Free Is Better, But Is It Right?

College internships are a good thing. Students learn what the real world of business is all about.

In most cases the interns aren’t paid. In fact, in most cases they’re working for free and paying their college/university for the credits they’ll receive. It’s a bit of a scam in that regard.

College internships are a good thing. Students learn what the real world of business is all about.

In most cases the interns aren’t paid. In fact, in most cases they’re working for free and paying their college/university for the credits they’ll receive. It’s a bit of a scam in that regard.

Some businesses use free interns instead of paid employees. That’s wrong.

Here’s a typical intern tale of woe from John Stossel as reported by Mediaite.

“The Labor Department says if you don’t pay an intern – if you get a college student and you don’t pay them – that’s exploitation,” said Stossel. “And that’s how I’ve gotten half of the research done in my career because we couldn’t afford to pay researchers.”

What Stossel is saying is ABC and now Fox News “couldn’t afford to pay researchers.” May I call BS on this?

For employers free is better than paid, but is it right?

On The Occasion Of His Departure: My One John Stossel Story

Nothing. He gave me the look you give a dog who’s soiled the carpet and then he turned away.

John Stossel is leaving ABC. From TVNewser (who claim to have broken the story)

John Stossel, the longtime ABC News correspondent and co-anchor of “20/20,” is leaving ABC to join Fox News Channel and Fox Business Network. TVNewser has learned Stossel will host a weekly, one-hour program for the 2-year-old business channel. He’s expected to signed a multi-year deal with Fox which will include regular appearances on Fox News Channel during daytime and primetime. He’ll also host four, hour-long specials on Fox News, much like the business/consumer specials he’d hosted for years on ABC.

john-stossel.jpgI have one John Stossel story. This was a long time ago and I was filling in on Good Morning America in New York. TV-2, their studio at the time, was squeezed into an old building on the West Side. You’d never know there was anything going on there if not for the double parked town cars most days.

I was heading from the studio back toward my (actually Spencer Christian’s) dressing room. As I rounded the corner there was John Stossel.

He was a big deal to me. There were lots of ‘names’ from the network and other boldface types who passed through TV-2 but there was something special about Stossel.

“Hi John, I’m Geoff Fox and I’m filling in on the weather this week,” was about what I said. I extended my hand.

Nothing. He gave me the look you give a dog who’s soiled the carpet and then he turned away.

Good grief. I was crushed.

In my few dozen trips through GMA it was the only time I ever met anyone who was less than gracious. It still stings.

His departure will be a loss for ABC which in turn means a loss for my station–I regret that. On a personal level, good riddance.