stop buying AP Content!

David Cohn tells newspapers... Stop buying AP content! (towards the end of his post).

As I've said before, the problem is not the AP, but really that syndication is a content distribution model that makes less and less sense online. Syndicated content is available everywhere, is undifferentiated, and thus diffuses the benefit that any one publisher gets from using it.

On the other hand, unique content is differentiated, and brings value to the publisher because others link to it.

For newsrooms (at newspapers, at online publishers, or any other news organizations) that can't afford to employ hundreds of reporters around the globe, the future lies in finding ways to more effectively source unique content from a large number of freelancers.

reporterist allows you to manage relationships, transactions, and content with a large number of freelance journalists.

But why shouldn't freelancers just post to their own blog and let the world link to them?

If you believe that your own blog is the best way to monetize a certain piece of content, that's what you should do. Sometimes it is.

Sometimes, someone else (whether another blogger, a newspaper, or an online news publication) will be able to monetize (or distribute) that content much more effectively than you. In that case, you'd be better off letting them publish/monetize/distribute for you.

reporterist can help you connect with publishers who need and want your expert reporting, and can compensate you better than if you were trying to self publish.

We're closing in on a wider launch. If you have a reporterist account already, make sure you've updated your profile with your location. That way you'll be notified when publishers put out assignments in your area. Make sure you also upload your portfolio - that way publishers will have more information to go by when tagging you for assignments.

If you haven't yet gotten an account, sign up for our beta, or wait a little longer until we start letting anyone sign up for trial accounts.