The Blacklight

The Blacklight is the New York Amsterdam News’ investigative unit. They are seeking experienced freelance journalists. They primarily work with freelance journalists based in the New York City area but are also open to working with those based outside the region. According to their pitch guide, they pay $250+ for fact checks (500 to 1,000 words, 1 to 2 interviews); $1.00 per word for medium length articles (800 to 1,500 words, 2 to 4 interviews); $2.00 per word or a flat commission fee for long form articles (1,500+ words, 4+ interviews); and $250 to $500+ for data visualizations. 

News & Pitch Calls from The Blacklight

Sunday, January 1st 2023

The Blacklight is Seeking Stories on the Impact of Covid and Gun Violence on Black and Brown Communities

The Blacklight is the New York Amsterdam News’ investigative unit. They are currently “accepting pitches for stories about the impact of COVID-19 as well as gun violence on Black and brown communities, esp. in NYC.” They pay $250+ for fact checks (500 to 1,000 words, 1 to 2 interviews); $1/word for medium length articles (800 to 1,500 words, 2 to 4 interviews); $2/word or a flat commission fee for long form articles (1,500+ words, 4+ interviews); and $250 to $500+ for data visualizations. To learn more, refer to their investigative editor’s Twitter thread and this page.

Tuesday, November 8th 2022

The Blacklight is Looking for Stories

The Blacklight, the New York Amsterdam News’ investigative unit, is seeking experienced freelance journalists. They are looking for “pitches for stories about the impact of COVID-19 as well as gun violence on Black and brown communities, esp. in NYC.” They pay $1/word for medium length articles (800-1,500 words, 2-4 interviews, and 2-5 days of research) and $2/word or a flat commission fee for long form articles (1,500+ words, 4+ interviews, and 5+ days of research). If interested, send your story ideas to blacklight@amsterdamnews.com. To learn more, refer to their founding editor’s Twitter thread and this page.