Every now and then, when looking for freelance writing work, I see this ad:
| Publication or Company | DC-based public relations agency |
| Industry | Newspapers, Public Relations |
| Salary | Negotiable |
| Benefits | Flexible Hours, Telecommute Policy |
| Job Duration | Freelance/Project Basis |
| Job Location | Washington, DC USA |
| Job Requirements | We are seeking someone to ghostwrite oped columns for our clients. We get between 1-8 such jobs per month. Ideal candidate can come up to speed quickly on any subject, is intimately familiar with public policy and political current events, is comfortable writing from a free-market perspective, can research independently, and is experienced writing opeds. Fees are per project. Please send two writing samples that reflect an ability to make persuasive arguments substantiated by facts and research. Opeds are preferred. We're interested in seeing your raw copy -- and not necessarily published pieces that have been edited by others. Send two samples and resume by email to EMAIL REDACTED. |
In other words, 1 to 8 free-market (i.e., conservative) op-ed columns each month are actually some partisan hired gun putting words into the mouth of a more populist face. Maybe they're ghost-writing for Joe "I'm not a licensed plumber and, by the way, I'm not actually named Joe" the Plumber.
I honestly don't know if liberal groups do this too -- but I can say that they don't advertise on the sites I go to. The whole thing seems pretty low-rent to me.
Rob
4 comments:
I'm sure that both sides do this. Sad, but true.
Sadly, the liberals use college interns and feel guilty about it; and the conservatives pay top buck and never look back.
LOL... of *course* that's the case. That fits everyone's M.O. to a tee.
Kind of along the same lines, the conservative and outright anti-liberal mail that comes to my house has been revelatory. Mom donated regularly to several Christian organizations, and I suspect it was one of the right-to-life causes that sold their mailing list and got her circulating out there. (At least I hope that's the case; I'd be a bit shaken to think that Mom was giving support to some of the groups that send her mail.) I usually toss the things, although I sometimes think I ought to send a note back to some of the real charities and tell them to save their money and take her off their lists. And I sometimes open and read the stuff that looks seriously crazy. It's like getting information from behind enemy lines.
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