AEI Expert Hits The New York Times

It's motto is "all the news that's fit to print." But according to one recent op-ed contributor that New York Times slogan on its masthead should include another word at the end: Cheaply.

While other publications pay several hundreds of dollars to outside experts who write op-eds, Charles Murray of the American Enterprise Institute, reveals in an online rant that he got just $75 for his May 4, 800-word analysis of charter schools.

Murray, the author of Real Education: Four Simple Truths for Bringing America's Schools Back to Reality, aired his complaint on the AEI blog, expressing surprise that the check he received from the world's greatest paper amounted to beer money. Of course, having a chance to spout off in the New York Times isn't about the money, but it doesn't hurt. For the record, even Washington Whispers pays our freelancers double that for just 100-words.

Here's Murray's rant:

"To all my fellow ink-stained wretches, a heads up. I got my check from the New York Times for an op-ed that was published a few weeks ago. It was for $75. Not that anyone has ever paid the mortgage by writing op-eds, but $75 for 800 words written for The Greatest Newspaper In the World is… how shall I put this? Weird. Do you suppose the red ink has really gotten that bad?"

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