all journalism no pay

Chile: the land of Journalistic glory?

I got a gig freelancing at the PNJ. Sometimes starting out in this world is no fun.

Right now I am writing briefs. I do not get reimbursed for mileage.

by the end of this week I will have driven to Gulf Breeze twice and gas is almost $4.00 a gallon.

Its a start though right? That's what my mom says. I have to be greatful for this opportunity. But after interning at the PNJ in the fall I thought I had done my time. When I sent out oh 15 paid internship/ job applications for this summer I got lots of letters that began with " We appreciate your interest in the _________ ( insert name of paper here) However....."

There is one internship that accepted me:

I got accepted to an internship at the Santiago Times ( It's an english paper) In Chile for Jan. 09. Oh yea that doesn't pay either and its four months long.

I love journalism but this Lady has got to eat. Saving up for Chile seems like the impossible, and I am not sure what its worth anymore. But how much would the internship in Chile pay off in the long run? Well It seems to me that he benefits would be numerous. I would become bilingual, show that I am strong willed and capable of surviving in a forgien land alone, and my clips and portfolio would be killer.

Is this goal attainable? Most people would say no. So that means I have 9 months to become fluent in Spanish and raise about $5,000.

But another thing my mom always says

"Where there is a will there is a way!"

The life of a journalist

In Advanced reporting we watched a documentary/ 48 hours special on the lives of reporters. It took place in the 90's when cell phones were the size of small children, and Microsoft was not yet a household name.
I think the one thing that I had to keep reminding myself was that these reporters were working for a tabloid which is different from a daily paper. But never the less they were your average reporters- confident, witty, persistent, and stressed out.
I liked the segment because it gave a realistic view of the people behind the profession. I agreed with one of the editors who said " There are constant highs and lows in this business."
I think that's true, and also its the adrenaline that keeps many of them going. It was sad to see one of the reporters work so hard chasing people around in the rain, trying to get information on a victim who was murdered on train. After all his hard work, the story was cut. I couldn't imagine what that felt like.
It makes me understand why alcohol and journalism go hand in hand.

California Court Awards Starbucks Baristas $105 Million in Tip Dispute

The Article: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/21/business/21sbux.html?ex=1363838400&en=b2507b17877e8bab&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink


As a tenured Barista ( two years working for Starbucks and counting) Ive got to put in my two cents about this. While I try to subsided my total outrage I will outline the absurdity of this case.
To break it down: A dispute between baristas and Shift supervisers over the sharing of tips led to a $105 million loss from the company, and now copy cat cases are taking place in other areas of the country. Shift supervisors and Baristas share tips- its always been this way. Supervisors have no real power, they unlock the doors, count the deposit, send people on breaks, and make sure shifts go smoothly. They work right beside baristas for the most part doing the same task, and getting paid about $1 more. ( So they make about $8 instead of $7 - WOW!) Baristas and shifts bread and butter is the tips. It boost our measley wages up to an extra $2 bucks an hour ( on average)
This seems like a petty thing, caught on a technicality of Ca. Law ( management positions can't take tips)
It wouldn't hurt for SBUX to pay their shifts more, or baristas for that matter so we don't have depend on tips to pay the bill, but for part-time employees to recieve healthcare, discounts, free pound of coffee a week, stock options, and paid vacation - I'll settle for the latter.
It sounds like greediness is getting in the way of a company that gives so much to its employees, and it could potentially mean a huge loss for a company struggling to redefine itself.

Spring Break

UWF's Alternative Spring Break has a blog... www.asbuwf.blogspot.com
read about what we did and how amazing our trip was!