For the latest installment of Mediabistro’s weekly series “So What Do You Do…?”, I had the pleasure of conversing with LA Weekly editor-in-chief Sarah Fenske.

The Q&A delves into such topics as the LA Times paywall, the current state of her alt weekly and arguably Fenske’s biggest challenge so far – replacing Pulitzer Prize winning food critic Jonathan Gold. Here’s part of what she told me about that:

“Jonathan was – and is – an incredibly beautiful writer, but he never writes negative reviews. That worked for him, wonderfully, and it still works now that he’s over at the Times. But what is the Weekly if not the alternative: the smart, edgy voice that calls bullshit? We needed someone who could be critical when it was called for, and who had no loyalties, and who was not interested in befriending the city’s chefs… We needed someone fearless.”

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In the third and final part of our Media Beat interview with Adam Richman, the man behind Man vs. Food talks about his latest Travel Channel project, Adam Richman’s Best Sandwich in America. Instead of taking on food challenges, this time, our host travels the nation region by region (10 in all) and narrows down the best sandwiches in each based on what he calls his “BITE” system. Like March Madness itself, there can only be one winner in the end.

This and all MediabistroTV productions can also be viewed on our YouTube Channel.

Part I | Monday: Adam Richman on Bloomberg Soda Ban: ‘We Are In a Very Precarious Situation as a Society’

Part II | Tuesday: Adam Richman on Landing Man vs. Food and His Health Regimen

In Part II of our Media Beat interview with Adam Richman, the Travel Channel star discusses the lengths he went to in order to land the hosting gig for his staple show, Man vs. Food, and how he kept healthy and in shape during its run. One interesting tidbit Richman reveals is that he has it in his contract that there must be a gym in every hotel he stays at. View the rest of our one-one-chat below.

This and all MediabistroTV productions can also be viewed on our YouTube Channel. Be sure to check out Part III of our chat with Richman tomorrow.

Part I | Monday: Adam Richman on Bloomberg Soda Ban: ‘We Are In a Very Precarious Situation as a Society’

In a recent Shots magazine profile of New York marketing agency Campfire, the firm’s partner and chief creative officer Michael Monello confirmed that he is still applying lessons learned from The Blair Witch Project to the launch of HBO shows like Game of Thrones and True Blood.

“One of the reasons The Blair Witch Project worked was due to the fact we were fans and part of the culture and community, and we understood what was driving it… So I think for Campfire, a key philosophy is making something that we believe will work in the absence of media – that there’s a reason people want to experience this.”

Monello is one of the virtual speakers scheduled for Mediabistro’s latest Social Media Marketing Boot Camp online conference and workshop, which starts Thursday June 7. Over eight weeks, you’ll get to hear from leading social media innovators as you deploy a complete social media marketing strategy across Facebook, Twitter and other popular social media platforms. Your social media strategy will include content management, brand building and data analysis.

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Last summer, we reported about the temporary move from New York to Los Angeles of New Yorker staff writer Susan Orlean. A snappy Twitter exchange (or two) later, we are now happy to herald her participation in Mediabistro’s upcoming online Literary Festival & Workshops, running July 16 through August 1.

Orlean is one of several high-profile speakers set to provide literary wisdom and guidance:

Susan Orlean  Author Journalist, The New Yorker

Constance Hale  Author, Sin & Syntax

Rebecca Skloot  Author, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks

Jason Boog  Publishing Editor GalleyCat, Mediabistro

Sarah Fine  Author and Child Psychologist

Jason Allen Ashlock  Literary Agent and President Movable Type Management

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While Inc. occupies the same shelf space of other business publications like Entrepreneur, Fast Company and Forbes, the magazine has a distinction that separates itself from its competitors.

“We are a magazine about people who are incredibly passionate and have the will to start a business from scratch,” said Alexandra Brez, managing editor. ”We are different because of our sophistication, as well as our connection to and interest in community events. And we are a very likable brand. People are proud to be featured by us.”

Get pitching guidelines and information on open sections in How To Pitch: Inc.

This article is one of several mediabistro.com features exclusively available to AvantGuild subscribers. If you’re not a member yet, you can register for as little as $55 a year and get access to these articles, discounts on seminars and workshops, and more.

Sometimes pitching feels like auditioning for a seat in the high school cafeteria. Only the popular kids get the good bylines, right?

Not true at Filter. These  editors at this L.A.-based glossy say all you have to do to break in is love good music and introduce yourself through email. Yep, that’s it.

“Be creative and show us who you are,” said Pat McGuire, the editor-in-chief. “You have to understand that there are so many people seeking similar positions that you have to make yourself stand out a little bit.”

McGuire added one piece of advice on getting your foot in Filter‘s door. “I have a sense of humor; everybody at Filter does. So entertain us. Make us remember you — without being unprofessional.”

To find out what to do once you have McGuire’s attention, check out How To Pitch: Filter.

Although the entertainment and gossip site Young, Black and Fabulous is reeling in 15 million hits a month, it had its humble start as a simple site on Blogger.

Back in 2005, Natasha Eubanks noticed major online outlets weren’t discussing African-American celebrities, so the former law student decided to take matters into her own hands and launch her own site.

“I didn’t make a penny off of anything because I didn’t have any readers. I didn’t see any money until two years, and I only saw a few dollars even then,” the blogstress said in mediabistro.com’s So What Do You Do?. ”But I saw [Google AdSense], and I think that kind of sparked it in me. I was like, wait a minute. There’s an ad platform? What does that mean? You can make money just by writing what you think? That’s insanity.”

For more on how The YBF became the go-t0 source for Black Hollywood gossip, and Eubank’s personal advice for aspiring bloggers, read the full interview here.

Mediabistro is offering a new class this spring: Writing for Reality Television.

How does one actually “write” for reality TV? As is now well known, unscripted TV relies heavily on writers and segment producers for everything from formatting and pitching to voice-overs and host intros.

Reality TV is a broad genre that includes totally scripted comedies, documentary style dramas, competitions and niche cultural curiosities. Knowing where the opportunities are and how you fit in is the first step to narrow down what you will write and who it is for.

Taught by Colleen Kluttz, who has worked in the story department for ABC’sThe Bachelor and Bravo’s Real Housewives of New Jersey, the March 13-April 24 track will cover:

• Structure and formatting for reality TV, from ½ hour to hour long shows
• The importance of casting and character development
• Editing reality and how to write storylines in post production
• How to write for the type of show you want to make
• How to turn your pitch into a sizzle reel

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To nab a byline, we writers toil over every word until a shining query letter is crafted, but, for Essence senior editor Tanisha Sykes, perfection simply means leaving no aspect of the article unanswered.

“The more detail you have, obviously the stronger the pitch comes off,” explained Sykes. ”So what’s the potential hed? What’s the potential working title and blurb? Tell us background for the story. Who are the key players, sources and/or statistics?”

Along with solid facts, Sykes said most importantly, “We really want to know why this story is unique to us and our reader.”

To find out specifics on word count, sections open to freelancers and how Sykes describes the quintessential Essence woman, read click here. [sub req'd]