Low Wages Won’t Rate

As a freelance journalist for newspapers and magazines, I was intrigued to read that former L.A. mayor Richard Riordan is planning to fire up a new newspaper that will “respect its readers” (“His News Will Be Fit to Print, Says Riordan,” April 26).

Too bad he doesn’t respect his potential freelance writers.

“We’re going to use a lot of freelancers,” Riordan says. “There are many good writers in Los Angeles, particularly in the movie industry, and many of them would work for low rates to see their stuff in print.”

Mr. Riordan, will your ad sales people be working for less-than-reasonable wages? Will you be looking for that low-ball offer from a printer who can cut a few corners and save you a few bucks? Are you going to find some high-school kid with a camera to take your photos? (Heck, maybe he can deliver the papers while he’s out and about. Such a deal!)

Words are the backbone of a reputable paper, Mr. Riordan. It’s a professional’s job to get them right. If you plan to sign on writers with so little backbone or experience that they will gladly “work for low rates to see their stuff in print,” you have already told the people of Los Angeles exactly how much respect you have for them.

KATHY SENA

Manhattan Beach

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I see that Richard Riordan plans to start another L.A. paper and, in the process, will carry on a long, California tradition--the exploitation of cheap labor. Good luck to Mr. Riordan in his quest for “good writers in Los Angeles” who are willing to “work for low rates to see their stuff in print.” Quality writers, critical to the success of any publication, deserve and require competitive wages.

SUSAN CARRIER

Altadena

Carrier is president of Independent Writers of Southern California.