Journalist crowdsources his news column pitch

Canadian journalist Bill Dunphy is applying for a job as a newspaper news columnist — and he wants your help getting the gig.

In a tweet, Dunphy wrote:

“What’s a news columnist’s job in the age of twitter? I’m outsourcing my pitch, please read it and offer your help http://bit.ly/columnpitch”

Dunphy, while admitting he’s just returned to writing after a 3.5-year hiatus, say he isn’t worried about the writing. He’s even done this exact job before, for the Toronto Sun. But that was then, he writes in his blog:

“But here’s the thing – in the year 2011,  what’s a daily news column look like? It sure can’t be just the same old 20 column inches of type, three times a week that it’s been for many years (decades) for many columnists.

“We no longer talk at or to our readers, we talk with them and we forget this at our peril.  (My very first story coming back into the newsroom is a feature – it’s not out yet and already I’ve been scooped three times on it – and two of those three times were people I interviewed for the piece. Ok, I get it,  I’m awake now.)

“So – what is a news columnist’s job about today? “

Dunphy choose to scoop himself but putting his video and written pitches online, and inviting the public to tear it apart. Would anyone else be brave enough to publish their pitches?