The Case For Using Cheap (But Not Free) Labor

News publications are always in search of ways to produce more content without spending too much. Journalism students are perpetually looking for clips and experience -- plus some extra cash. It's a match.

J-students have long done internships at newspapers and other media companies, and the most ambitious find roles as stringers for their local publication. But there's been talk recently of expanding the relationship to one in which students contribute more regularly. And I see plenty of reasons why that should work.

1. Students are natural candidates to help out with education beats, college sports coverage, blogging and, perhaps most importantly, video and audio that is likely to come naturally to them. You think publishers are willing to get new media consulation for cheap?

2. Journalism instructors are often reporters at a publication looking to make an extra buck, so there's already a natural connection between the schools and the news staffs. So long as a news site has a relationship with a professor or dean who can handicap his/her students' writing/reporting skills, the arrangement should work.

3. Professors would be able to integrate real-world experiences into their classroom. As a student, I was always more motivated when my interview pick up line was "I'm doing an article for a real live paper" than the dreaded "I'm doing an article for class that will never see the light of day." The so-called "teaching hospital" model of education makes sense for a field that's so hands on to begin with.

4. College newspapers/TV stations are a good way to cut your teeth, but wouldn't it be beneficial to have students competing to see who gets bylines at a professional publication?

There are real concerns here about this type of arrangement lowering the perceived value of what a journalist does, being that the students could be asked to produce content for nothing (if there's academic credit on the table) or near nothing. Which is why it's important for a publication to view the students as helping rather than replacing current staff writers/editors. If the choice is between running more wire or linking to other publications and using modestly paid students to add content, the latter is a good choice.

Then the question becomes how to package the student work. Colleges have successfully set up their own news services, which could be of increasing value to the publications. Or students could set up their own stipend deals with the news sites, so long as there's an agreement that they get compensated.

Whatever the arrangement, there's certainly a good chance for creativity and innovation when fresh faces are brought into a newsroom.