Wanna be an Investigative Reporter? Scientology Wants YOU!
Would you like having this guy as your news editor?
You may think it’s extremely tough to find well-paying, longform investigative writing work these days, but maybe you’re not looking in the right places.
Maybe you’re not looking toward Scientology.
Freedom Magazine, the official investigative reporting arm of the Church of Scientology, is looking for sleuths:
Company: Freedom Magazine
Position: INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER NEEDED
Location: Clearwater, Florida
Job Status: Freelance
Salary: Negotiable
Description: Freedom Magazine is looking for experienced investigative reporters for short and long-range assignments. Freedom, published by the Church of Scientology since 1968, covers human rights and social betterment issues and does investigative reporting in the public interest. Projects for this particular assignment are in the Tampa Bay, Florida area for the most part, but investigation can be conducted by phone and through Internet research.
One might gather that this is in response to a bunch of damning reports from the St. Petersburg Times (check out Freedom’s response to the Times’ investigation), but regardless, this is, in fact, investigative reporting work.
Is it worth the threat of being indoctrinated into a “thriving cult of greed and power“? Is it worth having Tom Cruise as your news editor (or at least someone on Freedom’s equivalent to an editorial board)? And since Scientology is known for attempting to stifle anti-Scientology rhetoric with lawsuits and disinformation, would it be possible to do quote-unquote unbiased reporting for the institution?
I don’t know. But the phrase “work is work” comes to mind.
Post Your Comment
You must be logged in to post a comment
T/S Members
Log in with your True/Slant account.
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Mike Smith and Ian Spector, Archie McLean. Archie McLean said: Work for unemployed investigative journos? The Church of Scientology is hiring: http://bit.ly/2WR0DW [...]
Investigative journalists created their own organization in 1975. It is called Investigative Reporters and Editors (www.ire.org). I have been active since the beginning; from 1983-1990 I ran it day to day as executive director. Because I’m so deeply identified within the journalism world as an investigative journalist, I often receive requests for advice. Recently, an experienced investigative journalist who has found it difficult to conduct his work because of the economic downturn asked me if he should apply for the Scientologists’ opening. I told him no, even though I like to see superb investigative reporting no matter who is funding it. More than any other existing organization that comes to mind, the Scientologists have been so hostile to outside journalists that I cannot see crossing the line to accept employment there. But I told my acquaintance that I’m speaking only for myself. After all, for some folks, work is indeed work, as the T/S posting by Matt Stroud says.
I’m reminded of this LA Weekly story by Evan Wright after he left his job as a Hustler editor. I imagine working for Larry Flynt might be slightly less treacherous than working for David Miscavige (and Tom Cruise?), but I wonder if the mere experience of receiving assignments and then submitting and editing copy through the Church of Scientology would generate anecdotal material worthy of an an after-the-fact story like Wright’s. Thinking about it that way… would it still be unworthy of the risk?
In response to another comment. See in context »Replying to Matt Stroud’s question: Larry Flynt might be sleazy in many ways. But, as far as I know, he’s not an avowed, active enemy of investigative reporting when it’s aimed at him. So working as an investigative journalist for Flynt might be less objectionable than working for the Scientologists. On the other hand, if I learn that Flynt has sued and/or otherwise threatened the well being of journalists who look into his operations, then he deserves to be categorized with the Scientologists.
In response to another comment. See in context »[...] True/Slant: Are you an investigative reporter? The Church of Scientology has a job for you. [...]
I’m not saying Flynt and Miscavige have the same approach to First Amendment issues and I’m certainly not arguing that an investigative journalism gig with the Church of Scientology wouldn’t be extremely restrictive and maybe even impossible without catering completely to the strict demands of whatever attack jobs the Church might have in mind.
I am however saying that, for an enterprising person who wants to write about Scientology from the inside, what better way to understand how the Church works?
[...] go beyond serving food and marijuana” … “Is it worth having Tom Cruise as your news editor?” … “The vast majority of the weapons the Taliban are using are more than 40 [...]
[...] FROM THE DEVIL: “A job’s a job” — even if it’s that of an investigative reporter for the Church of Scientology, in Clearwater, Florida. [True Slant] Also: Poo! Winnie’s grandkids go to court to stop use [...]
[...] November, I wrote a short post highlighting that the Church of Scientology had recently placed ads with JournalismJobs.com seeking investigative jour…. It seemed weird to me that an organization known for attempting to stifle anti-Scientology [...]
[...] yes, the money, the journalists got theirs up front, by the way. When the jobs came open True/Slant pointed it out, and asked openly whether a journalist should take the gig, but ended with "work is work." [...]
[...] Atlantic Wire links the inquiry to a classified ad Freedom had run seeking “experienced investigative reporters” for its [...]