EXTRA

1
EXTRA!

• REPORTING OPPORTUNITIES IN JAPAN
• A Practical Guide
• By Eric Johnston
• Deputy Editor
• The Japan Times
• Osaka bureau
• Japan Writers Conference
• October 18th, 2009

2
This presentation assumes. . .

• You have an interest in straight reporting and
  writing news features on a wide variety of timely
  events, as opposed to writing a personal opinion
  column, doing book, music, art, or restaurant
  reviews, or writing up interview pieces.
• You have a love of, and preference for,
  traditional print and broadcast media and
  appreciate the traditional editorial methods they
  embrace.

3
THE BASICSGetting Started What All Successful
Freelance News Reporters in Japan Usually Have

• 1) Bilingual business cards
• 2) A Web page with their articles
• 3) A bilingual PC
• 4) A cell phone capable of international calls
• 5) Easy access to a host of basic facts and
  figures about Japan, including major on-line
  daily news stories
• 6) A decent digital camera
• 7) Receipt books and notebooks for accounting
  purposes
• 8) A local Japanese person who serves as your
  fixer, either paid or volunteer

4
PART I

• MAKING
• CONTACT WITH JAPAN-BASED NEWS MEDIA

5
How Much Experience Do I Need Before I Can
Realistically Expect To Be Considered for a Job?

• You Need To Have Been Published in a Similar
  Media Form Previously.
• You Need To Demonstrate You Know How To Pitch A
  News Story To The News Editors, and Understand
  Their Concerns.
• Personal References Are Helpful, But Its No
  Substitute for a Decent Portfolio.

6
The Negotiation Phase

• Length of stories 400 and 800 words on average,
  for a news piece and up to 2,000 words for a
  magazine-style piece.
• Rates between 10,000 and 100,000 yen, depending
  on publication, with payment in the 20,000-50,000
  yen range the norm for newspapers.
• Expenses varies.
• Photos Sometimes extra payment, sometimes not.

7
Sealing the Deal

• Japans English-language media rarely, if ever,
  offer written contracts. Promises are verbal.
• THE THREE BASIC QUESTIONS
• 1) In addition to the basic rate for the article,
  are travel expenses covered?
• 2) Whats the rate for photos and is that rate
  per published photo?
• 3) Will the article by translated into Japanese?

8
Japan Extras

• Make sure you have a list of all of your major
  Japanese sources and contacts especially
  editorial contacts -- and send them New Years
  Greeting Cards. Mid-summer greetings (a postcard)
  should also be sent to high-level sources who are
  older.
• If you can get an overseas publication to sponsor
  you, apply for a Foreign Ministry press card. It
  opens official doors that may otherwise remain
  closed.
• Make sure youre on the Tokyo Foreign Press
  Centers mailing list for important announcements
  and all sorts of other stuff.

9
Japan Extras

• IDENTIFYING YOURSELF IN JAPANESE
• ?? Kisha The translation is reporter. The
  nuance is that youre a full-time news reporter
  for a mainstream media organization.
• ???Correspondent Implies an ongoing, formal,
  full-time professional relationship with one
  media organization where you write or broadcast
  news and feature-type stories.
• ??????????The equivalent of a freelance
  journalist, it implies youre writing or
  broadcasting for different media, on assignment.
• ???????Slightly more scholarly in nuance,
  implies you may be something of an expert in one
  subject or another, and have, perhaps, written
  books on that very subject.

10
IN GENERAL, EDITORS AT JAPANS ENGLISH LANGUAGE
NEWS MEDIA EXPECT THE FOLLOWING FROM FREELANCERS

• A good grounding in whatever subject they are
  writing about, but an outsiders , not an
  activists, perspective
• An ability to take tired, clichéd Japan subjects
  and make them interesting
• An ability to work alone with little direction
• An ability to turn last-minute, confused,
  contradictory requests from the editors into a
  well written and well-researched piece that lands
  on the editors desk on deadline and not
  one-minute afterwards
• An acceptance that the editor, not the
  freelancer, has the final say on how the piece
  turns out
• An ability to communicate on a regular basis what
  the freelancer is doing, who else he or she is
  writing for, and a willingness to be honest and
  open about possible conflicts of interest, either
  financial or otherwise
• An ability to roll with the punches if and when
  cultural differences arise between you and
  the Japanese editor or editors.

11
PART II

• MAKING CONTACT WITH OVERSEAS MEDIA

12
FIRST, THE BAD NEWS. . .

• The amount of general interest in Japan among
  overseas media is the lowest its been in
  decades.
• There is a surplus of experienced, talented
  freelance reporters in Japan who are fighting for
  ever-fewer jobs.
• Those ever-fewer jobs pay less than in the past.

13
NOW, THE GOOD NEWS. . .

• Shrinking newsroom budgets worldwide mean that
  editors are always looking for ways to cut costs,
  which gives freelancers in Japan an edge over
  full-time staffers.
• While Japan is declining in importance to
  overseas media, Asia is still important to most
  Editors. Successful Japan-based freelance
  reporters travel as far west as Afghanistan, as
  far south as Indonesia, and are often seen in
  Beijing, Shanghai, Taipei, or Seoul.

14

• TWO COMMON WAYS FREELANCERS IN JAPAN FIND JOBS
  AND MAKE MEDIA CONTACTS
• 1) Covering International Conferences
• 2) Covering Visits by VIPs.

15
EXAMPLES

• YOU LEARN THAT A LARGE
• INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON BIOTECH IS TAKING
  PLACE
• Response Contact the Health and Science Editors
  of Newspapers you think might be interested in
  the issue, as well as magazines and specialty
  publications that deal with biotech. Explain the
  content of the conference and ask if theyre
  interested in either daily reports or a general
  feature.

16
EXAMPLES

• YOU LEARN THAT THE GOVERNOR OF THE U.S. STATE OF
  NEBRASKA IS VISITING JAPAN
• Response Contact the major newspapers in
  Nebraska, offer to write stories with angles that
  will not be covered by the wire services. Contact
  magazines, trade magazines, or newsletters
  devoted to beef or agricultural issues, offer a
  feature on the state of Japanese beef or
  agriculture and how it compares with Nebraska,
  using the governors remarks as a lead-in

17
GENERAL DOS AND DONTS FOR BOTH LOCAL AND
OVERSEAS MEDIA DONT

• Submit Story Ideas Without Knowledge of What They
  Have Already Written on The Subject The first
  question I always ask a potential freelancer is,
  when was the last time my paper ran an article
  related, directly or indirectly, to that
  particular subject. If they cant answer, I hang
  up.
• Automatically Believe That You Have A Unique
  Experience Worth Writing About Hey, Im an
  English teacher in Japan and Ive got some great
  stories about. . .Hello? Hello?

18
DONT

• Assume That You Understand Japan Simply Because
  You Read Overseas Media Often, the Japan-based
  English language media see Japan quite
  differently than the overseas media. Newbies who
  pitch story ideas an editor who has been in
  country more than six months knows are clichéd or
  superficial may wait in vain for an answer.
• Pretend Youre a Japan Hand if Youre Not
  Editors can quickly tell if you can walk the walk
  as well talk the talk. The good news? A lot of
  editors here are just as ignorant of Japan as you
  are, or simply dont care. Or, they value your
  ability to tell a good story over your knowledge
  and experience in-country.

19
DONT

• Remain Unable To Explain The Japan You Do Know
  Whether youre a budding Japan Hand with diverse
  intellectual interests, or an internationally
  recognized academic expert in one field, the
  ability to explain your topic in an interesting,
  concise manner for a mass audience is crucial.
• Fail to Understand That, The Longer You Are Here,
  The Better Your Instincts About Japan Are
  Supposed To Be Japan offers foreigners in
  general the opportunity to remain outsiders. This
  is a double-edged sword. If youve been here for
  years, have poor language skills, and dont have
  a lot of general knowledge about Japan, youll be
  looked upon as an amateur. Are you here in
  Japan, emotionally and intellectually, as well as
  physically? If not, then what, exactly, are you
  doing here?

20
DONT

• Ignore Your Reputation Some writers believe they
  have to get their name out to anyone and
  everyone. But HOW you get your name out and WHAT
  kind of content your byline stands over marks
  your reputation. The Japan-based community of
  news and features writers in English is fairly
  small, and people tend to know or know of each
  other more than many people realize.
• SO, BE VERY CAREFUL WHAT YOU PUT YOUR NAME TO.

21
And On Reputation. . . Addressing a Rumor

• RUMOR Japanese English language newspapers and
  magazines have blacklists of freelancers whose
  work is refused everywhere.
• FACT No formal blacklist exists. But long term
  editors often know or know of each other and do
  exchange information privately about freelancers.
  Even competitors will warn each other about
  freelancers theyve caught cutting and pasting
  from Wikipedia, being sloppy with the facts, or
  who theyve heavily edited due to the libelous
  nature of the prose.

22
SO, WHAT SHOULD YOU DO?

• Write The Odd Freebie Some writers believe that,
  once theyre established in Japan, they dont
  need to give anything away for free in order to
  succeed further. Wrong. You are writing for a
  very small community and opportunities from the
  editors in that community and elsewhere who pay
  often come only after youve shown you have an
  altruistic side .
• Keep Editors Posted on the Status of Your
  Submissions Lets say that youre shopping a
  piece to several different outlets with the
  thought youll go with the first one that says
  yes. Once you get that yes, you need ask the
  publication that said yes if they have
  exclusive rights to your piece, or if its OK if
  the piece appears elsewhere. If they have
  exclusive rights, you need to notify everyone
  else you sent the piece to that such rights have
  just been purchased.

23
DO

• Make Sure All of Your Correspondence With the
  Editors is in Writing Especially on terms of
  payment, and on issues like rewrites, photos,
  travel expenses, etc.
• Visit The Editorial Offices Once In A While, Just
  To Say Hello In the Internet age, its too easy
  to do all your work by computer. Politically
  astute, i.e. gainfully employed, writers know it
  can pay dividends to drop by the office once in a
  while just to say hi and let the editors know
  there is a human being behind all of the e-mails.
  

24
DO

• Know when to say No.
• Turning down assignments as a freelancer is quite
  tough. But saying yes to everything, or not
  taking into consideration your reputation, is to
  go down the path of the Dark Side. Some writers
  think that if they do the crap, theyll get the
  good stuff later out of sheer loyalty. It doesnt
  usually work that way. Those who write about crap
  usually continue to get assigned crap because
  nobody else with integrity wants to do those
  kinds of stories. Sometimes, for your own sanity,
  and your own reputation, you simply have to say
  No.

25
DO

• Join An Organization Where You Are Likely To Make
  Contact With People Involved in Local Journalism
  
• Why? So you can learn which publications
  commission work and give you plenty of time to
  get the copy in, edit that copy well and after
  consultation with the writer, and then pay on
  time the full amount owed for both the article
  and expenses, and so you can learn which
  publications commission work at the last minute,
  rewrite most of it without telling you and add
  mistakes, and then fail to send you a check or
  just pay you a fraction of what you agreed to.

26
AND WHAT ABOUT LOCATION or DO I NEED TO BE IN
TOKYO?

• ARGUMENTS FOR BEING BASED IN TOKYO
• Its the capital city where the most important
  headline news is made and its very easy to
  gather lots of stories of interest to editors.
• It has a vast, efficient information
  infrastructure that makes it easy to tap into the
  English sources and find opportunities, a big
  plus if your Japanese language ability is poor.
• Travel expenses within Tokyo are minimal.

27

• ARGUMENTS AGAINST BEING BASED IN TOKYO
• Everybody is in Tokyo and the big news is usually
  covered by the Tokyo-based wire services.
• Major events of interest to editors now often
  take place outside Tokyo, especially here in
  Kyoto. Tokyo is no longer the center for many
  conferences and gatherings where freelancers in
  Japan often get work.
• If youre living outside of Tokyo, youre
  lifestyle is probably cheaper, which means you
  can offer slightly lower rates than Tokyo-based
  freelancers.

28
Exercise Covering a Conference
29
Situation An international conference on fish,
chips, and mushy peas is taking place in
Stockholm and an NGO has offered to pay your way
in exchange for covering it. But they dont want
to give you an NGO badge. Rather, they want you
to get a press badge. And they you want to write
about the conference not just for their NGO
newsletter, but also their blog.

• QUESTION
• When you approach other media asking about doing
  stories at the conference, do you
• (a) explain what youll be doing for the NGO that
  is paying your way or
• (b) not say anything because, after all, the NGO
  has nothing to do with the media youre
  approaching, and, besides, what you write for the
  NGO will be different from what you write for any
  media

30
CORRECT ANSWER

• (a) In general, editors will not care if they are
  told in advance, but will be extremely angry if
  they are not told that your way is being paid by
  an NGO and find out later. Some media companies
  have in-house rules about what kinds of payment
  freelancers can accept, and youre getting
  yourself blacklisted if you they hire you and
  then find out what youve done.

31
Next, you approach three media to ask for press
credentials

• (1) The Tokyo Times, an English-language daily
  paper available primarily in Japan
• (2) The West Japan Journal a monthly magazine
  available primarily in all cities west of Kyoto
• (3) The Alleghany Kiski Valley Star Ledger a
  weekly magazine available only in northern
  suburbs of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
• You get the following replies
• We cant give you press credentials, but pitch
  us story ideas every day during the conference.
  If we like any of your ideas, well ask you to
  write a 600 word feature story for 25,000 yen and
  pay for the story plus any necessary expenses.
  The Tokyo Times
• Well give you press credentials. You need to
  blog for us, but we cant pay you for that. You
  dont need to file anything for the print
  edition, though, until after its all over and
  well pay 1,000 yen for 1,000 words, West
  Japan Journal
• We cant get you press credentials or pay your
  expenses. But, if you go, we might like an
  occasional story, maximum 400 words, and well
  pay you 40,000 yen/article, The Alleghany
  Kiski Valley Star Ledger
• SO WHAT DO YOU DO?

32
Suggested Response

• Immediately agree to work for the West Japan
  Journal they are the only one of the three who
  will sponsor you for a press badge.
• During the conference, blog for the Journal and
  the NGO paying your way, and do the NGO
  newsletter. When thats done, pitch story ideas
  to the Tokyo Times.
• Keep the Star Ledger updated during the
  conference with short e-mails. After the other
  assignments are out of the way, pitch them story
  ideas. Mention what youve done for The Tokyo
  Times and the Journal.

33
At the Conference. . .

• HOW TO IDENTIFY YOURSELF TO INTERVIEW SUBJECTS
  AND AT PRESS BRIEFINGS
• As an NGO representative? After all, they are
  paying for your flight and hotel rooms and you
  are contributing to their newsletter and blog
  every day, a newsletter those attending the
  conference are likely to read.
• As a freelance journalist writing for a variety
  of publications? After all, your press badge will
  identify you as being with the West Japan Journal?

34
ANSWER

• This can be tricky. Your most prominent writing
  is for an NGO but you dont have an NGO badge.
  Sometimes its easier to get access if youre
  with an established NGO rather than being an
  anonymous freelance journalist writing for
  publications like the West Japan Journal that
  nobody at the conference has ever heard of. On
  the other hand, some press conferences are not
  open to NGOs.
• SUGGESTED RESPONSE Tell the NGO that sends you
  youre going to introduce yourself as a
  freelance journalist writing for a number of
  overseas publications and NGOs. Get business
  cards for the conference identifying yourself as
  a freelance journalist, but with the logos of
  each of the three media, as well as the NGO,
  printed beside your name.

35
The Tokyo Times The West Japan Journal The
Allegheny Kiski Valley Star Ledger, Peace for
Peas! (NGO)

• Eric Johnston
• Freelance Journalist
• MY KEIMUSHO Bldg. 2F
• 8-9-3 Nomachi
• Osaka, Japan 550-0002
• TEL [phone]
• FAX[phone]
• Cell Phone [phone]
• Cell e-mail ehj2br02b_at_doconimo.jp
• E-mail crazyhack_at_yahoo.com

36
HOW TO IDENTIFY YOURSELF IN PRINT

• Answer You need to tell each of the three media
  organizations and the NGO your preference for a
  title. But how they decide to identify you is up
  to them.
• By Eric Johnston, Special to The Tokyo Times
• By Eric Johnston, Special Correspondent
• By Eric Johnston

37
Odds Sods

• ON KILL FEES
• Japans English-language media, and many
  overseas media, sometimes pay kill fees but only
  if theyve given you an assignment. Check and
  see.
• ON PHOTOS
• If youre a wordsmith, you are also likely
  expected to be a photographer. Photos are always
  extra, and the rate depends on the publication.
  Among Japans English-language media 2,000 yen
  -10,000 yen/photo seems to be the range.
• ON VIDEO REPORTS
• This is a brave new world, and its still
  fairly rare that print journos who are freelance
  will asked to file video as well. But check and
  see

38
Odds Sods

• The Freelancers Dilemma
• To Teach or Not To Teach
• (or Edit, Translate, Tend Bar, Serve as a Fake
  Priest, Work as a model or background extra in
  NHK TV dramas, or do some other part-time job in
  order to make ends meet)
• Erics informal survey of freelance friends
  revealed that none take on more than two classes
  a week, and only at places that have very
  generous policies for making up missed classes.
  Most do Editing, Translation on the side.

39
In Conclusion

• Making it as a freelance reporter in Japan is not
  easy, but its not impossible. A curiosity about
  many different subjects, a good general knowledge
  of Japan, and an ability to navigate the system
  and deal with all sorts of people here are
  critical components of success.
• Writers are solitary beasts. Reporters are
  social animals.
• It is better to position yourself as a
  Japan-based reporter who is willing to cover
  events outside of Japan, in East, South, or
  Southeast Asia than as a Japan-hand.

40
GOOD LUCK!

• . . . And thanks for listening