Recap
PWM Master's Candidates Tour Wirecutter
NYU SPS Students Visit Office That Tests and Reviews Thousands of Products a Year

<p><span class="p-body">On April 1, Center for Publishing, Writing, and Media graduate students spent an afternoon at <i>Wirecutter</i>, located in Long Island City. Ben Frumin, <i>Wirecutter's </i>editor-in-chief and a familiar face to many who have taken his <i>Introduction to Magazine Media</i> course at NYU SPS, ushered participants inside to tour the office. </span></p>
<p><span class="p-body">Students spoke to staff writer Andrea Barnes, who was evaluating the stain removal properties of various detergents. Frumin emphasized that <i>Wirecutter </i>must always preserve its journalistic integrity by working with people of all backgrounds, following strict ethical guidelines, and engaging in “rigorous and empathetic testing.”</span></p>
<p><span class="p-body">The facility's downstairs space is made accessible for members of <i>Wirecutter’s </i>paid tester program. The testers, all of different abilities, ages, races, and genders, are paid to subjectively evaluate the products so that <i>Wirecutter </i>has a diverse range of perspectives; there are a lot of products which present accessibility issues that may not be apparent before they are purchased. </span></p>
<p><span class="p-body">Editorially, Frumin said that <i>Wirecutter </i>is like a garden that the team tends to year-round. The story doesn’t end when the article gets published; the editorial team is engaged in the journalistic maintenance of over 1,000 articles, updating them as new products are released.</span></p>
<p><span class="p-body">To close the visit, Frumin introduced attendees to Caira Blackwell, co-host of <i>The Wirecutter Show</i>, a <i>New York Times</i> podcast, who talked about her career trajectory and her experience working for <i>Wirecutter</i>. Blackwell is an NYU graduate herself, and Frumin said it was her incredible enthusiasm that made her stand out. To get your dream job, “Be as versatile as possible,” Blackwell said. "You’re rewarded for being curious." As the media landscape continues to change, Frumin said it’s more important than ever to preserve the <i>Wirecutter’s </i>role as a trusted, innovative place to get product recommendations.</span></p>