# So, I guess I'm a journalist now

**Source:** Kineticist  
**Type:** article  
**Published:** 2025-09-03  
**Beat:** Pinball

**URL:** https://www.kineticist.com/post/so-i-guess-im-a-journalist-now

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## Analysis

Colin Alsheimer, founder of Kineticist, reflects on his evolution from self-described marketer to journalist, discussing the professional standards and practices he's adopted to improve independent pinball media. He announces participation in the Back Indie Media Drive and solicits reader subscriptions ($25-$60/year) to sustain Kineticist's operations, framing independent media funding as essential to editorial independence.

### Key Claims

- [HIGH] Colin has adopted journalism practices including SPJ Code of Ethics study, transparency reporting, and formal relationship cultivation with industry sources — _Direct statement of practices undertaken by Colin in building Kineticist_
- [HIGH] Kineticist receives reader support and subscription revenue, not primarily advertising — _Colin explicitly states 'The only funding and support I can truly rely on is what comes directly from readers like you'_
- [HIGH] Operating costs include writer compensation, travel to game reveals, and production tools — _Colin lists specific operational expenses: 'It pays our writers, funds travel to game reveals, and covers the tools we use to produce stories'_
- [HIGH] Goal for Back Indie Media Drive is 50 new subscriptions, targeting over 10,000 people on subscriber list — _Colin states 'Our goal this month is just 50 new subscriptions. A small, but achievable step, with over 10,000 people on this list'_

### Notable Quotes

> "Journalists don't make money. I can't be a journalist."
> — **Colin Alsheimer**, opening
> _Establishes Colin's initial resistance to identifying as a journalist based on financial sustainability concerns_

> "I'm just a marketer who can string a few words together and build a website."
> — **Colin Alsheimer**, early
> _Self-deprecating description of pre-journalist identity and skillset_

> "Fine. I'm a journalist."
> — **Colin Alsheimer**, middle
> _Turning point acceptance of journalist identity after describing professional development_

> "The only funding and support I can truly rely on is what comes directly from readers like you."
> — **Colin Alsheimer**, late
> _Core statement about Kineticist's revenue model and editorial independence strategy_

> "Being an indie publisher, ahem, journalist even, is HARD in 2025. The deck is stacked against anyone who chooses this path."
> — **Colin Alsheimer**, late
> _Industry commentary on independent media sustainability challenges in 2025_

### Entities

| Name | Type | Context |
|------|------|---------|
| Colin Alsheimer | person | Founder and editor of Kineticist, former marketer (including pharma advertising), transitioning to identify as journalist; leading independent pinball media publication |
| Kineticist | organization | Independent pinball media publication founded by Colin, reader-supported subscription model, provides news, interviews, and analysis of pinball industry |
| Back Indie Media Drive | event | September 2025 collective initiative by independent publishers to solicit reader subscriptions; Kineticist is participating |
| This Week in Pinball | organization | Publication where Colin's essay originally appeared on September 3rd, 2025 |
| Casa Bonita | game | Pinball machine that has been making rounds in enthusiast circles; subject of upcoming interview Colin is working on |
| SPJ Code of Ethics | organization | Society of Professional Journalists ethics framework that Colin has studied as part of professional journalism development |

### Topics

- **Primary:** Independent media business model and sustainability, Journalism practice and professional standards, Kineticist operations and funding
- **Secondary:** Pinball media and coverage, Reader subscription campaigns

### Sentiment

**Mixed** (0.55) — Positive and aspirational regarding Colin's professional evolution and vision for Kineticist; cautiously concerned about independent media sustainability challenges; somewhat urgent/pressured tone around financial needs

### Signals

- **[business_signal]** Kineticist has 10,000+ subscribers on email list; seeking 50 new subscriptions at $25-60/year price point during Back Indie Media Drive in September 2025 (confidence: high) — Colin states 'Our goal this month is just 50 new subscriptions. A small, but achievable step, with over 10,000 people on this list'
- **[business_signal]** Kineticist operating costs include writer compensation, travel to game reveals, and production tools; revenue model entirely dependent on reader subscriptions rather than advertising (confidence: high) — Colin explicitly itemizes operational expenses and states 'The only funding and support I can truly rely on is what comes directly from readers like you'
- **[community_signal]** Colin Alsheimer professionally transitioning from marketing (including pharma advertising) to independent journalism/publishing, adopting formal journalism practices and ethics frameworks (confidence: high) — Colin describes journey: 'I'm just a marketer who can string a few words together' to 'I'm leaning into it now' as journalist, detailing adoption of SPJ ethics, interview techniques, and media business knowledge

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## Transcript

This post originally appeared on This Week in Pinball on September 3rd, 2025.
I’m not a journalist.
I tell this to myself over and over again.
Journalists don’t make money. I can’t be a journalist.
For the longest time, I resisted the idea.
Journalism takes work, and training, and formal education in things like, you know, journalism. I’m just a marketer who can string a few words together and build a website.
No, no, I’m not a journalist.
And yet, every day, as I do the work, I have the same thoughts.
I mean, what do I know about codes of ethics, transparency, and fact-checking? I used to run ad campaigns for pharma companies, for crying out loud!
People just like reading what I write. It’s topical, and pinball is fun. Anyone could do this. I’m building a platform, a means of distribution, a legitimate business, not a blog.
I’m not a journalist, am I?
But a funny thing happens when you start doing the work of a journalist every day. You learn about being a journalist. And all that’s required to do journalism well. You start exploring the SPJ Code of Ethics, geeking out over transparency reports in a cycling blog, and networking with other journalists. You start reading books on journalism, cultivate relationships with voices in your beat, and build systems for tracking and synthesizing large volumes of information.
You learn how to conduct better interviews, not for some new podcast episode or livestream, but for gathering the information and perspective you need to write an article that tells a story. You become a habitual listener of media business podcasts like People vs Algorithms and Mixed Signals. You buy a reference copy of The Elements of Style, devour Hunter S. Thompson's writing for a taste of a different flavor of journalism, and learn about the history of The Village Voice.
These are all things I’ve done, anyway, in the name of making Kineticist the best it can be and continuing on this path of independent media creation and journalism.
Fine. I’m a journalist.
I’m leaning into it now, putting the pieces in place and developing a stronger vision for what I want Kineticist to be and how I want to see it grow: the values it should embody and the impact it should have on this community and other places. I want it to be a sustainable, independent, community-supported publication that works for its readers, not a corporation or an advertiser.
But the hard truth is that I can’t continue doing this without your support.
Being an indie publisher, ahem, journalist even, is HARD in 2025. The deck is stacked against anyone who chooses this path. Advertising dollars have dried up. AI devalues our work. Social media platforms destroy our distribution. The independent media ecosystem is shrinking as publications are shuttered and journalists leave the field.
Running Kineticist is also expensive! Reader support doesn’t just keep the lights on. It pays our writers, funds travel to game reveals, and covers the tools we use to produce stories for you.
The only funding and support I can truly rely on is what comes directly from readers like you. That’s what lets me continue pushing towards a vision of financial and editorial independence for our work while continuously striving to improve our products for you.
This is why, this September, I’m joining a small group of fellow indie publishers for the Back Indie Media Drive.
As part of this drive, I’m asking you to take an important step that ensures Kineticist can continue on the path we’ve forged together, one of independent, thoughtful coverage of the pinball hobby (and beyond).
If you’ve ever gotten value from our coverage, now’s the time to support it. Most readers chip in $60/year, but even $25/year makes a real difference. Our goal this month is just 50 new subscriptions. A small, but achievable step, with over 10,000 people on this list.
And as a fellow indie media supporter, I encourage you to check out some of the other great publications taking part in the Back Indie Media Drive for your next favorite read.
Thank you for the time and the support you’ve provided so far.
Back to the pinball coverage soon! I’ve got another edition of The Score Card in the works, a fun interview with the team behind the Casa Bonita pinball machine that’s been making the rounds in enthusiast circles, plus our regular weekly updates.
Cheers,
-Colin Alsheimer
Founder and Editor, Kineticist
P.S. Even if now’s not the right time to subscribe, simply sharing our work with a friend who loves pinball helps!

_(Acquisition: web_scrape, Enrichment: v1)_

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*Exported from Journalist Tool on 2026-04-13 | Item ID: 2064baa0-e735-4188-9417-548bfba4ed74*