Network feeds: the accidental resume tape

We used to make lots of extra money selling stories to various network feeds.

Did your jaw just drop? Did you say, "Whaaaa.... network feeds pay for stories?"

Well, not anymore. Yet another perk of the "good old days" that has gone by the boards.

Yes, when you had a good story you could call up the network and pitch it to the feed people. The feed people were these hard-boiled veteran news people who had the personality of a New York State Thruway toll collector, so you really had to do a sales job. The conversation went like this:

Me: I've got a package on a Klan rally.

Feed guy: You got sheets and hoods?

Me: Yeah.

Feed guy: Burning cross?

Me: Nope.

Feed guy: We'll take it on spec.

So they would look at it "on spec" and if it made the feed, they sent you a check that you split with the photog.

Making the feed: $200
Making the network morning show: $500
Making the network evening news: $600

And, if your network didn't want it, you could sell it to CNN for $125. Got a sports story? ESPN would pay $100.

The feed used to be filled with nothing but great stories. Of course the quality of the feed went into the dumper when they stopped paying. Because we stopped pitching. Back then we had to make a dub, cut a network tag, take it to the airport, and send it up to the network. Way too much trouble for nothing. The feed people started calling, getting desperate. "We haven't seen your stories on the feed lately." Yeah, well we haven't seen any checks in the mail lately either.

But now you don't have to go through the trouble of making dubs, cutting a new tag, etc. Now you can just uplink the thing or send it via the Internet or whatever.

I know, I know. You still don't get paid.

But you get seen.

Trust me, people have been hired because News Directors have spotted them on the feed.

I don't know what every network's system is these days for filling the feed, but if they don't call you, you should call them if you have a great story. Let me define that: a great story for the feed is one that puts you in a good light and shows off your talents, not one that the feed people would take regardless of who the reporter is. The feed might want your UFO landing story, but unless you do a great job on it, it won't advance your career.

If you make the feed often enough with quality stuff, producers start to recognize your name and look for stuff you've done. Show up enough times on someone else's newscast and you'll get noticed.

Back in 1988 I was covering the Democratic National Convention in Atlanta. A couple of reporters from another market came up to me and told me how much they liked my stories. I'd never worked in their market and didn't know anyone there. But it turned out their producers regularly ran my feed pieces.

Yet another reason to always do your best and not phone it in. You never know who's watching in your market... or around the country.