STV seeks new online writing talent in columnist competition

Scottish broadcaster STV has launched a competition to recruit new online columnists.

The winner of the contest will receive a six-month contract with STV worth a minimum of £5,000.

Columnists are being sought for any subject area except sport, film and music reviews, which are already covered by the site's existing contributors, a release from STV said.

To enter 'The Write Factor' budding columnists should submit a 450-600-word example of their work to opinion [at] stv.tv by November 6. The e-mail should contain a covering letter with contact details and an idea of what topic they would like to write about.

Ten people will be shortlisted and paid to contribute at least two pieces a week for four weeks, during which period they will be paid £80 a week.

The most popular contributors - determined by the number of page views and comments that their work attracts - will be given a freelance contract with STV, offering £100 per 450-word article for two articles a week for six months starting from January 2010.

Entrants do not have to be Scottish or live in Scotland, but must be interested in the topic they choose to write about and should consider what subjects might work for a site like stv.tv, it is stated in the competition's rules.

"The website is the perfect platform for writers who have a high editorial standard, whether you are new to the art of writing a column or are an experienced blogger.  We're constantly making the content of our website richer and this is the chance for budding columnists to make their mark online," said Alistair Brown, head of new media at STV, in the release.

Free daily newsletter

If you like our news and feature articles, you can sign up to receive our free daily (Mon-Fri) email newsletter (mobile friendly).