Join the CMG at the CNE on Labour Day

August 24, 2016 Editor Event canadian media guildcmglabour day

Freelancers and other media workers are invited to join the Canadian Media Guild for a Labour Day parade in Toronto on Monday, September 5th.

The parade starts at 9 a.m. at University and Queen Street West in Toronto and ends at the CNE where participants will get free admission to the fair. Family and friends welcome.

If you're outside of Toronto, don't forget to look into Labour Day parades in your community.

Hope to see you there!

Media interns: Share your experiences

August 23, 2016 Editor News internshipsunpaid internships

Did you work a media internship this summer... or in the recent past? We'd like to hear about your experiences. Errol Salamon is a freelance writer and the work and labour editor of J-Source. He's also the author of a series of columns on Story Board called E-Lancer Writes. For his next column, Errol is planning to explore media internships in…

Off The Wire: News for the Canadian media freelancer Aug 16-22

August 22, 2016 Editor News newsoff the wire

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: Globe and Mail, Ryerson, UBC nominated for Online Journalism Awards [J-Source] Liberals probe unpaid internships in federal government [CBC] CWA…

CANADALAND takes on Alberta’s notoriously slow-paying publisher

August 19, 2016 Editor News delayed paymentsfreelance compensationtrouble spotsventure publishing

The media criticism website CANADALAND published a post this week about Venture Publishing's habit of paying its freelancers extremely late. Edmonton writer Jay Smith spoke with a number of freelancers as well as Venture Publishing's CEO and president Ruth Kelly about the publisher's financial troubles.The publisher, which owns Alberta Venture and…

Equity issues at VICE Canada highlighted by unionization effort

August 19, 2016 Editor Journalism e-lancer writesunionizationvice canadavice union

This post is the seventh 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 The VICE Canada bargaining committee has been looking closely at equity issues as it…

The Born Freelancer on Why Paying to be Published is Wrong

August 17, 2016 Editor Advice born freelancerthe born freelancer

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? Your input is welcome in the comments. Am I the only person offended by the concept of an author being required to pay to be published? No, it's worse than that. It's being exhorted…

Off The Wire: News for the Canadian media freelancer Aug 9-15

August 15, 2016 Editor News newsoff the wire

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: If the ‘gig economy’ is booming, why is ‘freelance’ still considered a dirty word associated with failure? [National Post] Journalists need…

Off The Wire: News for the Canadian media freelancer Aug 2-8

August 08, 2016 Editor News newsoff the wire

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: Public Editor: Should the Globe fix or ban online comments? [Globe and Mail] Why Postmedia is opening a digital development lab in…

The 3 R’s of freelancing: Reuse, Repurpose, Resell

August 05, 2016 Editor Advice advicepitchingreselling

By Sandra PhinneyYou’ve heard that clichéd line, “the gift that keeps giving.” I’m starting to view my stories that way. If I resell an article I’ve written, or repurpose the story and sell a second or third rendition of that story, I am gifting myself—and putting extra money in the bank.I’ve already done the leg-work, research and…

CWA Canada adopts Canada’s first guidelines on media internships

August 03, 2016 Editor News cwa canadainternships

By Errol SalamonCWA Canada’s National Representative Council unanimously adopted Canada’s first guidelines on educational media internships at the union’s annual meeting in Calgary from April 29-30 to establish fair standards across the media industry.The CWA Canada Associate Members Steering Committee wrote the 15 internship guidelines. The…