USA Today website outsources travel section to Demand Studios

USA Today has announced it is outsourcing online travel news to Demand Media, a network of freelance journalists (of which I'm a member). And while I am overjoyed that freelance journalists will have the rare opportunity to work with such a large publication on a topic as desirable as travel, I can't help but think -- Why?

Is it really a positive thing that USAToday.com will not have any travel journalists on staff? That means no health insurance, no benefits, no office to go to and no resources for educated, trained, professional journalists. Are we selling ourselves short for the chance to get published?


The other part of this discussion has centered on the ethics of Demand Media. They are clearly making a profit off of this deal, and they will have a great deal more jobs to fill. But will the journalists who are chosen make more than the pittance they are currently accepting for writing small listings and explanations for obscure hardware and tech websites? Media Bistro says it's doubtful.

It may be sad to say, but as a freelance journalist, I don't care what they're paying. Actually, when I sent in my request to join the travel writing team, I was under the impression that I would be doing it for free. That's fine for me -- I have been traveling internationally since before I could walk, and I happen to be a great writer with an advanced degree in international journalism. But if I was a USAToday.com staff travel writer, I would hate me right now.

So is the freelance me right, or the hypothetical full-time employee journalist me right?

One thing I can say with confidence: this is not the end of this debate. As the recession recedes and companies restructure, "freelancers" in every industry will become more popular and the matching-401Ked, benefitted employee will become more rare. And yet, I am still happy for freelance me.