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– I don’t know if I share the assumption that mainstream media needed Ralph Wiley. He worked his way up through the Oakland Tribune before landing a gig with Sports Illustrated. Had this never happened we may not even have ever heard or read of Wiley. At best he would have landed a job within the black press where some eyes saw his work, but most likely he takes some other job like so many other talented aspiring journalists who were never granted access and didn’t want to write for peanuts. So the first question becomes: are we better off with Ralph Wiley landing that mainstream gig and with more eyes on his work?

– There is also another possible alternative that you have not considered: the dual role of writing in mainstream and blogging. This seems to be the way of the future for ALL writers. Let’s take Zirin: he now writes for SI’s website, but there is little indication that he has changed his style. At the same time he has his own blog where he writes additional articles which may or may not be SI material. Are we all better off with more eyes on Zirin’s work? …assuming that his style remains? I think so.

– Now let me be clear PHILOSOPHICALLY I am right there with you about a dire need for an independent press. As is always the case, these things become issues of what is possible. I don’t know if I share your optimism, and frankly, that hurts me to say. …Let’s say you got a band of 10 good writers who agreed to write for and eat peanuts 7 days a week, there would still be 3 obstacles. 1) start-up costs. 2) consistent advertising. Then, if successful: 3) not becoming the machine they despise (see BET), and 4) not getting bought out directly by a bigger machine (see BET-Viacom).

I think that ultimately, I share your dream like you would not believe, but I just don’t know about feasibility on many levels.

Now as far as individual writers are concerned, I don’t begrudge any writer that I respect for going mainstream so long as they stay true to their work. But if Zirin ever starts writing like Lupica to get a little more coin, then you best be sure that COSELLOUT will have that shit covered!

When these organizations hire outside of their profile it is to achieve one of two aims: to silence/modify an effective voice OR to tap a new market. So, the question is: In seeking to work for the MSM, are you trying to have an independent voice silenced or are you trying to piss away hard earned dollars for consumption on frivolous shit?

It’s gotta be one of the two.

There is another path. It requires some discipline and some hard work to build a new vehicle. There are plenty of advertising dollars from ethical businesses looking to grow. There are plenty of young people who can make this work if given a chance. What’s required is for writers to de-emphasize being paid market rates until a new mechanism is established to support long-term replicable options.

This can be done another way. At some point freeing the mind requires freeing the sources of revenue from flawed origins. That’s the hard work – and the payoffs are much greater than anyone these MSM outlets are willing to pay.

SML, I would argue that if Ralph Wiley were looking for a mainstream job in today’s environment he would seriously have to adjust his style. …anyway, just like you’ve been doing for a few years now, just trying to do my part…