How Much is Your Story?

I read this New York Time article today, and I think it deserves a little deeper thoughts about paying for sources. Should journalists pay for their sources? When I first read the story, I thought the minors are being ridiculous and greedy. However, after thinking a little deeper, I come up with different opinions.

First, there's a demand so there's the supply. This is how the economy works, and apparently that's what's happening in Chile now too. From the economic point of view, the accident and the minor workers are now under the spotlight. Everyone wants to know what happened during the time they were trapped underground. But the minors only have limited time (and not to say that they are physically and psychologically tired,) so the demand and supply will reach a balance point where TV stations and journalists are willing to pay, and the minor workers are willing to talk.

Also, if we think we deserve a reasonable income for working, either as a full-time employee or just for a part-time job, the minors think they deserve some money too because they're putting in their time and energy, just like we do at work.

However, these reasons don't back up for the ridiculously high prices that some rescued minors ask from reporters. In my opinion, it is reasonable that they ask for money in return, but beyond a certain amount, the minor workers and their family just make themselves look greedy, especially when they still withhold details after being paid to speak.

Some minor workers are willing to talk for free, while others keep their mouthes shut unless they are paid. It's all their personal choices. I just think people shouldn't judge them just because they ask for money, but at the same time, the minor workers should know that there's only this much that reporters are willing to pay. If the prices do beyond what reporters are capable of paying, the workers won't get the money, and we don't get to know what happened when they were trapped underground. It'll be a lose-lose situation.