Journalists are finding that sometimes it’s better to be the brand than to work for a brand. In the new economic landscape, many journalists have decided (or had the decision made for them) to leave their newspaper and news organization jobs and create their own branded presence on the Web. But the road to financial success can be long and filled with pitfalls, including the sticky ethics issue of being the editorial and advertising sides all rolled into one. Though some smart brand builders are finding the rewards to be great.
Matthew Keys, deputy social media editor at Thomson Reuters, has been indicted for his alleged involvement in the hacking of a Tribune Co. computer server. The three-count indictment charges that in December 2010, Keys provided members of hacker group Anonymous with log-in information for the server. Keys had been fired from Tribune-owned Fox affiliate KTXL Sacramento, Calif., in October 2010.
