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Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Re; Attending events for A.M.D.

I would like to know if you would have any interest in covering some
events for us in your area?

There would be NO COST at all for admission, and it would not be
necessary for you to be an experienced reporter.

We are looking for members of the public to cover events such as Music
Concerts, Sporting Events, Restaurant Openings, Movies, Gallery
Openings, Shows, and others. Again, there is no admission to any of
the events, and no obligation is required.

We will be accepting only a few people from your area so let us know
if you are interested in obtaining any further information.

Phil Williams

AMD Event Coverage Coordinator

SITE-American Media Distribution(.com)

or americanmediadist.com

Fax9542064295

-

-This e-mail and any accompanying attachments are confidential. This
information is intended solely for the use of the individual to whom
it is addressed. Any review, disclosure, copying, distribution, or use
of this e-mail communication by others is strictly prohibited. THERE
WILL BE NO FOLLOWING EMAILS SENT - If you are not the intended
recipient, please notify us immediately by returning this message to
the sender and delete all copies. Thank you for your cooperation.

-Mcafee Virus Checked - Virus Free-

-- no more reporter/event updates reply w NO MORE in subject

--

--
,--

168 comments:

Anonymous said...

Very professional company. I have covered 3 events so far for them and have received 2 checks so far. I was a bit skeptical in the beginning but now can wholeheartedly recommend AMD to anyone seeking to freelance.

Donny G said...

I got this email as well and thought it a bit odd but the other person was correct. They are legit and I have gone to many shows since I signed up. I enter my own articles as well and get them sold. Got paid in a timely fasion. Good communication. I have no problems with them and don't know of anyone who does.

Patricia Marks said...

I have been doing research on these people already and I can not seem to find anything at all wrong. I don't want to plug my Blog but is has to do with advertising "Good Bad and Ugly".

I called reporters and tried American Media Distribution membership networking program. (which I found out they give a crazy amount to charities with) Both aspects of this company seem on the up and up. They do send emails to find people but beyond that it seems from everyone I had spoken with that everyone seems very happy with these people. Refreshing change from all of the complaints I hear on a daily basis.

Anonymous said...

Are you serious? You can't find anything about AMD online. It's just their website and review websites (Just like this one) with reviews that sound like they were all written by the same person.

Links to articles PLEASE!!

They do not label their media content, which is odd if they are a "big media company."

Will someone please post a link to an article that they wrote for AMD??? I have seen nothing online for them.

Sounds like American Media Distribution is a scam.

Anonymous said...

All i know is that i was curious and signed up. There didn't seem to be any funny business at all. I have given 2 assignments so far (accepted one of them) and it was not only the most fun I think I have ever had, but THEY PAID ME!! Anybody that says dont give this a try has NOT tried it themselves. I love these guys!!!

Anonymous said...

This company and this blog seem like a steaming bunch of shit to me. I've been around the block and stumbled a couple of times. So I know a crab cake from a turd.

Walter Hess said...

Apparently you don't know a crabcake from a turd. Let me guess. You didn't call or bother to do any research like see they have been around for years without a single bbb complaint. You need to educate yourself on what a content broker is. You will never find a tagged article from them because the reporter and the publication get credit. Try calling. So fabric its a scam by them paying for my time and never asking me for a dime then I hope they scam me fever. Work is hard to come by these days.

Stan h said...

I know. I love people who never really do any due diligence and scream scam on something they know little about. I looked Up their company record for law suits then the bbb. Not a single thing in 5 years. Then i joined. Have not had any problems at all.

Anonymous said...

Flanders Photography: Well they also contacted me last Feb 2011 I finally got to do a theater review the movie was horrific and that was Sept 21 and have yet to be paid and it was a $70 event gig. I have also done an Art Gallery Opening, I big Forest Fire and several other things.... no money yet. And no one is contacting me either. I do think it's a scam and like all I've read so far...no one has EVER seen anything in print from them. Think about it: I paid $150 for my Press Passes as a reporter/photographer, 7 month later I get to do a movie review no money yet, now if they do this for hundreds of people and only have to pay a couple of hundred dollars here and there, that's a pretty good intake of money don't you think??? I have a call into them now to return my passes and get my money back. And this will probably never be printed either, it's their site...

Anonymous said...

Here is a blogger who contributes to American Media Distribution. They shop articles and photos to the highest bidder. Obviously, the article must be salable in order for a reporter to get paid.

Anonymous said...

Here is the link: http://travelwriting2.com/a-conversation-with-elaine-masters/

Denise W said...

Dont know what you are talking about there Flanders Photo. AMD is a content broker! Look it up. They will never have articles online. They sell them under the publications name. I have been with them for a while and got paid on everything. Sounds like you are with another company trying to smear the name. Your right. Look everywhere and you don't see a bad comment about them. I am defending them because I am getting work in a hard time. Everyone over there is friendly and very accommodating.

Content brokers stay in the background. No publication will ever admit they use them because that is a sign that they can't keep their own staff reporters in house due to the expense. No idea what you are talking about getting charged for credentials. I never paid one red cent.

Anonymous said...

Me Neither. Not a dime.

Anonymous said...

I meant I did not pay a dime. Got paid on all my assignments. The first assignment I had a small delay but that was because I did not get my paperwork in correctly. Called my reporter rep (which answers me every time promptly) and they got it straight. Yea Denise, sounds like a competitor that does not even know what a content broker is..

Sam said...

Most of these 'positive' reviews are coming from the same ip address. Are you people stupid? There is no such thing as a 'content broker.' It's not even a real term. Look that one up. There aren't even social media pages for this supposed 'reputable' company (no LinkedIn, no Twitter, no Facebook...even companies that benefits from other companies' downfalls have a social media presence). From the sounds of it, Flanders Photography had to pay to attend these events. Total BS. I'm sorry, and you know this already, but they scammed you.

I got an email from them this morning and promptly deleted it. Do not fall for this scam--it's not even a good one. Even I could do better.

Anonymous said...

It goes to show you that when looking into a company to work with or buy from, always put very little weight into these blogs. The last comment states that he got an email, quickly deleted it and then proceeds to call everyone stupid and state facts without any research at all. A two second search of the Better Business Bureau Rating for this company shows an (A) rating with zero complaints ever made. Here is that link:

http://www.bbb.org/new-jersey/business-reviews/news-service/american-media-distribution-in-howell-nj-90096055

It is impossible to have a perfect rating (they show in the BBB as far back as 2006) and be doing anything but fair business. Wouldn't people be complaining all over the place if something wasn't kosher?

My point is not to take opinion's when making employment or buying decisions from every crazy person that happens to comment on a blog. That's just silly. Check with the BBB, talk to the company and ask questions, check for lawsuits filed. These guy's actually come across very legitimate after a quick look and have an interesting business model. But don't take my opinion as fact, be smart, be prudent and do a little homework through solid sources. Blogs are NOT a source for factual information.

tj said...

Amen! Fyi. Took me 5 second to find their linkedin listing.

Kevin L said...

AMD Linkedin link - found it on first page of google search. Obviously Sam didn't do much research when he could not seem to find any social media.

http://www.linkedin.com/pub/american-media-distribution/26/821/108

R.S. Didinsky said...

My brother who writes for a SF daily turned me on to them a couple of months back. Thus far I have done 6 write-ups, rather reasonable rates and timely payment. I like that we get the byline on the work as well.

Anonymous said...

I was contacted by them and I did all the paperwork. They wanted me to pay for Press creditials as an option since "I was experpeinced" that normally they don't give them till you are proven. I declined and said I would wait until things worked out. Inever heard from them again. I think the posters on this and other blogs saying they were paid are part of the scam. They are a smart group with website, and doing a facebook and linkedin page. I am sure enough prople go for the "pay for credentials" they are making lots of money. Stay away! This one screams SCAM

Jay Ramos said...

My goodness, I am glad I did not read your post before I joined with them in September. You may have scared me away.Even though you never worked with them or lost any money or anything, you are so proud to say scam. I have cashed 4 checks so far with them (dont even mind providing a copy of them if thats legal). Why did you go through the trouble of writing your whole opinion but never once address how in the world a company can carry a solid A rating in the BBB for years and years with no complaints at all and still not be doing good business????? How could they have never had one single lawsuit filed against them (I checked in Sept when signing and not even one filed). The other poster was right, dont take advise from "anonymous" bloggers or any bloggers for that matter. Do your homework. Thats what the BBB is there for. To make sure idiots that put up no research opinions, dont carry a lot of weight. My God, an A rating with the BBB with no complaints for years. Its impossible to carry that rating for so long and not be a good company. No matter how smart they are. Here the link; http://www.bbb.org/new-jersey/business-reviews/news-service/american-media-distribution-in-howell-nj-90096055

Ann C. said...

Thank your for your post Jay. Your right, in this day and time, how can a company have a perfect A rating with the better Business Bureau and have been in there since 2006 like it show's on the BBB site, and be anything but a solid company. Be serious, if they were not providing a good service and paying their employees well, that is the first place people would run to complain. These guys have been in there for 7 years with minimal/zero complaints at all. Common sense people, my due diligence brought me to sign up about 18 months ago, and I am doing very well.

Anonymous said...

I ALSO PAID OVER $2OO FOR MY "CREDENTIALS." IN A YEAR AND A HALF I'VE BEEN OFFERED ONLY 3 ASSIGNMENTS. I ACCEPTED TWO OF THEM AND WAS PAID FOR THE FIRST ONE, A REVIEW OF "SPIDERMAN" ON BROADWAY. NEVER HEARD ANYTHING AFTER I SUBMITTED THE SECOND ONE, A MOVIE REVIEW. ALSO SUBMITTED A COUPLE OF "SELF-ASSIGNED" ARTICLES WITH NO RESPONSE FROM AMD. THE FREE TICKETS I GOT FOR THE EVENTS WERE LEGIT, BUT I STILL THINK THERE'S SOMETHING FISHY ABOUT THE WHOLE OUTFIT, DESPITE THE BBB'S RATING.

Anonymous said...

I think you should give then a call, i have been having a wonderful experience reporting for them, ran into numerous reporters over the last year at events that work for them and they all rave. Give them a call. I have a feeling there is probably some little glitch in your file or something. This company and the work they have provided for me over the last year has been a godsend!

JohnnyJay said...

can only speak for myself but made over $6200 freelance $$ with them in 2012 and $1400 so far in 2013 and we're only at end of Feb. I agree with anom, if something not working out, call em. Always have been very responsive when i give em a shout.

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Anonymous said...

These guys made some of the first plasma ad systems.
I just made a quick telephone call to a former General Cinemas Corporation executive. He said they are fairly well known in the Theater, Movie, and mass media marketing fields (those wide-screen plasma TV's you see playing advertisements 24/7 in malls, gas stations, convenience stores, etc.). They used to be real big with a company called Convergent Media Group, which merged with and became Thompson Technologies, which was recently bought out by Sony Corporation. He would not express an opinion of "good" or "bad", just the facts that they have existed over a reasonable time, and they did business internationally with recognized big companies.

Rudolph Cray said...

My daughter is a freelance photographer for them. She say's she is getting some pretty decent work. We checked them out with the BBB and paid for a litigation search and they had an A plus rating with BBB when I checked and have had no lawsuits filed against them (I searched last 10 years). Shows they have been around since 2006. I suggest someone looking to work for them or any other company should do a little homework like I did. It doesn't take much time or money to really check out a company
the right way and don't count on blog posts. If any company has been around for years, rates well in the BBB and has nobody suing them, I'm thinking their freelance staff is getting paid fairly for their work.

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Robert Hayde said...

I now do trial coverage for this company and numerous others. First couple of jobs ran rather smoothly with AMD. Looking forward to my next.

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Sally P said...

Funny how all the "Anonymous" ones are dissing the company and the real ones that give their name look like they are actually working for the company. I agree with that other post, the nasty comments look like a rival company trying to smear AMD. I also agree with the other post, look at real sources and not a blog. BBB, lawsuits and so on. I took the time and looked. No lawsuits or REAL complaints in the entire history of the company. Done and Done.

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Doug G - DC said...

I also did the member networking program they have. It actually works well. Besides some other big ads I ran, that silly member networking program actually worked. Not much advertising seems to work for me. Kind of a nice change.

Anonymous said...

No, "American Media" IS NOT "American Media Distribution". From my research American Media Distribution is a thriving company that does event coverage and international news coverage, not publications or NPR. That is "American Media". American Media is not doing so well. I keep seeing people confuse the two companies. They are totally different. I hear nothing but good things about "American Media Distribution" unlike "American Media."

Slutty Girl Problems said...

I am having a TON of trouble with American Media Distribution.

I paid nearly $300 for credentials offered by Phil Williams in May, over 3 months ago. I was told I would have my credentials within 2-6 weeks. Over the course of 3 months, they had "difficulties" opening my pictures, spelling my name correctly, getting my height and hair color correctly, and verifying my address to send them. FINALLY, now, in August, I have received my less-than-official-looking credentials.

Still, over 4 weeks later, I have not received any assignments. Their "HR Department" if it even exists, in incredibly unhelpful and uninformative. Each day, I realize more and more that I have been scammed.

I fear that even if I DO get jobs, I won't get let it, or my articles won't be accepted, or I won't get paid. If I send back my credentials (with the promise to get back my "insurance" payment for them) they will somehow not "receive" them and will never return payment.

I hope AMD can turn their services around and begin to thrive. I hope I can come back and write a glowing review. So far, I can only say, RUN FROM THIS COMPANY. Do not give them your money. Do not waste your time.

HJ said...

HOUSTON-- China Daily, China's largest English-language newspaper, has expanded its distribution to Houston, Texas, this month after launching in New York City in February 2009.

The paper expanded quickly in the last two years. It is now printing in NYC, Washington D.C,. San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago and Houston. Written in English, China Daily USA offers English readers in the United States news coverage and analysis of the current developments and trends in China's economy and society. It reaches government leaders, legislators, foreign missions, multinational corporation and celebrities, Politicians, business people and celebrities in Houston have welcomed the newspaper, including former U.S. President George H.W. Bush and basketball star Yao Ming.

ggtips said...

Saw this in the wire...

American Media Distribution Extends News Coverage to Include South Korea, Japan and Taiwan.

American Media Distribution, an event and news coverage firm has extended their coverage areas to include several additional key Asian countries. American Media Distribution's live news and event coverage now extends its reach to South Korea, Japan and Taiwan. American Media Distribution has added these countries to its worldwide pool of over 1200 reporters due to the rising importance of news originating from this region.

American Media Distribution is one of the largest news coverage organizations that utilize their massive network of journalists located around the globe to provide staff coverage for news outlets and publication clients.

Major news outlets and publications contract American Media Distribution to cover an event or to provide news content in areas that are either outside the client’s normal area of coverage, or to dramatically reduce the client’s expenses that are associated with sending one of their own staff reporters.

American Media Distribution covers everything from a local restaurant review to some of the largest events such as the Super Bowl, live concerts, breaking news stories and the Oscars. American Media Distribution also provides wire services and streaming on-site news feeds.

For more information, please visit our website: www.americanmediadistribution.com
Visit our new website that will be online and available within the next couple of months.

Anonymous said...

Media of the United States consist of several different types of communications media: television, radio, cinema, newspapers, magazines, and Internet-based Web sites. The U.S. also has a strong music industry. Many of the media are controlled by large for-profit corporations who reap revenue from advertising, subscriptions, and sale of copyrighted material. American media conglomerates tend to be leading global players, generating large revenues as well as large opposition in many parts of the world. With the passage of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, further deregulation and convergence are under way, leading to mega-mergers, further concentration of media ownership, and the emergence of multinational media conglomerates. These mergers enable tighter control of information.[1] Currently, six corporations control roughly 90% of the media.[2] Critics allege that localism, local news and other content at the community level, media spending and coverage of news, and diversity of ownership and views have suffered as a result of these processes of media concentration.[3]

Theories to explain the success of such companies include reliance on certain policies of the American federal government or a tendency to natural monopolies in the industry. See Media bias in the United States.

Anonymous said...

Back in 1983, approximately 50 corporations controlled the vast majority of all news media in the United States. Today, ownership of the news media has been concentrated in the hands of just six incredibly powerful media corporations. These corporate behemoths control most of what we watch, hear and read every single day. They own television networks, cable channels, movie studios, newspapers, magazines, publishing houses, music labels and even many of our favorite websites. Sadly, most Americans don't even stop to think about who is feeding them the endless hours of news and entertainment that they constantly ingest. Most Americans don't really seem to care about who owns the media. But they should. The truth is that each of us is deeply influenced by the messages that are constantly being pounded into our heads by the mainstream media. The average American watches 153 hours of television a month. In fact, most Americans begin to feel physically uncomfortable if they go too long without watching or listening to something. Sadly, most Americans have become absolutely addicted to news and entertainment and the ownership of all that news and entertainment that we crave is being concentrated in fewer and fewer hands each year.

The six corporations that collectively control U.S. media today are Time Warner, Walt Disney, Viacom, Rupert Murdoch's News Corp., CBS Corporation and NBC Universal. Together, the "big six" absolutely dominate news and entertainment in the United States. But even those areas of the media that the "big six" do not completely control are becoming increasingly concentrated. For example, Clear Channel now owns over 1000 radio stations across the United States. Companies like Google, Yahoo and Microsoft are increasingly dominating the Internet.

But it is the "big six" that are the biggest concerns. When you control what Americans watch, hear and read you gain a great deal of control over what they think. They don't call it "programming" for nothing.

Back in 1983 it was bad enough that about 50 corporations dominated U.S. media. But since that time, power over the media has rapidly become concentrated in the hands of fewer and fewer people....

In 1983, fifty corporations dominated most of every mass medium and the biggest media merger in history was a $340 million deal. … [I]n 1987, the fifty companies had shrunk to twenty-nine. … [I]n 1990, the twenty-nine had shrunk to twenty three. … [I]n 1997, the biggest firms numbered ten and involved the $19 billion Disney-ABC deal, at the time the biggest media merger ever. … [In 2000] AOL Time Warner’s $350 billion merged corporation [was] more than 1,000 times larger [than the biggest deal of 1983].

--Ben H. Bagdikian, The Media Monopoly, Sixth Edition, (Beacon Press, 2000), pp. xx—xxi

Today, six colossal media giants tower over all the rest. Much of the information in the chart below comes from mediaowners.com. The chart below reveals only a small fraction of the media outlets that these six behemoths actually own....

Anonymous said...

To date my experience has been a very positive one. James at the assignment desk has been a doll. He even sent me out a camera to use since mine is from the stone age (2005,lol). Are there any good deals on used but reliable photography equipment out there on the web?

Anonymous said...

These guys have been reliable for me in he past

http://www.keh.com/?gclid=CNXk6fWJybkCFQ_LtAodHR0Anw

WeberJP said...

Me to. Nothing but good experiences for me.

Kidum said...

Yep. They are great. International publicity from wire.

Kidum Kibido is Crossing Borders with His Music-New Story Released by American Media Distribution

http://hotnewproducts1.com/blog/2013/08/07/kidum-kibido-is-crossing-borders-with-his-music-new-story-released-by-american-media-distribution-best-sellers/

Anonymous said...

I worked with them for years. I had an email problem once and missed some communication but besides that all good.

TEK-9JSON said...

They are huge and operate behind the scenes. I know for a fact they run a ton of coverage for big media outlets at the Oscars. I was a tech in one of their satellite trucks. Was a temp gig and I got paid like a day after. Hard to get in with them on a salary basis though. Long process of applications.

Anonymous said...

They are huge. I think they are in like 30 countries and have reporters in every city and state in the US.

JourneyMan543 said...

They are in Hawaii and Alaska as well. Just did a temp freelance job for them in Nome.

Anonymous said...

I DONT UNDERSTAND, DOES THIS COMPANY USE PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHERS TO SHOOT EVENTS??

Anonymous said...

Yes, I believe that they do, but I think that you would need a certain level of experience shooting large events and such. Call em up. Ya never know.

Anonymous said...

I have done live video work for them in 3 countries. There were photographers there as well.

Anonymous said...

I guess I am the first person to post on here saying that I have had a problem. I have done two jobs and not gotten paid. Both submitted on time, quality work. It has been more than 9 months of back and forth with Phil and other staff. They have a perfect rating with BBB as BBB does not handle complaints for wages/payment.

SLsloan said...

I did not have that experience. They paid me pretty fast after my first assignment went through with my initial paperwork. I would contact AP directly.

Anonymous said...

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DJCBS said...

Worked with them on many projects. Good people. Never any major problems.

Anonymous said...

They are big. I know they do sat up-links and news feeds for MSNBC, Fox News and a bunch of other large news entities. They are one of the few that are in Korea and China too.

frank g said...

I concur. They are enormous. I have a bunch of friends that work for them. They like it there. I don't work there so I can not vouch but my friends have nothing bad to say about them. Seem to be on the up and up. They have been around a long time pioneering some of the first streaming software implemented on plasma and tube advertising displays. They also rented motion print displays to trade shows like ten years ago when that technology was just coming out.

Anonymous said...

Lol. Sounds like you are more mad the movie stunk and the way you write here sounds like your review was probably crazy slanted. And your conjecture that they make people do assignments and never pay them is impossibleto be true out every reporter would quit, and they have the second largest repoter pool in the world, with no complaints. I did just a small amount of research and already found enough to make that comment bogus.

stanjj said...

Oh god yea, they are huge. They have like one of the biggest reporter pools in the world

Anonymous said...

Dummy. Love people who don't take five seconds to investigate then vomit their ignorance

Anonymous said...

I agree. People take zero time and come to their own conclusions and they are usually wrong.

You take 5 minutes and see this AMD is huge, and has been around a long time. I don't see a single bad remark (on a real site like BBB and financial reviews-not blogs crap).

These guys have those satellite truck up-links and heavy hardware too.

bb said...

They work behind the scenes of on-site news coverage mostly.

GloverJ said...

Did some PR with them a while back. They are very connected in the media world. Did some TV production as well. They did good work.

Anonymous said...

Yea, you can't look at any company through YELP. They are mafia. They have been documented as leaving
and sometimes making bad comments on companies then calling them shortly after offering to get the bad marks off for a price. Yelp is totally bogus.

Here are just a few sites documenting it.

http://niftymarketing.com/why-small-businesses-hate-yelp/

http://www.businessinsider.com/20-percent-of-yelp-reviews-fake-2013-9

TacoJ said...

I know. Yelp stinks. They kept all my negative reviews on from my restaurant and all the good reviews stayed, and the same thing happened to me. They called me and outright said if i join I can control more of that. YELP IS TOTALLY BOGUS and I will never trust anything I see on them.

AlfadTurk said...

Yea, Yelp is not a good source for looking up businesses. They are totally bias. Unless of course you fork out their outrageous prices. Then all of a sudden great reviews pop up.

This company AMD has been around for a long long time. They have been in the background of news coverage for most of the large networks. How do you think CNN can be in 100 places at one time. Yep, they subcontract, like the rest of the world does.

From what I know from working at the TV station I work at that subcontracts them they are almost as big as the Associated press. They are just a very private firm.

Anonymous said...

Not sure why there is even a debate here. These guys are bigger than most TV stations. I confirmed they are almost as big as the Associated Press, they just don't really deal with the public.

Anonymous said...

Thay may be legit, but I did an assignment and never got paid, they kept telling me the check is in the mail - that was 8 months ago. had to pay almost $300 to them up front to get started... hmmmm i'm a sucker.

Anonymous said...

Yes, wrong company there. Never heard that before but sure there is a first. Try just calling.

Josh H said...

American Media Distribution Inc. offers news and content gathering, reporting, and distribution services to media outlets. The company is based in Howell, New Jersey.

4057 US Highway 9 North

Suite 239

Howell, NJ 07731

United States

Phone:

888-319-6336

Fax:

954-206-4295

www.americanmediadistribution.com
Key Executives for American Media Distribution Inc.

American Media Distribution Inc. does not have any Key Executives recorded.
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Sharon fisher said...

bunch os Sat stuff I saw

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Darlene B said...

I have never dealt with a nicer bunch of people. I had some communication problems with my spam folder at first but we fixed that, but what really got me, and i just have not seen this before in a modern company, was what they did for me after my husband passed away. I was hesitant to share this as I hope no one tried to take advantage of them or ask for this, but I felt they needed to be recognized. The rep found out about my loss and they gave me advances on pay, pay i did not know I could even get a chance to work for as I have been in a financial wreck since he passed-- then when I just could not work anymore due to my situation and heath, they just flat out waived everything and left an open door for me to come back anytime with no debt at all. It was like something out of the 1940's. I could not believe a company that big cares about someone as small as me. The money was invaluable and helped me keep my home. Thank you AMD, thank you for being there when i needed you the most.

I had asked within the circles and found out many other "above and beyond" things they have done.

Jan Goldfield said...

I paid $292.00 for credentials in December 2012. Rec'd them in January of 2013. Was asked to cover one event. I did that and submitted an article to them. I did not hear from them for 60 days, called Phil Williams and was assured all was OK and got the submission acceptance. Did not get paid. Sent my credentials back in September 2013. Am still fighting to get my $292.00 back. I am threatening legal action now. I did get an email this morning from the legal department saying the person I had been dealing with had 'an unfortunate accident' and was no longer with AMD. I was promised that they would look into it and get back to me in 48 hours. I have gotten so many similar emails that I no longer believe them.

Danny G said...

Sounds like American Media the publisher. American Media the publisher are like that. Two different companies. American Media Distribution is not that company. Never heard of deposits.

Anonymous said...

Yep, only stringers all over the world. That other company "American Media" is a publisher and not like this American Media Distribution. They seem to have a spotless record.

LB said...

That's funny.

This was a good article too

That's funny.

This was a good article too

6 tips for getting gigs as a freelance journalist

avatar by Beth Winegarner Published Oct. 2, 2012 7:36 am Updated Oct. 2, 2012 4:13 pm


Today, freelance journalism can feel like a constant battle: to come up with good ideas, to pitch them to the right places and to land assignments that both pay well and leave enough room for more writing.

Many reporters turn to freelancing at some point in their careers. They may be fresh out of college and hoping to build a broad range of clips. They may be victims of downsizing who are trying to keep their bylines out there. Or they may be in a situation where they need the flexibility freelancing can provide.

Freelancing has its downsides, including instability, serving as your own collections agency and waiting months for payment. But it also has a major upside, says San Francisco freelance reporter Chris Roberts: “Freedom. You are free to rise when you please, quit when you please, travel as you please.”

In a market crowded with freelancers, it helps to know how to find and create more opportunities. Here are some tips to help you make those opportunities.

Create a network and continue to build it

When I got my start as a freelance music writer in the mid-1990s, I got my first freelance jobs through personal contacts. When I interviewed one editor for a college research paper, he asked me to freelance for him. After a while, he introduced me to an editor at the San Francisco Chronicle who gave me my second gig. Each one led to another.

Later, I worked for print newspapers, getting to know dozens of journalists and editors. After my daughter was born and I returned to freelancing, that network helped me find editors looking for freelancers — and even a few who weren’t looking, but were willing to assign me stories because they knew me.

Thanks to Facebook and Twitter, connecting with fellow freelancers has never been easier. Knowing who’s writing, and who they’re writing for, gives you a good sense of which publications are open to taking freelance work. Get to know other freelancers on social networks and, once you’ve built a rapport with them, ask them to introduce you to their editors. While cold-pitching works, your success rate will be much greater with a personal introduction.

Research potential publications – and their editors

Before you pitch, study up on what a particular newspaper, magazine or website publishes. Read some of their articles to see what topics they cover, as well as their tone or style. Who is their audience? Is their voice very no-frills, or chatty? Are they left-leaning, right-leaning or unpartisan?

“Luxury magazines don’t want tales of the urban poor. And alt-weeklies don’t want pieces fluffing the establishment,” Robert says. “Use your sense.”

In particular, seek out publications you enjoy reading, says Natalie Zina Walschots, a music and culture writer in Toronto. Look online for their submissions guidelines; if you can’t find them, email an editor and ask how they like to be pitched.

Likewise, see what you can find out about the editor you’re pitching to: What kinds of stories or angles does she like? Does she prefer pitches by phone or email? This is where your network comes in handy again; colleagues can tell you how to navigate the stormy pitching skies.

Pitch on subjects other reporters are missing

Are you an expert on relatively obscure topics, such as education funding, political unrest in Tbilisi or heavy metal in South Africa? If so, you can often create a niche for yourself by pitching those kinds of stories to publications that aren’t covering them, but should be.

Once you establish a rapport with an editor, make sure he or she knows your areas of expertise, in case stories come up that require your knowledge.

Desert rose said...

Monster worldwide company- heard nothing but good things..

NBC NWSFrank said...

Yea a lot of people confuse this big news coverage firm with that publishing company "American Media". They are like opposites.

haven't seen anything bad or heard anything bad about them. I am in the industry and it would get around quick-they are nice to deal with is all I ever keep hearing

Anonymous said...

We rented sat trucks from them. All went very smooth, especially due to our demands and large technical specs that were all met.

We would definitely use them again to unlink.

JumpinJacksScoop said...

They are not taking in any new credentialed reporters. I tried to get in but there is a waiting list now that seems really long. They are taking contributing reporters so I jumped into that just to get in the system.

you have to wait for someone to retire, expire or quit for a set of those to free up. I checked and they are now internationally recognized credentials... I'll wait...

Anonymous said...

I was with AMD for about two years and experienced constant problems and long delays when it came to getting paid, not to mention getting assignment offers that were in my area and didn't require hours of (unpaid) travel. I was constantly told there were technical "anomalies" with my account "that had never happened before" or given any number of other excuses. For one assignment, I was informed that I'd been paid, when I'd received nothing (turns out, the check was apparently sent to the wrong address), and it took months longer to receive a check. At this point, AMD owes me for my final assignment and a refund of $295 for the return of my credentials. I opted to cancel my contract, tired of the continual issues. I followed procedure for cancellation and return of my credentials via Certified Mail. I have the signed return receipt from more than 4 months ago. Still, I've received nothing and very little information from either my (former) rep, from someone I've been in contact with at the assignment desk, or from the HR Dept. I've attempted to file a BBB Complaint, was then referred to the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General and then, from there, to the Department of Labor and Workforce Development. End result: my complaint does not fall within the scope or jurisdiction of any of these agencies. I'm told my only recourse is to file a lawsuit or a small claim; however, those options would be costly, not to mention quite difficult in the latter case due to the fact that I live thousands of miles away from AMD's place of business. The amount I'm owed, while significant to me, is in the hundreds not thousands, but I'm continuing to try to get what I'm owed out of principle. Not only that, but I'm in contact with another former AMD reporter--someone I've never met personally--who's in the same situation. When that person posted publicly about her experience, she was (she tells me) harassed. She believes ... and I'm inclined to agree ... that some of the praiseworthy posts we've seen about AMD were (and are) actually made by employees. So, in a nutshell, my obvious advice is to steer clear of this "opportunity."

Anonymous said...

Wow, my experience has been really good. Not sure about employees posting but i would assume there would be a ton out there.

I checked and American Media Distribution does not accept deposits or any new credentialed reporters. Anyone cal call to check that so not sure. Maybe it's a different company like "America Media". They have a bad rep. Not the same company.

Jenny Crutsch said...


I did a bunch of research on these guys before I used some of their services. Yes they are very legit, and very large from the research I have found.

They are A+ with no complaints at all, not even a satisfied one. I paid to check law suits and found none in their history. They seem to be the second largest reporter pool in the world and do on-site sat uplink trucks. I have a buddy who used them for CNN coverage.


We did some PR services went very well.

Here are a couple other things I have found as well.

Here is a PR I found:

American Media Distribution, an event and news coverage firm has extended their coverage areas to include several additional key Asian countries. American Media Distribution's live news and event coverage now extends its reach to South Korea, Japan and Taiwan. American Media Distribution has added these countries to its worldwide pool of over 1200 reporters due to the rising importance of news originating from this region.

American Media Distribution is one of the largest news coverage organizations that utilize their massive network of journalists located around the globe to provide staff coverage for news outlets and publication clients.

Major news outlets and publications contract American Media Distribution to cover an event or to provide news content in areas that are either outside the client’s normal area of coverage, or to dramatically reduce the client’s expenses that are associated with sending one of their own staff reporters.

American Media Distribution covers everything from a local restaurant review to some of the largest events such as the Super Bowl, live concerts, breaking news stories and the Oscars. American Media Distribution also provides wire services and streaming on-site news feeds.

These guys made some of the first plasma ad systems.

I just made a quick telephone call to a former General Cinemas Corporation executive. He said they are fairly well known in the Theater, Movie, and mass media marketing fields (those wide-screen plasma TV's you see playing advertisements 24/7 in malls, gas stations, convenience stores, etc.). They used to be real big with a company called Convergent Media Group, which merged with and became Thompson Technologies, which was recently bought out by Sony Corporation. He would not express an opinion of "good" or "bad", just the facts that they have existed over a reasonable time, and they did business internationally with recognized big companies.

I am certainly no employee of theirs. Though I cannot claim to know about how the reporter side of it works, I just don’t see any customer complaints.

Maybe they just treat their clients well. sorry, that's all i care about! LOL being a client ..

Anyone can contact me if they want-
jennyc@austin.rr.com



Anonymous said...

These guys are good.

http://www.racquettech.com/

Anonymous said...

Everyday, more people are turning to freelance. The motivations range from shrinking newsroom staffs to journalists who want more freedom over what they report.

However, Marta Gómez Rodulfo, a freelance Spanish reporter with 12 years experience in Spain and Mexico, thinks the vocation still has a ways to go before it's taken seriously. The first step is not to see freelance journalism as a something to pass the time while looking for a traditional news job.

"The first piece of advice I give is to think of it as a business. You have to look for clients, network, attend events. That's why I think freelance journalists should know about marketing in order to negotiate," said Gómez Rodulfo, who teaches a workshop for journalists in Mexico and Spain called "How to be a freelance journalist and not die trying."

In a conversation with the Knight Center for Journalism in the Americas, Gómez Rodulfo shared some of her tips for freelance journalists and those looking to break into the field.

*Think of your reporting like a business

Treat your work with the seriousness it deserves by thinking of it as a business. If you work at home, set hours for yourself, create a space that you see as an office and be sure that family and friends see it that way too. This way, you can avoid interruptions and you'll be in a position to turn in quality work on time.

*Don't try to do it all

While there are a lot of advantages to writing your own stories, taking photographs and doing video too, if you're sacrificing quality to get it all done you won't get the extra leg you're hoping for. If you can achieve excellence in just one of these areas, you'll reap the benefits.

*Specialization is a plus

Finding a topic that you can become an expert in can be a huge advantage. If you do, you'll have more control over your work opportunities and it's more likely that media outlets will seek you out. However, it's not required. If what most attracts you to freelance journalism is the freedom to pursue lots of different topics, go for it. If your work is good, regardless of the theme, you can always sell it.

*Master the language

Specializing in a particular subject or having multimedia skills is great but don't forget that mastering the language is the key to journalism. Grammatical errors will cost you more in this industry. Review your documents well and try everyday to improve your command of the language.

*Take advantage of the Latin American "boom"

As a European reporter, Gómez Rodulfo noted that there is currently a strong interest in Latin American journalists. If you're not having luck where you're from, try moving to another region, like Europe, where talented Latin American reporters are highly esteemed.

*Research publications, outlets

It seems like an obvious step but many don't do it. Before sending your resume or CV, study the organizations where you want to work. Pay attention to kinds of topics they cover and their writing style. This way you can pitch several ideas (eight is a good number) to the editor.

*Value your work

One of the biggest hurdles for freelance journalists is pitching your work on your terms. It could be because the news media still doesn't value the work or because some reporters give their work away in hopes of getting published but the important thing is that you know what your work is worth. Before each story, calculate how much time it should take to report, what expenses might be involved (trips, phone calls, food) and how much time it will take to write.

Some Tools

Keep in mind that there are websites dedicated to promoting the work of freelance journalists. Some focus on photojournalism, others fund reporting and buy work:

Anonymous said...

Huge Huge company. Bloomberg report says clean.

Frank Pitello said...

I was a reporter for them. I didn't have any problems except when i tried to get back into the pool.

I had to leave due to a situation that arose in my life, and i got my deposit back for my credentials after mailing them back and signing the cancellation of freelancer agreement forms, but what got me was when i tried to get back in they did not accept me back. They said when i cancelled my credentials were reassigned. I did look back and indeed it was stated in the cancellation agreement but i had been with them for 3 years. Had a ton of assignments.

The HR rep said they would try, and out me back on the waiting list, but they are not doing a fast track with deposits anymore so I have to intern for a year.

I am a seasoned reporter and do not want to "intern". I truly hope they give me my credentials back so I can go back to work for them.

Anonymous said...

YEP, they are not accepting any new reporters IN CERTAIN AREAS. I think they passed the Associated Press new and are the world's largest reporter pool.

If you are in the Middle East, or Asia they are taking on new reporters there, and all over Europe.

FYI.. I guess they are full here in America

Anonymous said...

I think they did. I work with the AP and I hear whispers around here that they passed us in number of reporters worldwide, but not here in the USA. So I guess American Media Distribution is the largest reporter pool in the world now. They are just do private because of the nature of their freelancers.

If you don't know, they are like a freelancer managerial firm that are subcontracted by news entities to do coverage, and no one wants to admit they use them because it is basically saying the news entity can't afford to send, or does not want to send their own reporter because of the cost involved.

Debbie Soloman said...

No, they don't take deposits for credentials. I know that for a fact because I interned for a year to get my credentials and I have heard they used to do that to protect against misuse of credentials; Which misuse was very frequent from what I heard. I have also heard that they bled over 1 million in damages from reporters doing stupid things out there, which we all know those types of reporters.

They now do background checks and call all the stringer's former employers before they even let you in to intern!

A bit strict, but they have a ton of work to hand out so I guess it is worth it.

I was happy to hear about the direct deposit payments they have now and I need to get one of those applications filled out.

And like I just read on the other post that the company gives a ton to charities.

GG said...

Yea, they are huge. Like the other post said I think they have the largest reporter pool in the world, surpassing the Associated Press.

Percy W said...

I did a ton of research on them as well. Can't get any cleaner then these guys. Couple reporter complaints but with the worlds largest reporter pool I would be nervous if I didn't see something.

The old adage, with my twist, can't please everyone all the time, but if you are going to please someone it better be the customer! And at least that is what they do as I have never seen a customer complaint.

Anonymous said...

Not entirely sure what the question is here. If you are in the industry you know who they are.

We had fantastic customer service and really nothing compared to them when we used them for satellite onsite coverage up-links.

There really is no other company in the world that does what they do, so I am not sure they even have competition.

Anonymous said...

You know, I would think some of these were written by employees if I didn't do business with them myself.

We did have one problem with a reporter/material returned. They gave us material that was just not anything remotely close to what we had asked for, but we never were charged for the service. So, that was fair. We did order the coverage again and got much better material, so maybe it is a hit and miss with their reporter pool. I suggest before ordering coverage to get a background on the reporter that is doing the actual coverage to make sure they have a good work history.

Anonymous said...

American Media Distribution is a huge, silent company. They work behind the scenes of news around the world. The word is 1 out of every 5 reporters in the world does or has worked for them, and like 15-20% of all of the news on TV comes from them somehow, someway.

I was a stringer for 20 years and worked full time for some publishers, but ended up getting more work in one year from these guys then I did in 5 years at my publisher. I am too old now and wish I had found these guys years ago.

Anonymous said...

We did a bunch of business w these guys. never a prob. Major communication.

HJYJ-THE MAN said...

********************************
AMERICAN MEDIA DISTRIBUTION IS A MONSTER COMPANY WITH LIKE 45 DIVISIONS. IF THEY EVER GO PUBLIC THEIR STOCK WOULD BE HUGE BECAUSE MY BUDDY WORKS THERE AND THEY KEEP EVERYTHING IN-HOUSE AND HAVE LIKE A ZERO DEBIT ALL IN THE BLACK SITUATION. EVERYONE GETS RAISES CONSTANTLY.

ForbesFreddy said...

No duh! Why is there even a question, I guess because they are not public enough to recognize?

Yea, they are like Becktel. No one has heard of them but they did 37 bil.last year.
Or Private Flying J?? 20 Billion, convenience stores and gas stations. AMD is one of those behind the scenes privately held companies that we all wish went public.

Looks like 234 million last year FYI

Anonymous said...

Yep - I saw a ridiculous perfect business credit score on them.

Jackie S said...

Very private, very large. I know my editor uses them all the time and we get CNN and MSNBC feeds from them.

Anonymous said...

I am a relatively new reporter for them in Poland and wrote a story on the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Very extensive publication worldwide and just got paid (which was very timely and much needed). I am very excited to be a corespondent and part of the pool.

Igor S said...

I am working in Slovenia for AMD. Good to meet you. Did you hear that several of us are going into the hot zone? War correspondence. I am a bit scared and excited at the same time.

Anonymous said...

I feel for anybody living today in a country within Russia's sphere of influence. It seems Putin has his own intimidating agenda.

ScooperJ said...

I agree. I was with several AMD reporters for the Olympics and we were scrutinized like nobody's business. Then we knew we were being watched, even in the hotel. For a fact. Even when we went out for drinks they asked us to leave our cameras at the hotel! Odd. All of us felt very uneasy. They took some of our equipment at the airport like out night vision lenses. If it didn't pay so well we might not have even gone. One of the The camera men I was with had done other assignments for AMD in the area and he said it was even worse and we were lucky it was the Olympics or more equipment would have been seized. Nothing to do with AMD as we asked the other reporters that were there and they said they were going through the same thing. An ABC correspondent we were working with said he felt his hotel room was gone through and they tried to put everything back in it's place, but he knew certain things were not in the same place he left them. like his laptop. Then he found a logging virus, like they were monitoring his emails. IK!

Jamesislistening said...

Hey Scooper! It's Jimmy! We had drinks that night they asked us to leave our cameras. I was the blond guy and we were laughing about that crazy blond drunk Russian girl that was screaming at the hotel bar. I was in the group next to you, remember? I was with the ABC group you guys were working with. Sound man.

I love you AMD guys, you three gave that guy shit man. You have some big balls because that was one big rusky grabbing at your camera.

Hey, do you have a hook-up for someone over there at American Media Distribution? I spoke with Andy your sound guy you were working with and you guys received something like 3 times the pay I did for the same work. I wouldn't mind taking a couple gigs from AMD.

I tried calling in and emailing and they said they are not taking any new reporters unless it was out of the US. I do a lot of European gigs I told them but they were looking for more Asian areas. Not sure I am in love with those odd Asian places.

No problem if you don't. I heard from another AMD guy in California that they are pretty tight now with reporters. Let me know, if not no worries. Anyway, stay safe and good to see you out here.

ScooperJ said...

Hey! yes I remember!!! To to hear from you, Yes, that was an odd experience.

Let me make a call to my reporter rep and see if I can get you a contact. Where did you want to work? Just anywhere in Europe?

Jamesislistening said...

Perfect, yes thank you, or anything in the US, but i know that might be tough,

ScooperJ said...

OK, I don't want to post it here but call Jenny from ABC, she was your liaison as well. I gave her the info. there is an opening in Frankfurt to work for AMD.

Good Luck with the interview!

Jamesislistening said...

Thanks scooper! I called Jenny and she hooked me up. I have an interview next week. AMD Frankfurt and Rammstein area.

Anonymous said...

Oh God, I agree. I wish these guys would go public, they are indeed huge.

Anonymous said...

I would stay away from AMD. I signed up in May of 2012; 2 years later, I have not received any real assignments and did not get paid for the ones I did. I requested my deposit for my credentials back and it took 2 months to get a reply. I would contact my rep, not hear anything, so I contacted the assignment desk. I got the run around time and time again.

J Glidden - NewsDog said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

I have been working with them for over 2 years, received and been paid on numerous assignments and they have actually been a godsend for me at a time where I have needed the income. Reasonable rates and very timely payments for my work to date.

jendson g said...

Everyday, more people are turning to freelance. The motivations range from shrinking newsroom staffs to journalists who want more freedom over what they report.However, Marta Gómez Rodulfo, a freelance Spanish reporter with 12 years experience in Spain and Mexico, thinks the vocation still has a ways to go before it's taken seriously. The first step is not to see freelance journalism as a something to pass the time while looking for a traditional news job. "The first piece of advice I give is to think of it as a business. You have to look for clients, network, attend events. That's why I think freelance journalists should know about marketing in order to negotiate," said Gómez Rodulfo, who teaches a workshop for journalists in Mexico and Spain called "How to be a freelance journalist and not die trying." In a conversation with the Knight Center for Journalism in the Americas, Gómez Rodulfo shared some of her tips for freelance journalists and those looking to break into the field. *Think of your reporting like a businessTreat your work with the seriousness it deserves by thinking of it as a business. If you work at home, set hours for yourself, create a space that you see as an office and be sure that family and friends see it that way too. This way, you can avoid interruptions and you'll be in a position to turn in quality work on time. *Don't try to do it allWhile there are a lot of advantages to writing your own stories, taking photographs and doing video too, if you're sacrificing quality to get it all done you won't get the extra leg you're hoping for. If you can achieve excellence in just one of these areas, you'll reap the benefits. *Specialization is a plusFinding a topic that you can become an expert in can be a huge advantage. If you do, you'll have more control over your work opportunities and it's more likely that media outlets will seek you out. However, it's not required. If what most attracts you to freelance journalism is the freedom to pursue lots of different topics, go for it. If your work is good, regardless of the theme, you can always sell it. *Master the languageSpecializing in a particular subject or having multimedia skills is great but don't forget that mastering the language is the key to journalism. Grammatical errors will cost you more in this industry. Review your documents well and try everyday to improve your command of the language. *Take advantage of the Latin American "boom"As a European reporter, Gómez Rodulfo noted that there is currently a strong interest in Latin American journalists. If you're not having luck where you're from, try moving to another region, like Europe, where talented Latin American reporters are highly esteemed. *Research publications, outletsIt seems like an obvious step but many don't do it. Before sending your resume or CV, study the organizations where you want to work. Pay attention to kinds of topics they cover and their writing style. This way you can pitch several ideas (eight is a good number) to the editor. 

Anonymous said...

Yea, they must own the bbb or maybe they are an NSA cover, even though they do everything they said they would do.. Yes black choppwrs

Anonymous said...

i Saw this on them. Huge company w sat trucks - For your next live sports back haul, news event, video news release, satellite media tour, or multi-site video conference, T.P.S. has all of the tools necessary to distribute your event throughout the USA and worldwide. From Ku to C band, Standard Definition (SD) to High Definition (HD), MPEG2 to MPEG4, we have nationwide availability of satellite uplink trucks, downlink dishes, and satellite space. Choose from our options below.
Uplink Trucks and Fly Away Packs
We offer a full range of transportable Ku band and C band satellite uplink trucks with HD and SD capabilities using Tandberg and Adtec encoding methods. These fully redundant broadcast uplink units are available in every major city throughout the United States and some even have multi-camera production capability. Each uplink truck has an on-board power generator and multiple cell phones for complete self reliance. Conditional Access encryption is also available upon request. We also offer portable satellite uplink flypacks with 1.2 to 1.4 meter dishes: perfect for the Caribbean islands or any other location where an uplink truck can not be effective.
Downlink Dishes
Nationwide availability of TVRO portable satellite downlink dishes. With either Ku or C band receivers, and HD, SDI, and analog capabilities, a professional satellite downlink technician accompanies every rental.
Occasional Use Satellite Space
With 36, 18, 9, 6, or 4.5 mhz digital transponders available, we have access to some of the most cost effective Ku and C band occasional-use satellite space available, and regularly provide satellite feeds to and from foreign countries.

Telis Grey said...

You can always tell the feeble attempts the competition posts... LOL

dd VANCE said...

I SEARCHED EVERYWHERE AND CAN'T FIND ANYTHING BAD NO THESE GUYS. COUPLE OF REPORTERS THAT DIDN'T GET ENOUGH WORK IS ALL I FOUND. AS SOMEONE THAT IS LOOKING TO USE THEM FOR BUSINESS I DON'T CARE ABOUT UNHAPPY REPORTERS. LOL

STU-E said...

Hi Vance,

Yes, there is nothing bad about these guys. They have been around for over 16 years as a freelance journalist managerial firm, they did plasma advertising software, then became one of the largest news firms that operate behind the scenes. These guys have people in every country mt friend in the biz said.

Anonymous said...

They are one of the only NEWS firms in some really crazy parts of Asia right now. I think they are feeding every piece of news to the large media outlets coming out of those areas.

Anonymous said...

I never write things on blogs, but I think this had to be said about these people. We acquired their services for a live broadcast in LA and everyone was very professional, but we neglected to read the part of our contract that said we had to pay for the gas in the trucks and the generators. This was the first time we had tendered their services, and the rep that handled our account waived all of the gas fees, even though they had the right, by contract to charge us. Really classy move and they earned all our future business that's for sure.

JJP said...



They keep the news converge running for many media outlets that got hit by the net, and large ones just looking to save money.

I quit my full time job working for one entity as they give me jobs across the board for print and broadcast.

I have never dealt with an unhappy customers if theirs. I am sure they might be out there as you can't please everyone that is for sure. Some people just are incapable of being satisfied unless everything is free.

With the new benefits program they have for employees and the 401K, I am not going anywhere!

You either know who they are if you are in the industry, or you don't. They don't publicize nor do they deal with the public.

Jason Petri said...

YES, they are NOT "American Media" the company American Media has bad contracts and employee reviews. I have not seen one bad employee complaint about American Media Distribution. People keep confusing the two. WIKIPEDIA actually says on the first line of "American Media"'s Wikipedia page that "American Media is not to be confused with American
Media Distribution the international news and event coverage firm."

I assume they really didn't want to be confused with them!

WalterR said...

You are correct D - they are huge and no one knows who they are. I think they like it like that. My company paid for background research on them and came up with a totally clean report.

In 2010 they did $267,823,000.00 Not so shabby, a quarter billion...

Anonymous said...

Got accepted to freelance for them in January (after sitting on their waiting list for 7 months). Now that things are finally moving along, it's been a pretty nice connection. I like that I can accept the assignments that fit and turn down the ones that don't without any hassle. Not used to having that luxury.

Anonymous said...

Yea, I saw that too.

Well, I thought I saw another post that summed it up. There are a ton of companies most people have never heard of. That other post had this data.

COMPANY: "Becktel" Anyone know them? . No one has heard of them but they did 37 billion
. last year.

COMPANY: "Private Flying J" 20 Billion, convenience stores and gas stations.

Don't think this American Media Distribution company is that big, but I guess they are on their way with 250 Mil 2010. Does anyone have a more recent earnings report?

SP said...

2012 - $264,883,212.00 from the earning report. Not a shabby one year earning..

Anonymous said...

Great customer , that's all I can say.

Anonymous said...

Great customer service is what I meant...

Karatekid said...

I just did a program with them and I agree with the comment above. Great customer service.

I enjoyed working with them and everything went just as they said it would. I rarely write these things but I felt compelled to in this case as you just don't see good old American customer service too much any more.

Anonymous said...

Funny you said that last comment. American Media Distribution went above and beyond for our company. I am looking into other services they have to see if they apply to my business. Everyone was really nice.

CarolC said...

I just did a project with them and everyone was really nice and it turned out very well for us. Very nice people and the other posts are correct, white on rice customer service. Very nice.

CarolC said...

I just did a project with them and everyone was really nice and it turned out very well for us. Very nice people and the other posts are correct, white on rice customer service. Very nice.

ABCDan said...

American Media Distribution has been around a very long time in the news distribution and event coverage fields. I believe they have the second largest reporter pool in the world and about to be the largest this year from what I hear.

FJS said...

You are correct. American media distribution is an old and private firm that deals with only publishers and news entities.

I think they just passed the AP in amount of reporters world wide.

Anonymous said...

I work in Amsterdam for them and I know they have a ton or reporters here in Europe. I covered parts of the Olympics for them. Very nice company to work for.

StellaP said...

American Media Distribution has had our business for some times now and in my opinion is one of the few businesses that has a A1 top notch customer service department. I could regale story after story where they just jump all over any issue I had, and some were my fault! LOL

I guess because they are not public these blogs exist but if other large companies took the time to be so personal as this one there would be more respected American firms out there.

Keep up the good work guys.

GGC Inc said...

American Media Distribution really works well with our business. We had some problems and they worked with us to fix them when they really did not have to. I won't go into details but they are number one in our book.

thisoldman said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Newsgal said...

So, 3000 other reporters have not made a single complaint but they are a total scam. Right, OK.

I got many assignment and was paid for every single one. You must be talking about "American media" the scammers.

Anonymous said...

WOW DID YOU SEE THIS?

Greg and Margaret Brown, their daughter Megan and her young son moved from Pennsylvania to Florida a few months ago, looking for a fresh start after operating a farm that bred and boarded horses and dogs.

"We are in Hudson Florida for a while," a posting on the farm's Internet site said.

Trouble followed.

On Thursday, Pasco County sheriff's deputies checking on the family noticed a bad odor in the area, and followed it three-quarters of a mile down the street to a gruesome discovery: the bodies of two men and two women, piled atop each other in an open field. They had apparently lain unseen for several days.

The sheriff's office tentatively identified the victims Saturday as Megan Brown, 27; her parents, Margaret and Greg Brown, both 52; and another man, Nicholas Leonard.

The Brown family recently lived in Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley, as did Adam Matos, 28, whom police are calling the only suspect in the slayings. Matos has not been charged, and he denied any involvement in the killings to reporters shortly after authorities caught up with him and Megan Brown's 4-year-old son at a downtown Tampa hotel.

He appeared in Hillsborough County court Saturday on a warrant charge, then was transferred to Pasco County Jail.

Police said Matos — believed to be the boy's father — had been staying with the Browns in a rented home along a canal leading to the Gulf of Mexico in Hudson, located in Pasco County about an hour and a half northwest of downtown Tampa. Both Matos and Megan Brown had gotten jobs at restaurants near the home.

Brown worked at a place called The Fisherman's Shack, a wooden building that isn't far from a canal.

"She was a wonderful person," employee Kristina Graham said Saturday. "I didn't know her very well. She did say she had problems with her ex-boyfriend."

Nick Leonard, the other victim in the home, hung out at that bar. He and Brown were friends, Graham said, and he didn't live at the home. Leonard was from Florida, she added.

Matos worked at a similar establishment. A man answering the phone at the Get Hooked Almost Waterfront Restaurant and Bar in Hudson said Saturday that Matos had worked there as a dishwasher, but didn't know any more about him.

Detectives released only a few details about the evidence tying Matos to the slayings. Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco did say Matos had been seen in the Hudson area recently and quickly became a suspect.

Court records in Pennsylvania show Matos had been arrested numerous times on allegations of harassment, theft, burglary, trespassing, assault and driving under the influence. He pleaded guilty to some of the charges, and others appear to have been dismissed.

He appeared in a Hillsborough County court Saturday on a warrant out of Pasco County, where he was wanted on an aggravated assault charge. That stemmed from an incident on Aug. 28, when Megan Brown called police and said Matos had threatened her with a knife and then fled, said Nocco. She told investigators she was scared of Matos, but authorities could not find him.

A week later, police found the bodies and discovered the boy was missing. They began a manhunt for Matos and the boy. They arrested Matos at a hotel in downtown Tampa on Friday morning after officials tricked him into leaving his room at the Floridan Palace Hotel, where he'd been staying with the boy.

Anonymous said...

It goes to show you that when looking into a company to work with or buy from, always put very little weight into these blogs. The last comment states that he got an email, quickly deleted it and then proceeds to call everyone stupid and state facts without any research at all. A two second search of the Better Business Bureau Rating for this company shows an (A) rating with zero complaints ever made. Here is that link:

http://www.bbb.org/new-jersey/business-reviews/news-service/american-media-distribution-in-howell-nj-90096055

It is impossible to have a perfect rating (they show in the BBB as far back as 2006) and be doing anything but fair business. Wouldn't people be complaining all over the place if something wasn't kosher?

My point is not to take opinion's when making employment or buying decisions from every crazy person that happens to comment on a blog. That's just silly. Check with the BBB, talk to the company and ask questions, check for lawsuits filed. These guy's actually come across very legitimate after a quick look and have an interesting business model. But don't take my opinion as fact, be smart, be prudent and do a little homework through solid sources. Blogs are NOT a source for factual information.

TM said...

Thank your for your post Jay. Your right, in this day and time, how can a company have a perfect A rating with the better Business Bureau and have been in there since 2006 like it show's on the BBB site, and be anything but a solid company. Be serious, if they were not providing a good service and paying their employees well, that is the first place people would run to complain. These guys have been in there for 7 years with minimal/zero complaints at all. Common sense people, my due diligence brought me to sign up about 18 months ago, and I am doing very well.

Talas6 said...

You are correct, Sometimes you just can't read a blog and know that they are good posts, but I usually look at how many are good and how many are bad and that usually gives you a good idea. Then I look at something hard like a BBB where they can't fake anything there. There is no way a company can have no complaints and be doing anything fishy. Period.

Anonymous said...

I agree. I have experience dealing with American Media Distribution for 4 years now and I can't find anything bad to say about them. Always a good experience as far as I am concerned.

KatateMater44 said...

They were really great when we dealt with them. We were in one of their article programs things. Really nice people and I see others posted same thing, great customer service. Like white on rice.

kl said...

Me too. Had a great experience with American Media Distribution.

Anonymous said...

There is nothing bad out there on legitimate sites about them. All you have to do is look at the bbb because if they were doing bad business i don't care what any other place says, it would be on the bbb. You could have teen blogs saying they are terrible and you never know I'd that is just employees or competitors. Bbb can't be fudged

Elenor T said...

I agree. It looks like they have many years with the BBB with not a single complaint. That is not an easy feat. Also accredited companies are treated harsher by the BBB because they didn't "pay" for special treatment.

Anonymous said...

Non-accredited companies are treated harsher and they are non-accredited, so that is indeed a feat to keep a BBB that clean.

Anonymous said...

I am an attorney and they just completed a project for me. Along with their satisfactory BBB rating, I checked beforehand for any lawsuits filed since inception. They have been doing business for a reasonable period of time and have none. If considering doing business with any company, it is always best to look into them yourselves. It is not very costly and pays countless dividends. R. Abromowitz

Anonymous said...

They produced and invested in an infomercial for my product/invention. I can say that every aspect about the way they did things was over the top professional and we achieved 21 percent over projected sales so far on the initial run. The best part: I never had to put up a dime and still filling orders 45 days after airing. Highly recommend.

Carol F said...

Sometimes there is a free lunch! So I received an email from a Scott Parker about an article one of their reporter's was writing. They sent me more info and I thought it was bogus because they wanted to make a free commercial and put it out on the web for me.

I did some research and could not find anything negative about them so I thought I would follow it through thinking the sales shoe would drop any second.

Funny enough it never did. They made a nice comemrcial for me, not any Spielberg million dollar production but it was better than what we had and they sent it out on the net. I picked demographics that would be best for our company and so on.

I answered a quick survey when it was done. That was it. No one contacted me after trying to sell me anything. As a matter of fact, we got business from it so I contacted them back to try to get my ad back out there but they said they really don't deal with the public. I would love to get it back out to whatever network they ran it on because it seemed to increase business.

Anyway, everyone was nice and they did everything the said they would. I had to write this because I thought there was no way someone was going to do something for free like that, but they sure did.

AliceP said...

Same with me. they were actually really great customer service wise. Everything actually. I wish I could buy services through them but they don't deal directly through the public.

Anonymous said...

RT

Kind of funny how many of the positive posts use the exact same wording in certain sections and have poor English skills (and are writers??). Their website looks very unprofessional for a company that "has more reporters than the AP" - I'm pretty convinced it's not on the up and up.

I received an email wanting to do free advertising for us and then interviewing us about the results - all with no obligation or cost, now or in the future - made my BS alarm go off!

Thomas D. said...

The bad grammar is probably because, and it is unfortunate, a sampling of our nation! LOL. Or it is just like every other posting with quick talk, or people typing fast because they did not know an English teacher would be grading them.

So I had asked myself the same question about the site, and after a good deal of research I found out it was because they don't care about the public. One person said they actually don't need a site at all. They don't sell anything to any public entity. I searched everywhere and contacted them as well, and there just is no opportunity to purchase anything.

They are an industry only company it seems.

Also, one looks at the BBB clearly shows they are not up to any shenanigans. I now from many previous experiences that people will go and complain the second there is a problem, and theirs goes back to 2010.

Also, if you really look at any negative things, or at least the ones I found, it is just like this posting, conjecture on BS "alarms" and "I think this" and I think that" but no where is a single person that says "I got taken by them for this or that".

Kind of a guilty until proven innocent thing.

Did the last commenter ever call them? If they said they were going to do something free, did they do it?

There is a clear page on their site that they do research, so it sounds just like what you are describing.

Since I have had problems with "conjecture people" before I always take a little more time to click and read into things to see if it is just someone's opinion, or there are actual facts posted.

Even this blog does not have a single person saying they took them for any type of compensation. I would bet my bottom dollar that it would be all over here and other sites if they were up to something.

Do not take my post as a defense for them, more of a defense for other companies who get a rush decision to judgment without proper research.

A site called "ripoffreport" posted something about my business, then they basically tried to blackmail me to get it removed. Despicable. I checked YouTube and found 100 similar incidents with other business owners, and they recorded it! It was great. The "rip off" was the ripoff report site themselves. I can't understand why they have not been shut down.

I initially was doing research on this news firm because they approached me to do a profile story about my business. I have been working with them for over a month, have seen first draft proofs and they are going to be putting it together with another larger piece.

No one asked me for a dime.
They have been polite and respectful of my time. No one has inferred any costs, and as a matter of fact, clearly stated there were not any costs to be had as they were ware that other places pretend to do a story, then they want yo "pay to play".

IF ANYONE SEES AN ACTUAL POSTING OF AN ACTUAL PERSON that says they got taken for anything whatsoever please let me know so I can stop working with the reporter. I am just not seeing it. I am almost done with the story at this point, so if someone pops something on me I will certainly post it here.

I am definitely not their cheerleader. But I like facts, not "BS". My BS meter goes off when people infer things that are not true or don't do the research. Smells like competition postings, which I have been the victim of as well.

Good day to everyone.



Thomas - PS said...

Moral of the story - do actual intensive research. Mine lasted all of 15 minutes to find out everything about them before I called.

Anonymous said...

If I did not deal with them already I would definitely think that was cheer-leading Thomas!

I agree though. I am not sure what the debate is here. The research is loud and clear. No one in 7 years from what I can see has reported a single actual bad thing about them.

I checked when I was approached by a reporter for a story.

They wrote it, I saw it published and no one asked me to pay for anything, if that is what this whole point is. Jeeze, I agree, it would be all over the net.

I gree with another post up top.

Not all the " I think they do this" and I think that" . Good for what you "think",! try researching more than 5 seconds.

Shit, now I sound like a cheerleader. Check the BBB under "American Media Distribution" in New Jersey. No other name besides AMD World News. I saw some copy cats . Last time I checked there were no complaints. Move on!