WHICH publishing house is quietly paying interns, but only if they’re “of a minority”? Not a whole lot of people know about it - because most of the interns, well, aren’t getting paid - but the ones that are, aren’t really in need. Does HR really assume that you need money based not on income but on your skin color? Guess so…
2
posted by guest
Oct 01, 2008 1:13PM
This isn't an entirely terrible idea. The magazine industry is predominantly white. I've been told that they pay minority interns in hopes that they will continue to come back summer after summer (until they graduate from college). However, if you're really passionate about that career path, I'm sure they'd do it for free too.
12
posted by hipstersdontlie
Oct 01, 2008 3:55PM
Now all of a sudden race/color/ethnicity matters in fashion!
15
posted by xxi
Oct 01, 2008 5:23PM
#13
I've interned for Hearst and Fairchild and not once did I list what my family made or what I made in any paperwork that I filled out. I don't know anyone that ever has, my best friend interned at Conde Nast, never filled anything of that sort out either. I think this paid "system" is a luck of the draw program.
17
posted by guest
Oct 01, 2008 6:56PM
This has been happening at Hearst for at least the past 3 years. I'm a minority and I was a paid intern at Hearst. I got the internship through HR (who started the paying-program). We had special lunches, where we could meet the other minorities in this special program as well as meet with other people who worked at Hearst. All the others in this program were very intelligent, from top schools around the country, but I don't think any of us were really hurting for cash. However, I wasn't like the other interns at my magazine walking around in $700 shoes, and swinging a $2500 Chanel bag. I think it's widely understood that most people who get into fashion are white and from wealthy families. How else are you supposed to survive on 28k/year but to have mom and dad pay for everything? Whether it's right or wrong, this was only Hearsts way of trying to bring in more minorities to their predominantly white titles.
20
posted by guest
Oct 01, 2008 7:44PM
Please, no one's paying interns because they think the interns need the money - no one cares if they're poor or not. They're just trying to use market forces to encourage more people of color to enter the industry, especially as they are falling under increasing scrutiny by the public for being so visibly white. And are you really against having scholarships for minorities?
21
posted by xWesleighx
Oct 01, 2008 7:45PM
The Blind Item made news over @ Gawker:
http://www.gawker.com/
perma-link:
http://gawker.com/5057710/to-all-the-sad-young-white-media-interns-working-for-free
25
posted by guest
Oct 01, 2008 8:48PM
some of you are missing the point.
the original INTENTION behind the program might have been all rainbows and sunshine, but CLEARLY hearst has strayed from that.
they are using the premise falsely. "black" does not automatically equal "poor". to offer payment based on skin color alone is ridiculous and insulting.
did gawker really think they could call hearst and get an HONEST answer? lol. hearst probably gets a tax break for their "diversification" so let's face it people - the interns best interest is NOT their priority...
check yo'self before you wreck yo'self, hearst.
30
posted by guest
Oct 02, 2008 10:16AM
You guys are missing the point, the point of the paid internship program is to encourage minority participation..and minority in this sense happens to be anything other than white, seeing as Hearst...like the majority of the fashion industry is WHITE.
Unless you don't mind the all-white industry, I can't see why this would be a problem.
31
posted by guest
Oct 02, 2008 10:40AM
I think everyone is missing the point here...WHAT makes someone poor? I know someone from an upper middle class that was in this program but because she was of color, she was offered this program without ever being asked what her parents made. Either pay everyone or don't pay any one at all.
34
posted by guest
Oct 02, 2008 12:50PM
I think Hearst is doing a good job they are trying to get minorities in fashion wich only is a good thing cause it was one of the all-white barriers. Time for change was so wrong about that ?? Go Hearst * and may there be many more to follow untill everything is equal.
35
posted by guest
Oct 02, 2008 1:00PM
I was a participant in this program as well, and it's by no means under the table... it's called the Hearst Diversity Fellowship and is listed on Columbia J-school's internship listings site. It was a very small program (because they didn't have a huge budget), but every other intern who wasn't getting paid was getting school credit. While school credit is nowhere near as good as getting paid (which was the only reason I took the internship), it's not as if the program participants were getting paid while the other 500 interns weren't getting anything...
36
posted by guest
Oct 02, 2008 1:17PM
It's not about the assumption that minorities are poor. It's creating incentive for minorities to stay with their company, which as #33 stated is simple HR affirmative action and completely fair.
The same way certain companies which have been traditionally male dominated now must maintain a respectable quota of male vs female employees with comparable pay scales... welcome to the year 2008 everyone.
38
posted by guest
Oct 02, 2008 1:34PM
#34, #35, #33, whoever:
Yes, if it is Hearst, good for them for trying to bring in people of color.
BUT the point here is - why should one get paid - without any attention to income? simply for being of color...
there inlies the insult.
I think it would be more admirable to bring in people who have talent and passion, but couldn't neccasarily AFFORD the opportunity to work in fashion. Minority or not.
- a person of color.
41
posted by dumbbrunette5
Oct 02, 2008 10:55PM
while i think the idea of trying to attract more minorities is perfectly fine i think they should find a non monetary way of doing it. because then you end up with white people who have no chance of interning there because they cant afford it without getting paid, and minorities who are well off getting paid to do intern when they could have easily done without the money. and yes, i know someone said school credit but i know that at least at my school you have to pay extra to get credit for your internships which really screws people over if the internship only takes people who are getting credit for it. so..i think people should try and find some sort of non monetary incentive to keep minorities coming back as interns.
42
posted by guest
Oct 06, 2008 1:09PM
In a year, how many Hearst magazines have people of color on the covers? How many PoCs grace the pages as models, writers, photographers? The number is sickeningly small. The fashion industry is totally whitewashed, which I find boring. If Hearst is trying to change this, even just a little bit, through a legit (if openly affirmative action) scholarship program, far be it from anyone to complain! And guys, think about it; no company, in ANY industry, pays some workers more because they are poorer, and some workers less because they have more money already. The money in the scholarship was used as an incentive.
posted by guest
Oct 01, 2008 1:09PM
Haha wow this finally got out? It's Hearst.