Hearne: Last Call For Alt News?

It’s not easy working for free…

The long hours, pouring your heart and soul into your craft, putting up with every imaginable insult and critique, then at the end of the day no paycheck on top of which, you’re deeper in debt.

Not a formula for a wildly happy life. Fact is, it sucks and many of us have been there – me included.

That appears to be the situation with alt weekly the Pitch.

At least when I got involved years ago, there was a seemingly obvious upside – editorially and financially. Ah, but no mas today, at least on the money part of the equation.

The days of making big bucks in print pubs are history.

Some media can make a bit of dough online, but that’s far from easy. Especially with a limited readership. Frankly, the upside’s just not there anymore.

Best thing the Pitch has going: There’s always some other loser wannabe willing to throw caution to the wind and blow their (or their parents) life savings to get in the game. You know, chasing what passes for truth, justice and the American way.

And in some ways, that’s a good thing.

However risky bets can be unhealthy to one’s financial well-being, and there’s only so many “Tony” types, willing to slave away morning, noon and night, free-of-charge. Just to attain minor league celebrity status.

Which brings us to the Pitch’s latest pitch…

This from the pub’s “community manager” Sarah Ripple.

Ripple boasts of providing free news and information, but then asks readers to start choking out monthly contributions to keep the Pitch afloat. Heck, send her check if you’d prefer, she adds.

Alms for the poor, anyone?

Bottom line: the Pitch’s days of surviving on alt news fumes with hopes of hitting a big jackpot are fading fast. Actually, they’re gone.

How long before the Pitch goes for that final dirt nap?

That’s a pretty scary question…but chances are, the answer is not for long.