Module Week 14 Assignment: FAQ
December 3, 2006Frequently Asked Questions about Pitchfork.com.
I. GENERAL
1. Who are you?
Pitchfork is a daily Web-based magazine devoted to album criticism, music news and artist interviews.
1.2 What of type music do you focus on?
Our reviews tend to fall on the independent side with a focus on guitar-based independent rock bands. But our tastes are broad and cover everything from folk to jazz to pop to electronic music.
1.3 Why did you name the publication Pitchfork?
We named the site after Al Pacino’s tattoo in Scarface, which marks him as an assassin in the Cuban underworld. Site Founder Ryan Schreiber said: “It just seemed concise and easy to say. It had these devilish overtones.”
1.4 What is your rating system?
Album reviews are graded out on a 10.0 scale and we are specific right down to one decimal point.
II. WRITING FOR PITCHFORK
2.1 I am a published journalist. How do I write for Pitchfork?
Send three or more published reviews to our reviews editor.
2.2. I have never been published, but I want to contribute. What should I do?
No problem. Write a review from a recent album in your collection — one released in the last six months and that is not in our archives. If you are hired, then your review will be the first one we use for the site. Please remember the review must be at least 400 words long.
2.3 Will I be compensated?
We pay $20 per review and $50 per article.
III. CONTACT INFORMATION
3.1 I saw something crazy at a concert. How do I contact you?
Send an e-mail to our news department. You will remain completely anonymous unless we get your permission to publish your name.
3.2 I want to do the following:
- Submit an album for your consideration.
Please send the package to:
Pitchfork Media
1834 W. North Ave. #2
Chicago, IL 60622 - To send a news release.
Contact the News Staff - To report broken links or factual errors.
Contact the Web Editor - To search through your company directory.
View our Staff Page
IV. ADVERTISE WITH PITCHFORK
4.1 How many daily site visitors do you receive?
About 150,000 people.
4.2. What are your advertising rates?
Ad rates generally range from $3.50 to $8 per 1,000 impressions with a minimum buys of between 100,000 and 300,000 impressions depending on the ad’s size. Our rates are negotiable. Contact Advertising Director Chris Kaskie for more information.
good work here, boris.
i like the hierarchy you establish.
i like how accessible you make the publication using these faqs, with lots of touch points and contact channels.
a few suggestions:
all caps are problematic, for reasons the study book describes. i don’t recommend them, and they tower over the smaller text, diminishing the more important, specific questions.
for the first question: i recommend “What is Pitchfork.com?” because it is an “it” and not a “who”
“daily, Web-based” > delete “out”; you are “precise” to one decimal point, not specific.
“I am a published journalist. How do I write for Pitchfork?” >> suggest going with only “How do I write…” In answer, “If you are a published journalist, X; if you are not published, Y.” this will consolidate the two answers. most will not be published journos, presumably, so this more quickly gets to the answer a majority will need.
is the term “album” still used? with all the MP3s and such? that’s kind of cool.