« previous next »
Pages: [1] 2   Go Down

Author Topic: The Press Room  (Read 4264 times)

Offline si

  • Car Crazy
  • *****
  • Location: West Coast
  • Posts: 3907
  • Carma: +0/-0
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
The Press Room
« on: February 04, 2006, 02:36:47 pm »
A question for Wing and others in the biz.

I've seen automotive reporters do reviews that are published on-line (here for example), in the paper (Global Canada), and other places.  Do journalists write independant reviews that are purchased from different companies, or are many of them employed by their repspective media group?  Would it be safe to assume writing consistent(ly good) journalistic reports is enough to sustain an income?  And finally how do journalists / media groups apply for and get a car to review?  Do they apply to the Canadian HQ?

Cheers,
Rob
Report to moderator   Logged

Offline wing

  • Big Wig
  • Administrator
  • *****
  • Location: Ottawa, On, Canada
  • Posts: 18103
  • Carma: +101/-61
  • Gender: Male
  • If you ain't first ... you're last!
    • View Profile
    • Drivesideways
  • Cars: 2001 Honda S2000; 2005 Nissan Titan
Re: The Press Room
« Reply #1 on: February 04, 2006, 03:28:44 pm »
I can partially answer some.....

1) Some are employed by papers, freelance journalists are paid by the article
2) Not sure if you can sustain an income alone on it, maybe if you write a lot and get into higher profile pages
3) They get cars by being part of the AJAC (Automobile Journalist Association of Canada), as part of that, you just ask for them and generally the manufacturers will provide the cars.  They have a limited supply and spread them accross the country.
Report to moderator   Logged

Offline safristi

  • Car Crazy
  • *****
  • Location: Bethlehem
  • Posts: 40872
  • Carma: +141/-51
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
Re: The Press Room
« Reply #2 on: February 04, 2006, 08:04:51 pm »
 I'm  A. JAC...... Ass....can U pleeze send me a CAYMAN.....blue pleeze....and thank U..... 8) :stick:
Report to moderator   Logged
THERE IS NO CURE FOR "LOTUS"......ONLY TREATMENT.....

Offline The Mighty Duck

  • Car Crazy
  • *****
  • Location: Kingston, ON
  • Posts: 7194
  • Carma: +14/-8
  • Gender: Male
  • f*** that duck
    • View Profile
  • Cars: 2009 Honda Fit
Re: The Press Room
« Reply #3 on: February 04, 2006, 10:09:35 pm »
Quote
2) Not sure if you can sustain an income alone on it, maybe if you write a lot and get into higher profile pages

Some of them it sounds as if they get a new vehicle to test drive every week...

Are you considering trying to breach the field, Rob?  I know I have...  :D
Report to moderator   Logged

Offline wing

  • Big Wig
  • Administrator
  • *****
  • Location: Ottawa, On, Canada
  • Posts: 18103
  • Carma: +101/-61
  • Gender: Male
  • If you ain't first ... you're last!
    • View Profile
    • Drivesideways
  • Cars: 2001 Honda S2000; 2005 Nissan Titan
Re: The Press Room
« Reply #4 on: February 04, 2006, 10:11:22 pm »
Demo, yup pretty much a new car every week, no need to purchase one.
Report to moderator   Logged

a4_tom

  • Guest
Re: The Press Room
« Reply #5 on: February 04, 2006, 11:31:11 pm »
What Graeme Fletcher said in Vancouver Sun Friday Wheels section is exactly the same as in MotoringTV. ;D
Report to moderator   Logged

Offline chrischasescars

  • WingMan
  • *****
  • Location: Ottawa, Ontario
  • Posts: 998
  • Carma: +11/-9
  • Gender: Male
  • Automotive journalism ninja
    • View Profile
Re: The Press Room
« Reply #6 on: February 05, 2006, 01:46:42 pm »
Quote from: robarakira on February 04, 2006, 02:36:47 pm
A question for Wing and others in the biz.

I've seen automotive reporters do reviews that are published on-line (here for example), in the paper (Global Canada), and other places.  Do journalists write independant reviews that are purchased from different companies, or are many of them employed by their repspective media group?  Would it be safe to assume writing consistent(ly good) journalistic reports is enough to sustain an income?  And finally how do journalists / media groups apply for and get a car to review?  Do they apply to the Canadian HQ?

Cheers,
Rob

I'm a freelancer, so I basically write for whoever will pay me for my work. Between CD, CanWest (I write a fair bit for the Ottawa Citizen Driving section) and a couple of other magazines, I have a pretty steady stream of auto-related work. Now, I have a 9-5 job too, as I don't make anywhere near enough from writing to afford to have a life. Very few of us are employed by any one publication - for most magazines and newspapers, it's cheaper to pay freelancers as you don't have to provide benefits.

It IS possible to live off freelancing, but you have be both a very good writer and very good at selling yourself and your work. I hope to be able to quit my full-time job later this year and get a part-time job doing, well, anything, and supplement my income with writing.

Getting press cars isn't hard once you've established your name in the industry/field. I'm not an AJAC member (though I hope to be soon) but manufacturers don't seem to be too concerned with that. All they want to see is that you'll actually be writing about the car and you're not just looking for a free ride. I have contacts in most of the manufacturer's PR departments. That's a major help as far as getting cars to write about.

Many established auto writers do have a press car (or two!) almost all the time; I'm not there yet. Even if you are, it's still good to have your own car.

Auto journalism what I've wanted to do for many years, so I'm having a blast right now. So nice to do something I actually give a :censor: about.
Report to moderator   Logged
Buy this car to drive to work; Drive to work to pay for this car.
I write stuff here: ThisIsWhatIThinkOfYourCar.com
I sing stuff here: ChrisChasesCars.bandcamp.com/

Offline The Mighty Duck

  • Car Crazy
  • *****
  • Location: Kingston, ON
  • Posts: 7194
  • Carma: +14/-8
  • Gender: Male
  • f*** that duck
    • View Profile
  • Cars: 2009 Honda Fit
Re: The Press Room
« Reply #7 on: February 05, 2006, 11:47:58 pm »
How do you get into the field?  I mean, going to find your first press car, will anyone likely give you a car based on "I plan to try and sell this to XYZ newsgroup?"

Do you have to drive a lot of Kias before they'll throw you the keys to an M3?  :D

Auto journalism is something I've love to one day do on the side...
Report to moderator   Logged

Offline si

  • Car Crazy
  • *****
  • Location: West Coast
  • Posts: 3907
  • Carma: +0/-0
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
Re: The Press Room
« Reply #8 on: February 06, 2006, 12:18:19 am »
Quote from: Demosthenes X on February 05, 2006, 11:47:58 pm
How do you get into the field?  I mean, going to find your first press car, will anyone likely give you a car based on "I plan to try and sell this to XYZ newsgroup?"

Do you have to drive a lot of Kias before they'll throw you the keys to an M3?  :D

Auto journalism is something I've love to one day do on the side...

I too... I too.   Maybe I'll do a nice review on the Si and other family/friend cars with washed up pics and sell the reviews at a bargain price (which would be??).
Report to moderator   Logged

Offline safristi

  • Car Crazy
  • *****
  • Location: Bethlehem
  • Posts: 40872
  • Carma: +141/-51
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
Re: The Press Room
« Reply #9 on: February 06, 2006, 09:43:30 am »
 ::) :P...


Report to moderator   Logged

Offline airbalancer

  • Car Crazy
  • *****
  • Location: Cobourg Ontario
  • Posts: 15973
  • Carma: +92/-89
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
  • Cars: 2000 BMW 323, 2010 Toyota Prius, 2011Chevy Silverado LTZ
Re: The Press Room
« Reply #10 on: February 06, 2006, 10:00:24 am »
are all car reporters cheap, as all their personal cars appear to be $hitboxes
Report to moderator   Logged

Offline wing

  • Big Wig
  • Administrator
  • *****
  • Location: Ottawa, On, Canada
  • Posts: 18103
  • Carma: +101/-61
  • Gender: Male
  • If you ain't first ... you're last!
    • View Profile
    • Drivesideways
  • Cars: 2001 Honda S2000; 2005 Nissan Titan
Re: The Press Room
« Reply #11 on: February 06, 2006, 10:25:08 am »
Hahaha, maybe because they get free nice cars to drive all the time :P

Report to moderator   Logged

Offline chrischasescars

  • WingMan
  • *****
  • Location: Ottawa, Ontario
  • Posts: 998
  • Carma: +11/-9
  • Gender: Male
  • Automotive journalism ninja
    • View Profile
Re: The Press Room
« Reply #12 on: February 06, 2006, 05:38:05 pm »
I'd replace my car, but I can't afford it right now.  :( No one said I'd get rich as a writer; guess it's true.
Report to moderator   Logged

Offline wing

  • Big Wig
  • Administrator
  • *****
  • Location: Ottawa, On, Canada
  • Posts: 18103
  • Carma: +101/-61
  • Gender: Male
  • If you ain't first ... you're last!
    • View Profile
    • Drivesideways
  • Cars: 2001 Honda S2000; 2005 Nissan Titan
Re: The Press Room
« Reply #13 on: February 06, 2006, 05:45:46 pm »
Oh boy this Outback I have is SHWEET!
Report to moderator   Logged

Offline airbalancer

  • Car Crazy
  • *****
  • Location: Cobourg Ontario
  • Posts: 15973
  • Carma: +92/-89
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
  • Cars: 2000 BMW 323, 2010 Toyota Prius, 2011Chevy Silverado LTZ
Re: The Press Room
« Reply #14 on: February 06, 2006, 08:27:21 pm »
you guys are starting to :censor: me off ;D
 :ttiwwp:
Report to moderator   Logged

Offline wing

  • Big Wig
  • Administrator
  • *****
  • Location: Ottawa, On, Canada
  • Posts: 18103
  • Carma: +101/-61
  • Gender: Male
  • If you ain't first ... you're last!
    • View Profile
    • Drivesideways
  • Cars: 2001 Honda S2000; 2005 Nissan Titan
Re: The Press Room
« Reply #15 on: February 06, 2006, 08:38:17 pm »
Front page dude.  http://www.cartalkcanada.com

I will be getting more pics tomorrow, it was dark today.
Report to moderator   Logged

Offline chrischasescars

  • WingMan
  • *****
  • Location: Ottawa, Ontario
  • Posts: 998
  • Carma: +11/-9
  • Gender: Male
  • Automotive journalism ninja
    • View Profile
Re: The Press Room
« Reply #16 on: February 07, 2006, 09:26:54 am »
Quote from: wing on February 06, 2006, 05:45:46 pm
Oh boy this Outback I have is SHWEET!

Cool. Better choice for winter than the HEMI Charger I pick up Friday.  :rofl: I sense a lot of fishtailing in my near future.
Report to moderator   Logged

Offline wing

  • Big Wig
  • Administrator
  • *****
  • Location: Ottawa, On, Canada
  • Posts: 18103
  • Carma: +101/-61
  • Gender: Male
  • If you ain't first ... you're last!
    • View Profile
    • Drivesideways
  • Cars: 2001 Honda S2000; 2005 Nissan Titan
Re: The Press Room
« Reply #17 on: February 07, 2006, 09:28:04 am »
Nice the Hemi version, I believe your getting the AWD version though....  Should be a blast!
Report to moderator   Logged

Offline chrischasescars

  • WingMan
  • *****
  • Location: Ottawa, Ontario
  • Posts: 998
  • Carma: +11/-9
  • Gender: Male
  • Automotive journalism ninja
    • View Profile
Re: The Press Room
« Reply #18 on: February 07, 2006, 09:53:50 am »
I believe the Charger only comes in RWD. The Magnum gets the AWD option, as does the 300.
Report to moderator   Logged

Offline wing

  • Big Wig
  • Administrator
  • *****
  • Location: Ottawa, On, Canada
  • Posts: 18103
  • Carma: +101/-61
  • Gender: Male
  • If you ain't first ... you're last!
    • View Profile
    • Drivesideways
  • Cars: 2001 Honda S2000; 2005 Nissan Titan
Re: The Press Room
« Reply #19 on: February 07, 2006, 09:55:32 am »
That's what I thought, Paul had them  mixed up I guess.  Our list is mixed up for Saturday than.
Report to moderator   Logged
Pages: [1] 2   Go Up
« previous next »