I have been writing firearm blogs for several years now, and there is a little known phenomenon in the firearm community that I have to rant about.
Other Firearm Journalists.
With such a niche writing topic there are only so many interviews, reviews and breaking news stories that one can cover. So when new product comes out, or a company/manufacturer is doing something important and ground breaking in the firearm world; we all swarm like locusts.
That’s not my main issue. My issue is other bloggers/journalists demanding free shit from companies. I can’t tell you how many times I have approached companies/celebrities via e-mail or phone, and one of the first questions out of their mouths is “what is this interview going to cost me?”
Really?
Apparently there are MANY writers out there that won’t write one sentence unless they get a free firearm, or gear, or swag. I have had many potential interviews negated, because that company/person has a bad impression from the last reporter that contacted them. These aren’t little “Joe Schmo” bloggers we’re talking about here. These are BIG name writers for BIG name web sites and magazines. Not going to name anyone, they know who they are.
Now, I love free shit as much as the next person, but NEVER have I demanded something from someone I am trying to write a story about. I just want to get the story done and move on to the next article.
Have I received the occasional “thank you for doing an article”? Yes. But it’s very rare, and never has it been a firearm.
Honestly, in almost 5 years of writing firearm blogs, I have gotten a t-shirt and cd from “Madison Rising“, some swag from Z.E.R.T., 2 holsters from “Strongside Concealment” and a belt and a holster from “Flashbang Holsters“. That’s it.
I get that if you are to review a product, you actually need to lay hands on it. I get that. But to say “yes I’ll write the article, but you need to send me 3 rifles to keep…” or something like that; dude….you’re an ass hole. Stop making my job harder.
There are some that would say that I am “…just mad cause I’m not getting free stuff…”
No. That’s not it at all. I am mad because their greed and lack of journalistic moral fiber makes my job THAT much harder to complete.
Rant Over.
(Photo Courtesy of Irregular Mischief Publications, LLC)