On Saturday, August 25, 2001, at 07:59 AM, Declan McCullagh wrote:
> As for "comped scribblers," I am one. But look at it from a
> journalist's perspective: We may attend two conferences a week, say at
> $1,500/per. Rough estimates, then, would be over $150,000 a year, more
> than most journalists make.
>
> Paying that much in conference fees is not feasible, and conference
> organizers generally understand this and let us in free (we may pay for
> meals) in exchange for publicity.
>
A couple of more words on this issue:
Granted, the conference gets publicity. But, presumably, the magazine or
other outlet gets readers and viewers. A two-way street, right?
"Wired" and "Wired News" are businesses. If covering CFP is good
business, paying their costs to attend sounds like a sound business
decision.
Honestly speaking, I see a lot more economic justification for
Terra-Lycos to pay $600 (or whatever) for Declan's registration fees,
and then count these as business costs, than I see economic
justification for Tim May, say, to pay $600 to attend (and not be able
to deduct it in any way).
Which is why conferences like CFP mostly end up with a predictable mix
of lawyers, government officials (probably comped to attend, though I
don't know this), and journalists. And which is why the panels end up
with a lot of journalists pontificating to each other.
(Based on the two CFPs I attended...)
Frankly, I don't understand why CFP doesn't just accept the inevitable
and move the conference to Washington, D.C. permanently.
--Tim May
