Off The Wire: News for the Canadian media freelancer Oct 25-31
Once a week, we gather stories about the media business, journalism, writing, publishing, and freelancing—with a Canadian focus—and share them in Off the Wire. Who needs a water cooler?
From Canada:
- Media and rights groups win right to intervene in Vice-RCMP fight [Globe and Mail]
- Black Press launches a new Vancouver Island wide daily newspaper [J-Source]
- Edmonton media outlet Taproot is working on an innovative model for paid reporting work [J-Source]
- Journalism internships should be paid fairly and offer personal mentoring [J-Source]
- Roster of international judges named to augment Magawards judging [Canadian Magazines]
- Algonquin students offered opportunities but no pay [J-Source]
From The U.S. and beyond:
- Freelance Isn’t Free Becomes Law in NYC [National Writers Union]
- Freelance Isn’t Free and the future of freelancing [Freelancers Union]
- Freelancers Rejoice: A historic NYC law helps freelancers demand payment [Bitch Media]
- Fostering a Grassroots Approach to International Reporting [Nieman Reports]
- An Evernote Guide for Writers: 5 Ways to Use it for All Your Projects [The Write Life]
- What Editors Really Want From Writers [Mediabistro]
- Program lifts aspiring writers from poverty, infuses media with fresh voices [CJR]
- How to Become a Better Writer: 4 Ways to Deal With Criticism [The Write Life]
- 5 Helpful Reporting Tips from The New Yorker Festival [The Freelancer]
Recently on Story Board:
- New York City Freelance Isn’t Free Act passes: In a landmark victory, New York City Council has voted to protect freelancers against client nonpayment. The Freelance Isn’t Free bill was spearheaded by the Freelancers Union and passed today after a year-long campaign…
- Vancouver members: Enter to win a ticket the the Green Jobs BC Conference media workshop: Interested in learning how to report on the green economy? Enter to win one of four tickets to the media workshop at the upcoming Green Jobs BC conference…
- Top Five Benefits of Writing in a Coffee Bar: When it comes to the benefits of working in coffee shops, J.K. Rowling says “You don’t have to make your own coffee, and you don’t have to feel like you’re in solitary confinement.”
Spot a story you think we should include in next week’s Off the Wire? Email the link to editor@thestoryboard.ca or tweet us at @storyboard_ca.
New York City “Freelance Isn’t Free” Act passes
In a landmark victory, New York City Council has voted to protect freelancers against client nonpayment. The Freelance Isn’t Free bill was spearheaded by the Freelancers Union and passed today after a year-long campaign.
It requires clients to use contracts for freelance work, allows freelancers to file complaints with the Department of Labor Standards against non-paying clients, and levies fines against clients who are found guilty of non-payment.
The bill was sponsored by New York City Council Member Brad Lander and it passed unanimously with 51 votes. The Freelancers Union intends to campaign for similar legislation in other cities around the United States.
We did it, freelancers! NYC becomes the first city in the nation to protect independent workers against nonpayment: https://t.co/FjIDwA0YRF
— Freelancers Union (@freelancersu) October 27, 2016
Vancouver members: Enter to win a ticket to the Green Jobs BC Conference media workshop
Interested in learning how to report on the green economy? Enter to win one of four tickets to the media workshop at the upcoming Green Jobs BC conference, scheduled for November 24th from 9:00am to 12:30pm at the Anvil Centre in New Westminster, BC.
CMG Freelance and CWA Associate Members are invited to email freelance@cmg.ca by next Friday, November 4th to enter for the ticket draw. Tickets to this workshop are valued at $50 each.
The Jobs Today, Jobs Tomorrow conference is being co-presented by The Tyee and Green Jobs BC. It brings together a variety of people and organizations to discuss plans to create green jobs in British Columbia.
Presenters at the media workshop include freelance journalist Geoff Dembicki and Shannon Daub, the Director of Communications for the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. The conference’s special guest is the CBC’s Bob MacDonald.
The goal of the workshop is to “help equip journalists (and future journalists) with the knowledge and skills to challenge conventional economics frames and ask insightful questions.”
CWA Associate Membership is free for students, volunteers and emerging media workers. You can sign up for membership right here.
For information about the price and benefits of CMG Freelance membership check out the CMG Freelance website.
The Top Five Benefits of Writing in a Coffee Bar
by Christine Blanchette
The idea of stepping out of your home – your comfort zone – especially on a rainy day, to go to your local coffee shop to write may not sound beneficial or motivating. I thought that too until one day a rather severe windstorm brought down hydro lines, plunging the neighborhood into darkness. I was forced to find a coffee spot that still had power in order to make my deadline.
I remember walking in with my laptop, notebook and pen. The smell of java and goodies put me on autopilot, letting my senses guide me. Yes, it was certainly comfortable and besides, I had to stay and try to write. After my first taste of coffee, I was ready to create. A couple of hours and two cups of coffee later, the end result was I did make deadline – and it was an enjoyable afternoon, as well.
Writing in a coffee shop as opposed to working at home is fun. It’s also a viable excuse to get dressed and not stay in your pj’s all day. According to an article by Rachel Kolman – ‘Eight places where successful authors write,’ J.K. Rowling began writing her Harry Potter series in a coffee place in Edinburgh.
When it comes to the benefits of working in coffee shops, Rowling says “You don’t have to make your own coffee, and you don’t have to feel like you’re in solitary confinement.”
Here are my top five benefits of writing in a coffee shop:
Off The Wire: News for the Canadian media freelancer Oct 18-24
Once a week, we gather stories about the media business, journalism, writing, publishing, and freelancing—with a Canadian focus—and share them in Off the Wire. Who needs a water cooler?
From Canada:
- How a new B.C. media fund will encourage storytelling innovation [J-Source]
- Indigenous magazine Red Rising expands into Vancouver [Canadian Magazines]
- Algonquin students offered opportunities but no pay [J-Source]
- Postmedia to cut more jobs as net losses spike [Globe and Mail]
- Patti Sonntag spearheads Canadian collaborative investigative journalism project [J-Source]
From The U.S. and beyond:
- How Do Editors Really Feel About Follow-Ups? [The Freelancer]
- Socialist magazine Jacobin’s staffers unionize [The Guardian]
- 6 networking tips for the new and nervous [Freelancers Union]
- 5 Ways to be a Productive Writer in a World of Distraction [Write To Done]
- What if the newspaper industry made a colossal mistake? [Politico]
- 4 Essential Steps to Fixing Your Online Reputation [Mediabistro]
- Tip: Get into the habit of archiving your work [Journalism.co.uk]
- How the Gig Economy Profits off Desperation [The Bold Italic]
Recently on Story Board:
- Access Copyright & Access Copyright Foundation — What can they do for you?: Are you registered with Access Copyright (AC) as one of over 11,000 Canadian writers, visual artists or publishers who receive an annual payment? Or have you ever applied for a Professional Development, Research or Events grant from Access Copyright Foundation?…
- Social media webinar for members October 27: Need to improve your social media skills? CMG Freelance and CWA Canada Associate Members are invited to a free webinar led by Elamin Abdelmahmoud, the social media editor at Buzzfeed Canada…
- Journalism internships should be paid fairly and offer personal mentoring: Entry-level media workers can confirm that some journalism internships aren’t as glamorous as they may seem because they’re neither paid fairly nor do they provide one-on-one mentoring…
Spot a story you think we should include in next week’s Off the Wire? Email the link to editor@thestoryboard.ca or tweet us at @storyboard_ca.
Access Copyright & Access Copyright Foundation: What Can They Do for You?
by Elle Andra-Warner
Are you registered with Access Copyright (AC) as one of over 11,000 Canadian writers, visual artists or publishers who receive an annual payment? Or have you ever applied for a Professional Development, Research or Events grant from Access Copyright Foundation?
If not, here’s some information that could add to your stream of income.
Access Copyright, a non-profit national organization, was founded in 1988 by Canadian creators and publishers and today represents over 11,000 Canadians and their works. AC provides a variety of services in relation to the use of works in educational institutions, businesses, government and others, including licensing, permissions, and payments. And registering with AC is free.
I’ve been a published journalist, photographer and author since 1992 but didn’t learn about Access Copyright (AC) until about five years later when I became a member of the Professional Writers’ Association of Canada (PWAC) and learned about AC from their e-list.
I registered as a creator affiliate and have been receiving an annual payment since then. In 2007, when I started a small publishing company to produce regional books about Northwestern Ontario by other authors, I signed with AC to also become a publisher affiliate with AC, and dependent on sales, that has provided another annual payment.
So, who can sign on to be a creator affiliate with AC? If you are a writer, editor, translator or visual artist (e.g. photographer, graphic artist, etc.) published in print format – such as in a book, magazine, newspaper or scholarly journal — for which you retain reproduction rights; a Canadian citizen or permanent resident and don’t reside in Quebec; at least 18 years of age; and, not already affiliated with any other reproduction rights agency (such as COPIBEC in Quebec), you can become part of AC.
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Social media webinar for members October 27th
Need to improve your social media skills?
CMG Freelance and CWA Canada Associate Members are invited to a free webinar led by Elamin Abdelmahmoud, the social media editor at Buzzfeed Canada.
Register here for the workshop, which is scheduled for Thursday, October 27th from 6 to 7 p.m. ET. After you register, you’ll be sent a link where you can sign in to watch and participate.
If you’re interested in the webinar but can’t participate live, be sure to register anyway — the webinar will be recorded and you’ll be sent a link to play it back later.
Abdelmahmoud will talk about new strategies for digital storytelling and the latest thinking on the direction in which social media is headed.
Before becoming BuzzFeed Canada’s social media editor, Abdelmahmoud handled social media for TVO’s Current Affairs and Documentaries. He also worked on The Agenda with Steve Paikin and CBC’s The National.
This webinar is free for both CWA Associate Members and members of CMG Freelance. If you’re already a member, you can register for the event on this page on our website. You’ll need your membership number to register. If you’re a new CMG Freelance member and haven’t yet received your membership card, you can contact freelance@cmg.ca to get your number.
CWA Associate Membership is free for students, volunteers and emerging media workers. You can sign up for membership right here.
For information about the price and benefits of CMG Freelance membership check out the CMG Freelance website.
Journalism internships should be paid fairly and offer personal mentoring
This post is the eighth in a series called “E-Lancer Writes,” exploring the working conditions, rights, and collective organizing strategies of freelance journalists, interns, and other low-wage or temporary digital media workers.
By Errol Salamon
Entry-level media workers can confirm that some journalism internships aren’t as glamorous as they may seem because they’re neither paid fairly nor do they provide one-on-one mentoring.
We gathered the stories of four journalism interns to better understand the experiences of emerging media workers in today’s media landscape. Here’s what they had to say.
Pay your interns fairly
Pay rates vary across journalism internships. Vanessa interned full time at Canadian Geographic in Ottawa for 12 weeks. She wasn’t paid.
“To not get paid when you’re working full-time hours can be a little bit discouraging and it’s also tough being a student because you can’t work another job,” she said.
“So I essentially lost out on an entire summer’s pay that could’ve gone towards my schooling.”
According to the Canadian Geographic website, “Unfortunately, our internships are unpaid, but they will give you meaningful, fulfilling work experience, insight into the inner workings of an internationally-acclaimed 80-year-old magazine published by a not-for-profit society, and a head start on your career in the magazine industry.”
Read the rest of this post »
Off The Wire: News for the Canadian media freelancer Oct 12-17
Once a week, we gather stories about the media business, journalism, writing, publishing, and freelancing—with a Canadian focus—and share them in Off the Wire. Who needs a water cooler?
From Canada:
- CBC’s senior reporters and anchors reflect on a changing media landscape [J-Source]
- Applications open for the 2016 R. James Travers Foreign Corresponding Fellowship [J-Source]
- Four new indy magazine members welcomed by Magazines Canada [Canadian Magazines]
- Radio-Canada fights RCMP attempt to obtain interview materials [J-Source]
From The U.S. and beyond:
- What Stops Workers From Going Freelance [Fast Company]
- Can AI Really Help Freelancers Write Better Emails? [The Freelancer]
- 7 Ways to Fight Work-Related Depression [Freelancers Union]
- How to Get Your Enthusiasm Back as a Creative Writer [Write To Done]
- U.S. freelancers made an estimated $1 trillion in 2016 [Tech.co]
- 13 Tips and Tricks for Working Remotely and Loving It [Skillcrush]
Recently on Story Board:
- The Born Freelancer on Why Public Libraries Matter: I was visiting my local public library the other day when I realized how much I have come to rely on its resources to facilitate my freelancing lifestyle…
- Applications open for the 2017 Canadian Nieman Fellowship: Applications are now open for the 2017 Martin Wise Goodman Canadian Nieman Fellowship. The deadline for applications is January 6, 2017…
Spot a story you think we should include in next week’s Off the Wire? Email the link to editor@thestoryboard.ca or tweet us at @storyboard_ca.
The Born Freelancer on Why Public Libraries Matter
This series of posts by the Born Freelancer shares personal experiences and thoughts on issues relevant to freelancers. Have something to add to the conversation? We’d love to hear from you in the comments.
I was visiting my local public library the other day when I realized how much I have come to rely on its resources to facilitate my freelancing lifestyle.
In fact, I would say that the public library system has been a key factor in enabling me to pursue my freelancing career over the years with maximum efficiency and minimal cost.
I recently moved and getting my new local library card was the very first piece of documentation that I sought. Even before my new driver’s license or health card. It was that important to me. Here’s a partial list of reasons why.
It is a place to go
A freelancer is usually stuck at home. Working, or not working, there’s rarely any place to go these days that doesn’t require you to buy something. A library is quite simply the ideal home away from home. In winter it is warm, in summer it is cool. There are people around so you don’t feel isolated but total privacy for you to do your own thing without interference. Everyone has to be somewhere and if I’m not at home, or at the home of friends, the library is next most where I’d like to be.