selling freelance stories

nightteamnews

Active member
I had spent a long weekend with a family member who asked me a question that I really didn't have a answer to. Driving back my mind kept thinking about the question. So thought I would come to B-roll to see what others thought, or knew about the topic.

My family member who is actually a multi-platinum music producer, and a author and I where talking about the news business. I used to work for stations on staff many many years ago, and now do stringer work for stations. He asked me if there was a market for say me covering stories that had a broad appeal across the nation, and would stations buy them to air on their shows.

GOOD question. So that brings me here. Is this possible? Do stations currently do this?
 

svp

Well-known member
There is a website (although I forget the name) for exactly what you're talking about. You upload and sell VO's, VOSOT's, and complete stories. Stations and networks buy it through the website and, of course, the website takes a commission. I checked it out once but don't remember the name. Starman knows what its called. Its a global site and foreign media tend to buy more than U.S. media outlets. Believe it or not, there is a huge demand for U.S. news overseas. Hope this helps.
 

nightteamnews

Active member
thanks for the info.... I do a lot of local non news stuff, plus my news stringer stuff. Have been doing the MMJ thing lol... and was looking to see if there was a market for it. Also without having to sit here with a list of stations everywhere to get emails to the desk, producers and do a mass email every time I did a MMJ story or something to see if they wanted it.

Might be a couple of ideas floating around here.

Example story: A annual "POT FEST" is coming up in a local park. Police know about it, but basically a bunch of people, and I mean a lot all gather in this park one night a year and smoke pot. Have been invited, local media has no clue, police know... But was going to do a piece on the POT fest. Thought that would be a story a lot of stations and even network would love to run.

I run into a lot of these kind of stories.
 

Krebs

Member
Just looking through some old posts and want to know if anyone can remember the website where one could do this. I would like more info.

Thanks!
 

Starman

Well-known member
Ha ha, that's awesome. You should def cover that.

thanks for the info.... I do a lot of local non news stuff, plus my news stringer stuff. Have been doing the MMJ thing lol... and was looking to see if there was a market for it. Also without having to sit here with a list of stations everywhere to get emails to the desk, producers and do a mass email every time I did a MMJ story or something to see if they wanted it.

Might be a couple of ideas floating around here.

Example story: A annual "POT FEST" is coming up in a local park. Police know about it, but basically a bunch of people, and I mean a lot all gather in this park one night a year and smoke pot. Have been invited, local media has no clue, police know... But was going to do a piece on the POT fest. Thought that would be a story a lot of stations and even network would love to run.

I run into a lot of these kind of stories.
 
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