[Ipg-smz] Marketing as a Journalist and Vice Versa

[Daniel Dern]

On Sun, 9 Dec 2018, ljkelly1888 at gmail.com wrote:
> I get approached by a ton of different firms asking if I can help them with
> content, copy editing, technical writing, and general writing needs.
>  
> The thing is, I consider myself a journalist and not a marketer.

> Perhaps, I’m being a bit too naive, but can I morally take on work for private
> firms to write marketing material for them and continue to present myself as an
> unbiased journalist?

As others have said, part of the answer is, it's not all-or-none, it's 
turf-by-turf.

For example, I consider -- and present -- myself as a free-lance 
technology and business (and other areas) writer, providing a mix of 
bylined journalism, sponsored/custom content, and PR/"ghost"/marketing 
writing, and related editorial services. I'm doing this to do my best to 
earn a living, so I do my best to be able to take money from as many open 
wallets as possible, as long as there isn't a conflict (and the wallet is 
open far enough).

One of my mottos per above is, ""Changing hats accounts for the bald 
spot... and I only wear one hat at a time, since otherwise it's too hot."

Per that, I do my best to avoid writing bylined-unsponsored and 
vendor-sponsored on a given topic concurrently. (similar to, don't write 
concurrent related stories for more than one place unless you have in 
WRITING all editors' signoffs' ... and even then, it can get dicey.)

The easiest way I avoid getting snarled up, sides-of-the-fence-wise, is by 
making sure every client knows what I've been writing about/who I've been 
taking money from (that might be a conflict), for the past ~6 months.

Even then, if I'm doing vendor $ stuff, I'm likely to avoid a journo piece 
that involves them EVEN IF VENDOR AND EDITOR ARE OK WITH IT, because the 
vendor client might still be miffed by fair coverage that they don't feel 
favored their good side. (Not quite the actors' "Thin lips" punchline, but 
close.)

(Similarly, IIRC, some pubs -- InfoWorld? ITWorld -- had a contract clause 
stipulating some period -- 3 months? 6? -- previous to an assignment that 
you couldn't have taken vendor $ from.)

Lastly, the one thing that ISN'T for sale is "my good name." If I'm 
writing something for a vendor, that doesn't mean they get to edit it to 
say stuff I wouldn't. I can't recall the last time that's been a problem, 
but one stays vigilant.

So, to briefly revisit your original query:

> I get approached by a ton of different firms asking if I can help them with
> content, copy editing, technical writing, and general writing needs.
>  
> The thing is, I consider myself a journalist and not a marketer.

If that's really the case, that answers half of your own question, since 
copy editing and technical writing ain't journalism. Some of the other two 
could be. Also depending on your definition of "journalism," perhaps. 
E.g., I've written half a dozen or so pieces for Earth911.com on 
green/sustainability, but they're "personal journalism" -- 90+% reporting 
on my own PoV and activities rather than external sources and such.

> Perhaps, I’m being a bit too naive, but can I morally take on work for private
> firms to write marketing material for them and continue to present myself as an
> unbiased journalist?

Per above, if you do can them in a way that you don't feel presents a 
conflict, I think so, and I'm sure so do some others here. Odds are 
there's at least one or two IPGers who feel otherwise.

Hope this helps.

DPD