Redoing Media

Okay, Portland online content providers: The bar’s been raised.

From EnzymePDX editor/publisher Lew Serviss, who pays his staff and contributors as editor/publisher at EnzymePDX:

“I find it tremendously insulting that the concept that writers or other creative people should contribute their work for the thrill of having their name in lights. I just don’t buy it…I don’t think anybody should work for free.”

While the money quote’s near the end (at 24:50 of the 30 minute interview), there’s still plenty of intriguing conversation between Betsy, Lew, and contributor Cornelius Swart that you really should listen to as well. Lew defines just what Enzyme is — an online operation taking their time to do smart, thoughtful news analysis about the issues that matter to Portlanders — and what it is not — an entity in the business of doing breaking news, ‘meeting stenography’ to fill space, or recreating an already-existing wheel (food coverage in a town already redolent with same, for example.) We heard more about Enzyme’s current audience, the site’s vision/larger goals, and talked about potential content partnerships/alliances (with recent show guest Michael Andersen/Portland Afoot held out as an example of thoughtful coverage that also offers analysis, depth and relevance as well.)

We learned that, in true Portland style, the idea to launch Enzyme started over pizza and beer; that Lew is self-funding Enzyme at the present, and is looking towards revenue-generating partnerships to supplant the current advertising-only revenue model. And yes, he’s interested in hearing from freelance writers, although he’d emphasize serious, thoughtful beats (environment/sustainability, sciences, technology, etc.) as opposed to the usual arts, music, food topics already covered elsewhere. (Send email inquiries to info@enzymepdx.com.)

Our thanks to both Lew and Cornelius for their time and energy! Join us next week at 1:30 on Thursday on pdx.fm, when we’ll bring more thought and analysis to the local media scene here in Portland.

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