Puzzling realization. Are Opponauts motoring journalists?

"probablyshoulduseafakename" (probablyshoulduseafakename) 02/25/2016 at 11:01 • Filed to: None

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EDIT: Don’t get fed up with the term “motoring journalist”, substitute it to “someone who can get press benefits”.

Technically we are writers for Oppositelock, like real journalists are writers for Jalopnik. If this is true, can we ask for press cars? I’m genuinely curious about this. Random unrelated pic:

TheHondaBro > probablyshoulduseafakename 02/25/2016 at 11:04

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Oppositelock isn’t exactly an automotive journal. We’re more of an exclusive off-topic forum.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > probablyshoulduseafakename 02/25/2016 at 11:04

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That exact thing is why we don’t have jalopnik in the URL anymore.

Brian Silvestro > probablyshoulduseafakename 02/25/2016 at 11:05

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Don’t ask for press cars you’ll get banned

BATC42 > probablyshoulduseafakename 02/25/2016 at 11:08

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Nope. Some people around here were abusing of the fact Oppo’s URL ended in jalopnik.com adn requested press passes and such in the name of Jalopnik. I think Matt et al. made the decision after something happened. I can’t remember, he had made a post about it when the change was effective.

46and2aheadofme > probablyshoulduseafakename 02/25/2016 at 11:08

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It’s not our full time job so we’re only a fraction of a journalist. Therefore we’d have to get a few of us together to do a proper vehicle test and review. Shotgun if you get one!

fennelbreath > probablyshoulduseafakename 02/25/2016 at 11:08

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I’ve been writing about cars for several websites for *years* and I have trouble getting press cars. I also don’t really like writing reviews, so I haven’t tried all that hard recently.

Party-vi > probablyshoulduseafakename 02/25/2016 at 11:09

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Considering there is only one owner of this forum (EXALTATIONS BE UNTO HE!!!), anyone that requests press access or for a press vehicle under Oppositelock is misrepresenting themselves and the blog, and will be smote by the fiery fingertips of the Mods.

That being said I would probably read the review.

ETA: Does shitposting count as writing?

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > probablyshoulduseafakename 02/25/2016 at 11:10

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nope, major no-no my friend.

we’re not paid journalists

Just a bunch of people who like talking about cars and other stuff.

Leon711 > Brian Silvestro 02/25/2016 at 11:11

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Is it the same for your own Kinja though? Not that it matters to me, I just write for fun.

HammerheadFistpunch > probablyshoulduseafakename 02/25/2016 at 11:11

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Its been done...however...we are a blog of unpaid amateurs and so anything you get leveraging the oppo name is directly related to how you sell it. Also, it should be very expressly stated that Oppo doesn’t endorse using oppo in an official capacity at all and no one here except Porsche9146 is authorized to speak for oppo in an official capacity in any way shape or form. Even they are limited to what they can do since its a Kinja platform.

That being said, I use some of my writing examples on here as published works.

Sam > probablyshoulduseafakename 02/25/2016 at 11:11

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If you wrote reviews on here, *technically* you could ask and there is a microscopic chance they would say yes. But they would probably say no if they actually looked and saw this and is really more of a forum.

HammerheadFistpunch > Party-vi 02/25/2016 at 11:14

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What do you think being a social media director is?

Party-vi > Brian Silvestro 02/25/2016 at 11:14

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THAT’S RIGHT BRIAN.

Short-throw Granny Shifter is 2 #blessed 2b stressed > Party-vi 02/25/2016 at 11:15

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Shitposting is the foundation of the gawker network (don’t grey me bro).

Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap > probablyshoulduseafakename 02/25/2016 at 11:15

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I’m pretty sure that’s how we ended up with a .kinja address instead of .jalopnik

Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap > Party-vi 02/25/2016 at 11:16

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Shitposting isn’t just writing. It’s an art.

probablyshoulduseafakename > Brian Silvestro 02/25/2016 at 11:16

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Wow, banned? In the end you’re not hurting Jalopnik’s finances or anything like that

Party-vi > Leon711 02/25/2016 at 11:16

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Starting your own blog and requesting interviews/press vehicles via your blog is fine, just don’t invoke the Oppositelock name.

Scary__goongala! > probablyshoulduseafakename 02/25/2016 at 11:18

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My writing sucks, so when it comes to Scary HELL NO

Shoop > probablyshoulduseafakename 02/25/2016 at 11:19

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Depending on what you could get...

Worth it

Short-throw Granny Shifter is 2 #blessed 2b stressed > Leon711 02/25/2016 at 11:20

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True, we all essentially have our own kinja blogs that are a collection of our content, but saying you’re a journalist from OPPO is one of the reasons we were exiled from the FP in the first place.

However, anyone who claims OPPO writers are not freelance automotive writers/journalists has an inflated view if that profession.

Sam > Party-vi 02/25/2016 at 11:24

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But what if they aren’t misrepresenting themselves and the blog? If some were to say “I’d like to borrow a press car to write a review on a user run car blog called Oppositelock, where I write articles”, are they really misrepresenting what they and Oppositelock are? I understand the fuss over claiming it’s related to Jalopnik and claiming were are ‘journalists’, but there is really no reason that someone couldn’t cite their work on here as a way to get a press car, as long as they aren’t trying to fool anyone.

probablyshoulduseafakename > Party-vi 02/25/2016 at 11:25

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Thanks for the heads up. I was asking because I see idiots on youtube getting Porsches without having a clue of what they’re doing

Nibbles > Party-vi 02/25/2016 at 11:25

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Shitposting is the highest form of journalism.

Leon711 > Party-vi 02/25/2016 at 11:28

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And don’t incur the wrath of the almighty. I get ya.

Mattbob > probablyshoulduseafakename 02/25/2016 at 11:30

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Negative ghostrider, blogging isn’t journalism. End of story.

Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire > BATC42 02/25/2016 at 11:30

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“Some people around here were abusing of the fact Oppo’s URL ended in jalopnik.com”

This is false.

probablyshoulduseafakename > Sam 02/25/2016 at 11:31

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Exactly. Do car manufacturers have to check in with the blog owners or something? If so how come people ask for cars quoting their YouTube channels as review platform? It’s kind of the same thing?

Shane MacGowan's Teeth > probablyshoulduseafakename 02/25/2016 at 11:31

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Full disclosure: I will TOTALLY take money or other bribes for favorable posts. Hit me up people!

Chariotoflove > Short-throw Granny Shifter is 2 #blessed 2b stressed 02/25/2016 at 11:33

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Truer words were never written reported.

probablyshoulduseafakename > Mattbob 02/25/2016 at 11:34

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The difference is just that we don’t get paid, like kids on YouTube (some of them do get paid from ads but yeah..) ask for press cars and receive them

Chariotoflove > probablyshoulduseafakename 02/25/2016 at 11:35

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Well you can always ask . Honestly though, if you want to get around the ownership thing, You just post to your own kinja blog and share to Oppo.

Party-vi > Sam 02/25/2016 at 11:38

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I’m not sure how that would shake out. As far as I think I know the Mod-hive is concerned, you don’t mention our name when asking for a vehicle, because in the event something happens to the vehicle or yourself while reviewing, there is the potential for legal action against Oppositelock.

I don’t think you’ll be able to dance around the question of “what publication are you writing for?” when you are asked, because no one on here writes for Oppositelock, just on Oppositelock (as you mentioned).

Mattbob > probablyshoulduseafakename 02/25/2016 at 11:39

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my jaded view is that journalism reports facts as unbiased as possible, and most blogging is so one sided or opinionated that I just put it all into a category that isn’t journalism. I blame all of gawker media for this. By this definition most major news sources these days aren’t really journalism either, so take it for what you will.

For Sweden > Leon711 02/25/2016 at 11:42

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That’s fine, and feel free to share the post to Oppositelock; people have done this before.

It just can’t be on the oppositelock.kinja.com domain.

BATC42 > Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire 02/25/2016 at 11:43

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Oh, ok. I remembered incorectly then, my bad. I can’t edit my post unfortunately :/ Feel free to delete it if you can :)

iSureWilll > probablyshoulduseafakename 02/25/2016 at 11:43

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Lehto mentions Oppo at the beginning of every podcast. I don’t remember if he says, “writes ON Oppositelock” or “writes FOR Oppositelock” though...

Montalvo > probablyshoulduseafakename 02/25/2016 at 11:47

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I am sure you know by now but this is the EXACT reason why there is no longer an affiliation with Jalopnik, we are now considered an entirely different entity. However nothing is stopping you from creating your own thing and asking for press cars via whatever form that takes. Oppo is just a blog where we talk about pretty much everything and anything though it usually is automotive related.

BrtStlnd > Party-vi 02/25/2016 at 11:47

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Porsche Jong Un.

Justin Hughes > probablyshoulduseafakename 02/25/2016 at 11:58

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For press cars, no way, as has been said. I’ve had a press car, but that was through Right Foot Down, which went through the proper channels with the proper people to arrange it. That’s also how I’m getting into the NY auto show press preview next month.

But are Opponauts journalists? That’s more of a grey area. I got my start on Oppo. I’ve had stuff reposted to the FP and most of the Jalopnik sub-blogs at this point. I write for RFD but I still hang out here. Sometimes I’ll post a piece on Oppo that isn’t really right for RFD.

How do the guys getting press cars for their YouTube channels do it? Ask them. I guess folks like ThatDudeInBlue and SubaruWRXfan have a big enough following these days for the manufacturers to deem them worthy. They also review a lot of cars from dealers or that are privately owned. RFD has no press car arrangement with Subaru but my local dealer, North End Subaru, was happy to hook me up with a new WRX to review and compare to my BRZ. So there are ways.

Leon711 > For Sweden 02/25/2016 at 11:58

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I’d assumed that was the case. But of course you guys run the show, therefore you are in the know.

Thanks for the clarification.

For Sweden > Leon711 02/25/2016 at 11:59

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Good luck! I hope it works out.

Xyl0c41n3 > probablyshoulduseafakename 02/25/2016 at 11:59

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I’m a journalist by profession. I’m also an Opponaut.

Unequivocally, no, Opponauts are not journalists.

I’d have more to say on the matter, but it might be unkind, so I’ll stop here.

wiffleballtony > probablyshoulduseafakename 02/25/2016 at 12:01

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I remember some stupid M4 video listing Oppositelock as “the press” but I doubt we really are.

Leon711 > For Sweden 02/25/2016 at 12:01

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Good luck with what I just write for fun, I’m not even good at it. I just use what I write to hide messages to be decrypted by the extra-terrestrials.

The truth is out there.

For Sweden > Leon711 02/25/2016 at 12:09

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One write scored a free first-class ticket for a review on his personal blog, which probably cost the company more than lending a car for a weekend. http://jbh.kinja.com/jetblue-mint-c…

SonorousSpeedJoe > probablyshoulduseafakename 02/25/2016 at 12:25

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The folks who run their own blogs and share stuff here could ask for press cars; us regular users can’t. I think the split from Jalopnik happened, in part, because people were claiming to be writers for the FP based on their Oppo posts.

scoob > probablyshoulduseafakename 02/25/2016 at 12:38

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This is pretty much one of the reasons Oppo was freedom-ized from the Jalopnik domain.

Leon711 > For Sweden 02/25/2016 at 12:40

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I’ll attach my tin foil hat and see what I can achieve!

RallyWrench > Party-vi 02/25/2016 at 13:34

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Only if it’s Spiegel.

Porsche9146, 98 forever... Porsche9146, 98 forever...Porsche9146, 98 forever... praise be to his name.

Drakkon- Most Glorious and Upright Person of Genius > probablyshoulduseafakename 02/25/2016 at 13:46

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Negative.

Actually, that’s the reason that Oppositelock is under the Kinja banner now. Someone (I think I know who) went for a job interview and put ‘writer for Jalopnik’ on their resume.

Rico > Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire 02/25/2016 at 14:08

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So what was the real story then behind this? I never understood why being transparent about this was such a big deal or why it has to be left so ambiguous.

Stef Schrader > RallyWrench 02/25/2016 at 14:59

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Spiegel is our spirit animal, praise be unto him.

Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire > Rico 02/25/2016 at 15:57

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It wasn’t, they came out and said it.

wafflesnfalafel > Mattbob 02/29/2016 at 21:49

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agree - it can be in some circumstances, but by definition it really is not. That doesn’t mean it is not informative. Honestly, they can be more informative than traditional “journalism” in some cases - but the primary directive is not the unbiased distribution of information that traditional journalism implies.