Independent journalists, newsroom leaders and creators packed the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., on Monday, May 4, for “News Reimagined,” a one-day creator journalism summit rewriting the rules of modern media.
The event was sponsored by URL Media, URL Collective and the National Press Club Journalism Institute.
Headliners Bianca Graulau and Nick Valencia kicked things off with moderator Leonor Ayala to answer some of thorniest questions in the independent creator space around issues including payment and how independent journalist should work with established newsrooms.
“Don’t try to absorb this person’s work and turn it into something else,” Graulau, a popular independent creator based in Puerto Rico who has covered the island extensively and worked with Bad Bunny, advised newsroom leaders.
Valencia, a former CNN journalist who has ventured into the independent space, backed her up with a trust-first philosophy for newsrooms who are working with independent creators: Believe the reporter, full stop.
On pricing, the two were equally blunt. Graulau goes high, stays selective and isn’t apologizing for being choosy about who she works with. Valencia pulls from multiple income streams and studies others’ day rates in making decisions about what to charge.
For more takeaways from the summit, check out the full recap.
