Modern spam filters (like GMail) make me comfortable putting my email address in plain text all over the web. I never have a problem.

Is this a feeling "most" people share?

Look at the article URL. :)

I don't know that that applies anymore. I mean I used to remember using javascript and other hacks to wrap emails so the spam bots wouldn't get them, but that was ages ago and spam sorters have gotten a lot better. Gmails is nearly perfect.

It may be one of those things that we all assume we know for sure that just ain't so.

They most likely have very good spam filters already in place. They are receiving "tips" already constantly.

tips are supposed to go to [email protected] but when I was there it was a total firehose you had to filter out into a folder and wade through all at once. You'd probably be okay emailing a writer directly if you have a good reason to think they rather than someone else should be receiving your pitch.

Word. I'll note for others that impressing a journo involves not looking up their most recent clips and figuring our how your topic is like those too, but rather understanding the needs of that particular writer in their particular beat and trying to add value for her while extracting some value of your own as well.

TechCrunch, being under the AOL umbrella, is using AOL's email systems. Not sure how good their spam filters are.

I'm using AOL's Project Phoenix with an @wow.com email address. I've seen a good amount of obvious spam flow past my spam box, so that oughta tell you enough.