Pasadena Site Outsources Local News Reporting to India

MediaBistro.com reports that James Macpherson, editor and publisher of Pasadena Now, has hired two reporters to cover the Pasadena city council. One lives in Mumbai (a dollar says you don't know where that is) and will be paid $12,000 a year. The other will work in Bangalore for $7,200. Despite the pay discrepancy, there appears to be little danger they'll unionize.

The council broadcasts its meetings online. From nearly 9,000 miles away, the outsourced journalists will watch, then write stories while their boss sleeps — India is 12.5 hours ahead of Pacific Standard Time. It's a little difficult to fathom how they'll develop sources, follow up on leads, or read between the lines of political double-talk or decipher the hidden meaning in bureaucrat-speak.

But by L.A. standards, they do come cheap.

The rest of the story: The Los Angeles Times