The business model is a solid, straight forward revenue model. Frankly, it is as simple as a revenue model can be. We travel to news worthy events and take high quality photos, reaserch and write about the event or topic. We then offer those photos and articles completely free of charge on our website, Stock News Photos, to major and minor news publications, news media outlets and even to the general public. Visitors engage our site, allowing us to generate revenue in three ways, by selling advertisement space, trough affiliate marketing and by selling our own stretched canvas prints. The first is through impressions, or total clicks. When a new visitor enters the site, it counts as an 'impression'. Each impression allows us to charge more for advertising space as it proves to the advertiser that we have a steady and growing visitor count, ensuring that their products will be seen by potential customers. The second revenue stream is via affiliate marketing. Every time one of our visitors clicks an advertisement from our website and makes any type of purchase, we get an 'affiliate commission'. The third stream and the one we will focus the bulk of our recourses on growing is that of selling our stretched canvas prints. We have secured manufacturing space are currently undergoing a re-tool that will allow us to produce our own prints at a fraction of the cost that major canvas companies charge, and at a much higher quality. Once this tedious process is complete, likely in or before March 2023, our company will increase our canvas mark up by 22%-41%. Additionally, Stock News Photos works to employ canvas sales representatives which operate as authorized independent dealers and sell canvases in a variety of ways including through direct sales, marketing sales, retail outlets, canvas viewing parties and many other highly effective sales methods. In the interest of full transparency, before completion of the internship after candidates have signed all appropriate Non-disclosure Agreements and quit claims, every candidate will be provided with a complete business prospectus that will include access to full financials, company value, assets, expenses, tax schedule & burdens, sales and growth projections, state & federal requirements and more.
Stock News Photos is an employee owned, start-up website focused on providing World Class, Award Winning photojournalism to media outlets of all sizes from Fortune 500 media conglomerates to independent small market publications. Our site is currently in the process of rolling out a new section that will contain editorial pieces, informative/ entertaining articles, research papers, books and other publication materials. We are currently looking for both experienced and inexperienced writers from across the political spectrum to join our team as employee owners. If you are interested in creatively and physically challenging work that has the potential to impact history, please read the Frequently Asked Questions and apply below.
I have no Writing, journalism, Copy Edit, Photography or Photojournalism experience. Can I still apply?
Absolutely. We encourage and welcome all
to apply. We are not focused on who you are or the skills you have today. We are focused on who you can become tomorrow if given the opportunity to thrive. If you can meet the job requirements, our internship is a fantastic opportunity for an aspiring Writer/Journalist/Photographer who will get paid to learn and master their art.
I have extensive Writing, Journalism, Photography or Photojournalism experience and I own a high quality camera. Where do I apply?
We know that you have worked very hard to learn the skills you have acquired. You are a highly trained professional, and we will treat you accordingly. As an Employee Owned company, we offer the very best compensation package in the Media Industry, hands down. Our requirements for immediate hire are simply the industry standard. Candidates must meet one of the following criteria:
- Two years professional experience as a Staff Writer
- Three years professional experience as a Freelance Writer
- Bachelors Degree or higher in the study of Writing/Creative Writing
- Three years professional experience as a photojournalist
- Bachelors Degree or higher in the study of Journalism
- Bachelors Degree or higher in the study of Photography
If you meet these qualifications, please click here
to submit your resume. Be sure to include your professional writing/photography/photojournalism portfolio and your salary requirements.
What are the requirements to join the internship program?
For candidates with minimal or no previous writing/photojournalism experience, the option to join our team as a paid intern is available to qualified candidates. The requirements for entry into the paid internship program, which are not only expected company wide of interns but of veteran photojournalists alike, are vital to achieving success within the industry. Candidates must be:
- 18 or older
- Strong work ethic
- Committed to learning & mastering your craft
- Able to be on your feet for long periods and physically fit enough to fulfill the job duties
- Able to handle the travel rigors & erratic shooting schedule that the writing/photography industry demands
- Able to work in all climates at any time of day or night
- Able to work calmly as a team in high risk environments
- Able to stay focused on a project long term despite extended periods with breaks in work
- Able to respect client privilege, protect all news sources identities, adhere to legal Non-Disclosure Agreements and refrain from social media while on duty
- Able to follow direction well
I have been told by some that my views or beliefs are "fringe", "conspiratorial" or "unconventional". I have even been ridiculed or ostracized for them. Can I still apply?
Yes! In fact, you just may be who we are looking for. We always
respect everyone we work with no matter their opinions, political views or beliefs. We completely understand your concerns, they are well founded. Our staff will treat you will nothing but kindness and respect.
What is the job description and what kind of subjects will I be writing about?
As an owner operator, accepted candidates responsibilities will be constantly shifting day to day. One moment accepted applicants will be on location researching the subject for an editorial piece and assisting our award winning NPPA accredited photojournalist, then the next you will be in office working on the next book our company is publishing. The following day, you may be out driving traffic to the site or promoting the business and making valuable contacts within the media & business community, then that afternoon writing a 2500 word article for sale/ publication on the website. The duties of a business owner are frequently changing. Eventually, once candidates are fully trained, they will be responsible for writing their own articles. The subject matter that accepted candidates will cover is vast and extensive. Ultimately, we will cover an array of trendy and traditional topics in order to diversify the income streams from our writing projects. Upon further entry into the interview process and once both parties' interests are protected by non-disclosure agreements, we can share with candidates the exact realm of the subject matter we will cover.
What kind of compensation is included?
Our employee owner internship program is a fantastic, unique opportunity for an entry level candidate individual looking to get into the writing/photojournalism industry. It allows aspiring writers/photojournalists the ability to get paid for learning the business while simultaneously maintaining a portion of creative and copyright control of their work, an unheard of standard in the industry. Additionally, as an employee owner you hold a seat as a member of the Board of Directors, therefore successful candidates will have a say in future growth and the company direction with their monthly board meeting vote. It is a three tier program specifically designed to provide a novice writer/photographer with the finest training experience possible. The first tier includes:
- Travel to and from location included
The second tier also includes:
- Complimentary premium coffee, tea, water & snacks during office hours
Once applicants complete the first two tiers, candidates are invited to begin the process of joining our team as an employee owner and complete the internship training process. In addition to the perks provided in tier one and two of our internship, we include:
- $500 cash signing bonus
- Candidates will earn an equal portion of all net revenues!
- $5-$15 cash food stipend when on location
- Letter of recommendation and paid sponsorship into the National Press Photographers Association
- Seat on the Company Board of Directors
- Opportunity for tremendous financial and professional growth
It sounds like a great opportunity, but no job is perfect. What's the catch?
The catch is you will have to work hard to succeed. Yes, traveling around to different places and events researching, planning, scouting, documenting & photographing subjects can be extremely fun. Being early on the scene of a major newsworthy event or disaster & recovery effort and writing about it is exciting and full of adventure. However, anything worth doing is not often easy. In general, both writing and photography have many difficult aspects. It will take a significant amount of time to produce a body of work, promote it, build a following and turn it into profit. It will not happen over night. However, If you are able to set yourself apart from the crowd, the end result can be very rewarding. The topic of what to expect from working in the writing/photography industry and with Stock News Photos will be covered more thoroughly on the first two days of the internship program.
What does "equal portion of revenues" mean?
It is exactly as the sentence seems, you receive the same share of profits as every other member of the Board of Directors, with the Chairman of The Board retaining creative control. To be precise, you will be a business owner partnering with other equal owners of this company. For a pair of crude examples, let us hypothesize that our team travels to shoot a major protest one morning in the month of July. We were able to use those photos to raise $2376 in total revenues over the course of our fiscal year. It costs the company a total of $1247 in travel fees, equipment costs and the multitude of other various business expenses required to cover the protest, plus production of merchandise expenses, shipping fees and marketing costs. This leaves $1129 in total net revenues, which are then divided up equally by the Board of Directors. There are always at least three members of the board, therefore each individual will receive about $376. Or, imagine perhaps that we have been contracted by a medium sized pet supply company to write an article about the fan experience at their grand opening event in a suburb of Indianapolis. They have paid a total of $975 for a 5000 word article with photos. It costs the company a total of $132 dollars in various expenses and overhead costs to travel to location for the afternoon and back, field research the event with photos, and then write the article. This leaves about $280 in net profits to be divided by employee owners. In total, the project took each person about 12 hours involved, averaging about $23 per hour.
How does the business earn money?
What does it cost to buy into the business?
Zero. Absolutely nothing. You will never
be required to pay any money, ever. Your labor and talent are your equity. In total when accounting for training time, equipment & maintenance costs and travel expenses, sponsorship into the NPPA, equipment costs and maintenance fees among many other expenses, it cost about $9000 to train an applicant for 240 hours, plus an additional $2000 in state, federal, registered agent and legal fees to re-structure the business to include you on the Board of Directors. However, every hour you put in during your internship counts as your capital towards all franchise and incorporation cost. You never pay out of your own pocket, in any way.
I have had legal/disciplinary issues or I have said some things or have videos about me online that stigmatize me. Will that prevent me from qualification?
No, not at all. You are a human. Humans make mistakes. We believe in second chances and in most cases, third or fourth ones too. It's O.K. to have said or done things that you regret, that have been misconstrued or are unpopular. We're really not concerned about the silly anti-Obama or anti-Bush tweet you made, the embarrassing whatever video or any other speech or action deemed offensive by some. Just be honest and tell us. Disclosure is key. We will address any concerns we may have with you and evaluate your situation fairly, on an individual basis. To error is a human quality, to forgive and accept does not seem to be.
I have strong political positions and refuse to work with, give a platform to or cover people who do not share my leftist or atheist views. How will you be able accommodate me?
In short, we won't accommodate you. This is one of the most common questions among young applicants. We cannot accommodate such narrow thinking. Truly, if this is your stance, it is advised against your applying with us as you are not likely a great fit for our organization, or for the integrity of photojournalism in general. You will eventually cover something on this job that repulses you, makes you furious or simply offends you, no matter what your political position or affiliation. You will have to cover both Presidents Trump and Biden rallies at some point, they are popular, money making newsworthy events. You will cover both pro-life and pro-abortion rallies. You will be around people who have just lost everything or even a loved one, and to treat them less than or refuse to share their story because they voted differently than you is pure evil and at absolute odds with the essence of what journalism is.
What does the training process entail?
Truly the training process never ends. There is always something new and exciting to learn even after years on the job. Accepted candidates will begin by completing a three tier paid apprenticeship program. The program consists of a total 240 hours including both classroom and practical application in the field. The first tier will be the most mentally & physically daunting and will last about 24 hours which is meant to serve as an overall candidate evaluation. Successful candidates will progress to the second tier which will be the least physical, and will include a mixture of classroom and practical application in the field. The third tier will be a continuation of classroom and field work with the addition of studio time on a more advanced level, and also include the candidates first forays into the professional side of the business. Candidates are cross trained and will gain a vast knowledge that will encompass a multitude of topics such as writing, journalism, photography, photojournalism, editing, lighting, photojournalism, accounting, marketing, business administration, disaster & emergency environment training and much, much more. Depending on many factors in and outside of our control including candidate availability, frequency of news worthy events, weather conditions, the state of the economy and the social atmosphere of our nation among others, the training process will last between 12-20 Weeks. Upon successful completion of the program candidates will have absorbed a rich variety of vocational trainings and disciplines, earned numerous professional skills and become fully capable of running a successful small business.
I have a full-time job, children or other time commitments that prevent me from starting full time. Am I still eligible?
Certainly. For the right candidate, we will happily accommodate a part-time schedule of about 12-15 hours per week to start, for up to one year. The site is currently under a soft launch as we work out the small details and add content. The site will hard launch on September 1st, 2022 and will face steady growth for the first year of existence. However, this is ultimately a business and as the company and finances grow, so must the time commitment made by the candidate.
