Erik Wemple pulls back the curtain on the Washington Post's blogging policy (and payment policy) in his latest piece for the Washington City Paper.

"Solo bloggers get paid because their names give the blogs a sense of franchise; group blogs don't share this dynamic, and there's less work for each reporter."

This system works out for, say, such folks as Joel Achenbach (of the Achenblog) but not for the authors of the DC Wire and many have made their frustration known to upper brass.

The Post has even decided that they can force employees to blog.

"Post lawyers had determined that the paper could compel its employees to blog. However, he said, top managers preferred to refer to it as a voluntary duty, so as to buoy newsroom morale."

Yes, yes: Blogging is the new Casual Fridays. That's the ticket.

While this policy is certainly interesting, Wemple makes a much larger point: Is the Post asking its (fewer and fewer) workers to do more work (by feeding it's online and radio branches) without compensation?