In Search of a Reputable Media Company That Pays for Story Ideas

As a freelance writer and current dues-paying individual member of the National Writers Union (an AFL-CIO-affiliated labor union owned by the United Auto Workers), I am finding it very difficult to identify ANY reputable and wholesome media company that pays freelancers for submission of story idea possibilities.

Since the time I have available each week for pursuit of journalism projects is very limited, I have a great need to identify one wholesome and idealistic media company that is willing to pay me a freelance fee each month in exchange for submission of 50 or more story ideas from myself that that media company likes.

It would be clearly understood that I would not be writing the actual story or article relating to any particular story idea I submit to that employer. Instead, I would provide dozens of story ideas per se as background material for possible use by that media company as it assigns stories or topics to its reporting staff or editorial-writing staff.

The advantages I offer to media companies receptive to that type of freelance relationship with me include:

(1) I have a great flair for identifying creative and inspirational and helpful story idea possibilities about a wide range of topics---including numerous story ideas with a nationwide or statewide scope to them.

(2) I am myself guided by wholesome moral values and strong idealism, which lend substance to story ideas that I could generate for a media company.

(3) I have a Master's Degree in Journalism and Communications from the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, a public university with a worldwide reputation for excellence in journalism instruction.

(4) I was previously employed full-time as a newspaper reporter for a variety of newspapers or magazines in Texas, Florida, Minnesota, and Massachusetts. Those newspapers included "Worcester Magazine" in Worcester, Mass.; "The Journal" daily newspaper in New Ulm, Minnesota; "Baytown Sun" in Baytown, Texas; "Pampa Daily News" in Pampa, Texas; "Sweetwater Reporter" in Sweetwater, Texas; "Palestine Herald-Press" in Palestine, Texas; "Big Spring Herald" in Big Spring, Texas; "Denver City Press" in Denver City, Texas; "El Campo Leader-News" in El Campo, Texas; "Fort Myers News-Press" of Fort Myers, Florida, a widely-admired member of the Gannet newspaper chain; "Broward Times" in Tamarac, Florida, a newspaper owned by "The Miami Herald" daily newspaper of Miami, Florida. In addition, I was employed full-time for a year as a copy editor at "The Patriot Ledger" daily newspaper in Quincy, Mass. "The Patriot Ledger" is a daily newspaper employer of mine in the mid-1980s that also gave me the opportunity to write feature stories and oped columns from time to time.

(5) I would not expect to receive any additional employee benefits from the media company employing me as a freelancer, other than the freelance fee that would be paid to myself on a monthly basis by that media company. Payment of that monthly freelance fee to myself would be strictly contingent on that media company liking enough of the story ideas I'd submitted to it in the most recent month-long period. This "outsourcing" aspect of my proposed relationship to some media company in my future will save lots of money for that employer, since that media-company employer will have no need to provide me with any health insurance benefits, any workers' comp coverage, any life insurance benefits, or any 401-K retirement plan, for instance.

(6) I currently do not have any ongoing relationship or contractual involvement with any media company or media entity of any type. This protects my integrity as a year-round freelancer for some media company that might contact me by telephone or write me a letter and directly invite me to freelance for that media company. There would be no risk of conflict-of-interest of any type relating to my freelance work for the media company I agree to sell story ideas to on a year-round basis.

(7) All of my freelance work for the media company that I agree to sell story ideas to on a year-round basis, could be pursued away from that media company's offices. I excel at pursuing research on my own, including at first-rate libraries in Austin, Texas, and I would E-mail my weekly or bi-weekly or monthly story ideas to that media company from my personal computer. Otherwise, if that employer prefers, I could simply FAX each of my story-ideas letters to that media company.

I welcome any and all E-mail letters or letters or phone calls from any and all wholesome media companies that are interested in purchasing story ideas from me on a year-round basis.