisienne, NMPP[7]), as well as extras such as T-shirts, etc.
  
  HOW DARE THEY!!!
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  - Anonymous Coward, 6 May 2011 @ 5:41pm
    
    Re: Re:
    That's a looooooooooooooooooot of t-shirts
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- el_segfaulto (profile), 6 May 2011 @ 3:22pm
  
  Re:
  Let's not even get into the Open Source software movement. I have donated countless hours on projects that I deem to have a value to society. I'm a programmer who does indeed program for free.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
Pickle Monger (profile), 6 May 2011 @ 1:37pm

Idea - pricess. For everything else there's MasterCard

[...] and my limited knowledge of stripper employment suggests that they make most of their money from tips,[...]

ATTENTION ALL TECHDIRT REGULARS:
Can we get a Kistarter project going to pay Mike Masnick a lap dance? :))))
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- Anonymous Coward, 6 May 2011 @ 2:49pm
  
  Re: Idea - pricess. For everything else there's MasterCard
  I'd rather pay mike to give me a lapdance. RtB indeed.
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  - Simon, 6 May 2011 @ 5:38pm
    
    Re: Re: Idea - pricess. For everything else there's MasterCard
    I've heard the first one's free.
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Billy Wenge-Murphy (profile), 6 May 2011 @ 2:19pm

is a skill that 99.9 percent of the people don�t have

Only 1 person in 1000 can put words together in a coherent manner according to a formula?

Actually he may be right about that....
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- umccullough (profile), 6 May 2011 @ 2:21pm
  
  Re:
  What he really meant to say is: "is a skill that 99.9 percent of people didn't pay tuition to have."
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Anonymous Coward, 6 May 2011 @ 2:24pm

Good thing there are no lawyers out there doing pro bono work - nobody would respect them in the morning.
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- Steven (profile), 6 May 2011 @ 2:27pm
  
  Re:
  Does anybody respect them in the morning anyway? or the afternoon for that matter?
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - Blatant Coward (profile), 6 May 2011 @ 3:19pm
    
    Re: Re:
    Depends on how good their lapdancing is.
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John Doe, 6 May 2011 @ 2:25pm

"Freenemy"
Free is the enemy. But free can be beat. The problem is, most people don't want to learn how.
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- Marcus Carab (profile), 6 May 2011 @ 5:11pm
  
  Re: "Freenemy"
  free is the enemy of what exactly?
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  - Anonymous Coward, 6 May 2011 @ 9:06pm
    
    Re: Re: "Freenemy"
    A lawyer's hourly rate?
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Steven (profile), 6 May 2011 @ 2:30pm

I can't count the number of times I've met somebody, told them I'm a programmer, and the next thing I hear is:
"Oh, you know computers? I'm having a problem with..."
And yes, I usually try to help.
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- umccullough (profile), 6 May 2011 @ 2:31pm
  
  Re:
  Good for you! You're *not* ruining it for the rest of us, because you're the sucker they go to every time now :D
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  - umccullough (profile), 6 May 2011 @ 2:36pm
    
    Re: Re:
    Ok, I felt bad after that, because I do the same thing...
    
    I *hate* telling people to pay me money to simply help them clean a virus off their machine or whatever.
    
    But, after a couple times, I do remind them that I don't have unlimited spare time after work to help others with their computer problems - and at that point, one of two things usually happens:
    
    1) they offer to pay me
    2) they decide to buy a new computer and give me their old POS (which I then reformat and put to good use somewhere)
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    - Steven (profile), 6 May 2011 @ 2:47pm
      
      Re: Re: Re:
      Hehe, yeah. Basically the same.
      
      The only thing I really hate is when somebody is having problems some software I've never used:
      
      "I'm sorry, I don't know how this works."
      "But, you know computers right?"
      "Well, understanding how computers work doesn't mean I know how all software ever written works."
      
      1) "Fine, if you didn't want to help you could have just said so."
      2) "You must not be all that good at computers. If my nephew were here..."
      3) "Okay, but can you just fix it?"
      
      Thankfully all my worst horror stories date back to when I was actually tech support/computer builder for a small white box computer chain.
      
      It's been a long time since I've had a real bad experience.
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      - Someantimalwareguy, 6 May 2011 @ 3:44pm
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re:
        Same story here, but I just don't have that kind of time anymore so what I do is simply to tell them that it will take me about 2 to 3 weeks to get to their system in my free time.
        
        1) "Ok, I will pay you..."
        2) "Why so long?"
        3) "Come on, be a good neighbor..."
        
        The last always has me just look them in the eye and tell them: "Look, the time is still going to be the same whether you pay me or not and further, if you get help from a certified and insured tech with an actual repair business, you would have a real possibility of redress should the "fixing" have unexpected results..."
        
        This usually has them scampering off to the local tech for help to get their box back up and running quickly. Saves me a hell of a lot of time and helps support my local tech...
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      - Anonymous Coward, 6 May 2011 @ 4:00pm
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re:
        I actually enjoyed helping coworkers fix their PCs for free. "Just bring it in and I'll fix it, no worries. All I ask for is a mocha or latte :)"
        
        I did this for a decade during idle time at work, so it was no problem for my work, either.
        
        Until I was threatened angrily by a coworker because I spent "too-much-time" on bringing to life a virus-infected system (had rootkit installed.) I had the sense she was on the border of suing me.
        
        So now I charge a fee, and I have a boilerplate piece of paper all legalese'd up saying I can't be responsible for delays or data loss (I always attempt a disk image like dd or Acronis first.) Sad, the world used to be much more simple.
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        umccullough (profile), 6 May 2011 @ 5:45pm
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
        Yeah, if I'm super busy at work and in the evenings, it can take me a couple weeks before I get around to fixing that machine someone "dropped off to get fixed"...
        
        So I always warn them beforehand that it might be a while before they get it back...
        
        It's a "get what you pay for" situation, and people better understand that going in.
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    - Anonymous Coward, 6 May 2011 @ 11:18pm
      
      Re: Re: Re:
      "I *hate* telling people to pay me money to simply help them clean a virus off their machine or whatever."
      
      Not seeing what is simple about it. What is simple is making money off of need or ignorance. If X can't figure out how to get the virus off and asks Y to do so, X should pay (be it money, coffee, or something).
      
      Time is money.
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      - PaulT (profile), 7 May 2011 @ 4:16am
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re:
        You must be a joy to have around as a friend... "can you give me a hand with this?" "yeah, but I want $100 up front, my time is money and I don't understand the concepts of favours or charity".
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      - The eejit (profile), 7 May 2011 @ 4:20am
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re:
        And seeing as everything these days is about money, and money is the root of all evil, everything is evil, given your logic.
        
        Nah, I'm just messin' wit'ya.
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      - Anonymous Coward, 7 May 2011 @ 7:38pm
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re:
        You're right - an ass like you wouldn't get my "free" service in the first place :)
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- el_segfaulto (profile), 6 May 2011 @ 3:24pm
  
  Re:
  The last time I had a family member ask that, I told them that my current research was utilizing multi-ARM servers as a dynamic load bearing cluster, and that I really don't know much about Windows XP drivers.
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  - Xris (profile), 6 May 2011 @ 3:50pm
    
    Re: Re:
    Can it also be employed in conjunction with a drawn reciprocating dingle arm to reduce sinusoidal depleneration.
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    - el_segfaulto (profile), 6 May 2011 @ 4:25pm
      
      Re: Re: Re:
      It can be, but only if used in conjunction with a low-voltage memory regulator or potentially some infrared LEDs in a cylindrical array (for safety's sake).
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  - DannyB (profile), 7 May 2011 @ 1:06pm
    
    That's the secret.
    
    I always make clear I don't know much about Windows and I don't want to know much about Windows.
    
    I use it at work where it is provided and I'm not responsible for maintaining it nor two thousand other desktops. The same development and other tools I use at work (all FOSS) run on my Linux at home.
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NullOp, 6 May 2011 @ 3:06pm

RIGHT!!!
Mr. Reilly is 100% correct. If you start doing what you do for free you have announced the official cost of what your work is worth! Really! This is absolutely true. Do you think for any small portion of a second the CEO of your company would work for free? OH HELL NO!!!

Working for free is the worst thing anyone can do!(and don't be stupid and say "Well there is murder...")
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- Kaden (profile), 6 May 2011 @ 4:08pm
  
  Re: RIGHT!!!
  Are you being sarcastic or dim? It's really hard to tell.
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- umccullough (profile), 6 May 2011 @ 5:41pm
  
  Re: RIGHT!!!
  There are plenty of CEOs that actually do "work for free" - often in the capacity of participating on the board of a non profit corporation or even a colleague's company as an advisor.
  
  Everyone can have a hobby - and if that hobby includes helping others, or inspiring others, what's the problem with that? If it just happens to overlap with what you do for a living, that's awesome!
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Lawrence D'Oliveiro, 6 May 2011 @ 6:42pm
  
  Re: RIGHT!!!
  If you start doing what you do for free you have announced the official cost of what your work is worth!
  
  And if you start your profession by not doing any work because nobody will pay you you have announced the official position of how productive you�re going to be!
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Lawrence D'Oliveiro, 6 May 2011 @ 6:43pm
  
  Re: RIGHT!!!
  If you start doing what you do for free you have announced the official cost of what your work is worth!
  
  And if you start your profession by not doing any work because nobody will pay you you have announced the official position of how productive you�re going to be!
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
- misterdoug (profile), 8 May 2011 @ 8:39am
  
  Re: RIGHT!!!
  Giving away goods and services for free to good causes is a very common practice in the business community, and it doesn't drive people out of business or lower the going rates. There's no need to argue this, it's just a plain fact.
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Scote, 6 May 2011 @ 3:27pm

Strippers
I believe Mike is right. Strippers often work for tips. And not only do they give a way their work in hopes of tips, they actually **pay** the strip club for the privilege of performing as independent contractors. So Simon Bodger's arguments are bunk.
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- Travis Miller (profile), 6 May 2011 @ 4:15pm
  
  Re: Strippers
  Dang it. Apparently we had the same thought, but it takes me way too long to type on the PS3's on-screen keyboard. (Must pick up batteries for wireless keyboard tonight.)
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  - Scote, 6 May 2011 @ 5:42pm
    
    Re: Re: Strippers
    What are the odds of both of us thinking of strippers--I mean thinking of the fact that strippers don't just dance for free they actually pay for the privilege? :-> I wonder if our sports writer wonder boy knows that people often pay for the privilege of working--including paying to have their own website or business which may work at a loss but provides experience and exposure which can pay off in other ways, including in the long term?
    
    But you get extra points for tying it back to TechDirt with one of Mike's favorite phrases, "reason to buy" :-)
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    - Jay (profile), 7 May 2011 @ 9:24am
      
      Re: Re: Re: Strippers
      There's other benefits since most strippers actually get money from clientele in other ways. Kind of a reason that strippers don't tend to be over 40 without serious work.
      
      And we're going to keep this PG-13 and let you, the reader, connect the dots.
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Travis Miller (profile), 6 May 2011 @ 3:48pm

Stripper tips
At some clubs, the strippers PAY the club for the right to dance. They give customers a "reason to buy" through paying more attention to better tippers and the general understanding that without tips these people won't continue stripping.
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Anonymous Coward, 6 May 2011 @ 3:50pm

so...
Was he paid to write the commencement speech?
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misterdoug (profile), 6 May 2011 @ 9:46pm

You're right, Mike
Doing things for free or "pro bono" is commonplace and hasn't destroyed any profession that I know of. Reilly either lives in a completely different world or has a huge stick up his ass.
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- The eejit (profile), 7 May 2011 @ 1:54am
  
  Re: You're right, Mike
  Why can it not be that there's a huge stick up his ass that took him to Earth-626?
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Chris in Utah (profile), 7 May 2011 @ 5:43am

Amusement for a social studier.
If you don't study society please disregard this message as it will likely pass right over your head.

I just have to point this out the stripper pole analogy dam near had him side-tracked. I think its the first time (here anyway) that I've seen a Freudian slip of sex pervade Mikes writing.
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Eric, 9 May 2011 @ 11:19am

Working for free..
Working for free got me my current job. The place I worked paid me w/ experience and contacts. Working for free is almost needed at times to build up experience and a resume. Working for free paid off big for me.
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