The incentives of paying per article aren't great though.
Instead of one article covering a school board meeting it gets split into one article per speaking, an article in cover why the meeting happened, an article on when they'll meet next, one interviewing the attendees, etc.
The thing about that, is that a lot of farmers own their farms. It takes many years to create a new orchard and there's only so much land suitable for the purpose.
New content vendors can spring up over night, even ones doing real news or expensive trips or whatever National Geographic (or any other outlet) is into these days. And now these writers don't even have the miniscule security of at-will employment.
They are going to respond readily to incentives because there is nothing tethering them to a way of doing business. They have no anchor so they will sail any way the wind blows.
When you have the security of actually owning land and equipment or having an employment contract you can sit back and think about stuff like professionalism and integrity. As it is, fewer writers are in the position to turn down demands that they churn out crappy little dopamine hits as fast as possible.
> The thing about that, is that a lot of farmers own their farms. It takes many years to create a new orchard and there's only so much land suitable for the purpose.
I don't know why you say that is the thing about that, or what the implications of it being the thing are. Substitute farms and apples for any product or service. A candy bar or a bottle of beer.
I am saying you can't substitute any product or service. The way that a product or service is produced is relevant.
I'm producing free content that's competing for your attention with National Geographic right now. If I wanted to make a beer that competed with your favorite beer it would take months (at least) and a substantial investment before the first bottle arrived at a store near you.
Additionally, competition has different effects on different products. You can compete with educational content by making content that is more educational. You can also compete with it by making content that is less educational but more fun.
And I'm saying you can. Splitting up articles is pretty equivalent to watering down beer or making smaller candy bars or selling apples in quarters for the purpose of this.
Instead of one article covering a school board meeting it gets split into one article per speaking, an article in cover why the meeting happened, an article on when they'll meet next, one interviewing the attendees, etc.
It's a tricky problem.