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BioCentury Publications

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Nightmare - Senior Writer BioCentury Publications Employee Review

1.0
18 June 2018
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

The pay is good and there are good people working there.

Cons

The turnover is incredible. They call themselves an "editor's house." What that means is the editor dictates the angle of every story based on the press release and is not receptive to the reporter's research or expertise. If the reporter can't deliver the story AS ASSIGNED, they are sent back to re-interview the source until they can elicit something editors are satisfied with. Once the story is complete, it's edited at least four times. Each editor makes changes, often adding superlatives like, "first," "best," "most," etc. These overstatements are difficult to substantiate and usually not backed up by primary sources. The writer then has the dilemma of agreeing with the editor and being accountable if the source complains about an error, or disagreeing with the editor and being told to go re-interview the source or do more research until you can get to "first," "best," "most," etc. Because there are four edits, the editors often work against each other, introducing changes that another reverses. The writer is always blamed. There is a general culture of negativity and blame. Employees are often harshly criticized in staff meetings, even called "stupid." Turnover is tremendous. People quit or get fired constantly. The reason they are always advertising jobs is because they can't retain their staff.

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BioCentury Publications Response
7y
BioCentury is disappointed when an employee decides to leave. In this case, the report contains many inaccuracies. It IS accurate to say journalists who do not appreciate our emphasis on deep reporting, or do not like to be edited, will not be happy at BioCentury. Our Editorial team includes 10 Senior Writers and Senior Editors with 5-25 years of service at the company. They are hugely respected by our audience for their reporting and analytical skills, along with their scientific and clinical acumen and deep industry knowledge. We are happy with that. Susan Morgan, Director of Administration and Human Resources

Explore other reviews about BioCentury Publications

5.0
26 July 2021
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

It's a great remote part-time position, and the tasks were not difficult at all. I would recommend it to my fellow colleagues who love data analysis and want to understand more about the biotechnology industry.

Cons

The system initially was difficult to navigate namely because the information to input was siloed. Nonetheless, it's a minor con and can be easily fixed.

5.0
20 Jan 2021
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

You will never find a better crash course in all things drug and diagnostic development than joining BioCentury's Editorial team, and you will never be bored. You will be exposed to a broad range of scientific, clinical, financial, regulatory and policy topics, and you'll get to speak to the leadership making that progress happen across industry, academia and government, who are happy to speak with you because of BioCentury's reputation and relationships. The expectation is that you do not just report news, you provide analysis, so there is ample opportunity for creativity and critical thinking, which is encouraged by management. Over its 27+ year history, the company has adapted to changing publishing models and industry priorities, and created new opportunities for long-term employees along with it. The 401k match is generous and encourages saving. The culture is friendly, with a lot of great relationships across departments.

Cons

The learning curve is steep and the daily workload is substantial, particularly as you're getting your bearings; it feels lighter over time. Starting compensation for junior employees is low, though there can be large percent gains year over year in response to strong performance, and can therefore jump as much as 2x within a few years, at least in certain departments.

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