Future of my company

I've been contacted by Westerlund News in regards to my small media company I operate out of Kithoi ward. I have four employees (including myself) and I managed to catch some attention by larger companies with my coverage of the recent announcements regarding the re-opening of Grissom Academy. Money has always been tight, and I've had to sell some of my portfolios of photographs from the war to make ends meet. That being said, I'm being offered a sum to sell my company and let it be absorbed by Westerlund.

I'm torn between two priorities. I want to be independent, but I also want a higher paying career. I've been told that my employees will come with me, and that I'll be assigned to a journalist who works on their 24/7 news network. I built my own company from the ground up and we're just getting started, but if I end it now, I have the potential to move up the ladder in the field of journalism.

I have a 14 year old daughter that needs to go to college. My books aren't selling well (anymore) and I'm kind of short on options.
That's why I'm asking you lot (as crazy as it may sound) for advice on this matter.

I'd start by looking in Westerland News, ask for testimonials of their employees, maybe of other firms like yours that have been absorbed. Are they satisfied? How did they fare in the long run?

There has been talk about getting embedded reporters into our unit to allow them to report about insurgencies happening on earth from relativly safe enviroment yet close to the front. Might not be the best idea for you since you have a child to attend but the footage and stories might have some value above yellow press stories.

Sell it and go freelance! Invest the money you get from the deal so you won't fall entirely onto nothing if work doesn't cut it out.

We've considered similar scenarios here - as hypotheticals, since nobody's looking to buy us at the moment, but if any of the major biosupport tech firms here were interested in selling better-than-average clean-rooms to private buyers, they could afford to make a good play out of pocket change at snapping us up, so it's something you consider.

I suppose the question I'd consider if I were in your skirt is: what do I want to be independent of? Journalists usually (so far as I've found) think of editorial restrictions first - what kind of media company is Westerlund, then? Are they looking to take you on in order to support the work you want to do - and benefit from that work being part of their larger portfolio - or do you imagine they'll want to mandate the subjects and arguments you're allowed to cover? If the latter, how much editorial control would you find acceptable, and do you think they'll exceed that? I'd suggest not dismissing the notion too quickly as selling out integrity for material gain - independence is a fine thing, but it's not the worst fate in the galaxy to spend some time in the chorus line before you reach centre stage yourself.

I heard a couple years back that Westerlund has a slight pro-human agenda, largely concerning a reporter or two. I'd say take the deal- you're still doing what you love and you get financial security out of it.

How's it developing?
Depends what Westerlund really wants. Do they want your company or do they want you?

Of course, if you want to fall in line to the general politics of Westerlund (I only hear bit and pieces, no network I follow on a grander scale to be honest) when they call you to do so, you can have a nice career. But if you want to break controversial topics in a way that contradicts what their line is, you will most likely not be happy with such a big operation, career or not. Do you know anyone who writes for them? Try to get an insight view.
A possibility could be to run with them for a while and build a foundation to break free again when your financial situation has become more stable.

I'd look at what and how they report or comment and if and how often you would have done and thought differently. Is there anything you absolutely can't get behind?

It's like the decision to work for specific clubs, there's always the question of money potential vs. environment. Inside sources are a great help if you have them.