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Regional reporters sought by theatre review website

ross-loweRegional journalists are being sought to provide reviews for a new national theatre website.

Volunteer reviewers are wanted from across the UK to provide content for the Downstage Centre website, which has been set up to promote the nation’s theatrical scene.

The reviewers will not be paid, although tickets will be provided and the site will allow them to build up a portfolio of their work.

The site was co-founded by Ross Lowe, pictured above left,  and Brian Milman-Hurst.

Said Ross: “Put simply, we exist to promote and support local, regional and fringe theatre in all its guises – be it amateur or professional.

“We do that by previewing shows, writing features on the people, groups and venues that make up the UK theatre scene and, crucially, by sending out reviewers to watch and report upon the shows that are out there, from the smallest village halls and pub theatres up to the larger city playhouses and West End venues.

“As we are very much a new venture we’re unable to offer payment yet, but we do work to ensure that our reviewers always get press tickets: a free night at the theatre in exchange for 500 words or so about the show.”

Anyone interested should email [email protected]

10 comments

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  • February 19, 2015 at 8:13 am
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    That’ll be them there ‘new stylee’ bloggers they’re after then.

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  • February 19, 2015 at 9:03 am
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    “The reviewers will not be paid, although tickets will be provided and the site will allow them to build up a portfolio of their work…. ‘As we are very much a new venture we’re unable to offer payment yet’…”

    No, no, no, no, NO. If you are a commercial venture deriving benefit from other people’s work, you should recognise its value by paying them. This should be seen an a start-up cost alongside things like web hosting, ISP etc.

    Can you imagine trying to start up a shop and telling your landlord: “Well as we’re a new venture I can’t afford to pay any rent yet….”

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  • February 19, 2015 at 9:10 am
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    The minute my mortgage company and local supermarket begin accepting my portfolio, rather than cash, I’ll be all over this…

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  • February 19, 2015 at 10:50 am
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    Unable to offer payment yet? I suggest they generate some advertising revenue and pay proper writers for their reviews with that old fashioned stuff called money.

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  • February 19, 2015 at 11:05 am
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    Local newspapers including ones in big cities are already using unpaid reviewers to fill their space. I hear they don’t even get parking or petrol paid! Quality of reviews varies enormously. Some excellent, some could have been written by 15-year-old.

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  • February 19, 2015 at 11:32 am
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    I can understand that people need to get a portfolio together to show to employers.
    They are called students.
    As this is a site for professionals working in journalism, why perpetrate this working-for-nothing culture that is becoming the norm?
    Sorry but I would not have featured this on Hold The Front Page.
    I’d have told the pair of them to sling their hook quite frankly.

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  • February 20, 2015 at 10:40 am
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    Millions of pounds of taxpayers’ money is pumped into subsidising theatre so why can’t some of that money be used to pay reviewers a reasonable sum for their time and effort? You might even attract people who know what they are writing aboutT.

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  • March 6, 2015 at 12:26 pm
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    Hello there. A huge thank you to you all for your comments. We’re a brand new business and have built up an enthusiastic team of reviewers on the basis that, while we have zero funds, we can pay them with tickets to shows. This mutual goodwill has worked well to get us started and to support local and regional theatre. In fact we have a number of retired journalists writing reviews and articles for us and who are very keen to support our project and indulge their love of theatre. As funding from investment and advertising comes in we have plans in place to increase the amount of content that we put out, the majority of which will come from paid articles to sit alongside the reviews.
    This was always the intention but, as with any business, we had to start somewhere and we are still less than 12 months old.

    We’re very grateful to Hold The Front Page for putting the above message out, as indeed we are for the feedback. It’s incredibly useful. We have made significant headway towards reaching the point where all of our main articles are penned by paid writers to sit alongside the reviews. Our business model has always been to support and encourage local and regional theatre and give those who are involved in, care about and are enthusiastic about it a voice. At the same time we want to provide those same people with content that is consistently strong, informative, interesting and entertaining – by paying for it!
    Once we are in the position to do so, which should be very soon, we’ll be back in touch.

    Thanks again for your very helpful feedback. In the meantime I must dash – I need to dig out my hook ready for slinging… 😉

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