Off the Wire: News for the Canadian media freelancer Mar 5-11
Once a week, we gather stories about the media business, journalism, writing, communications, and freelancing—with a Canadian focus—and share them in Off the Wire. Who needs a water cooler?
From Canada:
- Applications now open for the 2019 EU-Canada Young Journalist Fellowship [J-Source]
- Facebook Canada announces $2.5 million investment in Canadian news industry [J-Source]
- CWA Canada part of global effort by municipalities to tackle precarity [CWA Canada]
From The U.S. and beyond:
- What can you do when your editor ghosts you? [The Freelancer]
- International Women’s Day: Time for more women to lead media and unions [IF]
- 5 strategies for freelance writing success [Freelancers Union]
- THE PITCH: Wired’s exec editor seeks stories that reveal all faces of technology [Nieman Storyboard]
- Amid mass layoffs in the media industry, what should freelancers do? [Freelancers Union]
- Committee to Protect Journalists Women’s Safety Survey 2019 [CPJ]
- Should freelancers enter their work for awards? Here’s 6 proven benefits (even if you don’t win!) [Being Freelance]
- Achieve cleaner copy with these proofreading pointers [Journalism.co.uk]
Recently on Story Board:
- Webinar: Tax time freelance finances: Tax time is coming up and a CMG Freelance free webinar is just what you need to start to learn how to run your sole-proprietorship finances…
- PWAC panel advises freelancers to ask for raises: Stagnant or low rates should motivate freelancers, not make them timid. That’s according to a panel of experienced freelancers who spoke recently at an event in Toronto called “Let’s Talk Rates: How to Ask for What You’re Worth and Get Paid On Time”…
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.
Webinar: Tax time freelance finances
Tax time is coming up and a CMG Freelance free webinar is just what you need to start to learn how to run your sole-proprietorship finances.
Mark your calendars for Tuesday, March 26th at 12 noon ET (9am PT) for a financial “lunch-and-learn” (or “breakfast-and-learn” if you’re on the west coast) with the New School of Finance.
The webinar will answer questions such as:
– How do I know if something is a business expense or a personal expense?
– How much should I be saving for income taxes?
– What about HST – what is that?
The webinar will be presented by Liz Schieck, certified teacher & financial coach from the New School of Finance, an unbiased financial planning and financial coaching firm.
To register click on this link. When the form asks for your affiliation type Storyboard.
The live version of this webinar is free. We’ll be making a recorded version available to members of CMG Freelance after the event.
BONUS! CMG Freelance is also offering a limited number of free tuition spots in the New School of Finance’s online Sole Proprietor Course, a $400 value. Some of the places will be offered by lottery to members of CMG Freelance, and as a bonus perk to any new members signing on before the webinar on March 26th.
For more information about this offer please email Don Genova at freelance@cmg.ca.
PWAC panel advises freelancers to ask for raises
by Meagan Gillmore
Photo courtesy of PWAC Toronto Chapter
Stagnant or low rates should motivate freelancers, not make them timid. That’s according to a panel of experienced freelancers who spoke recently at an event in Toronto called “Let’s Talk Rates: How to Ask for What You’re Worth and Get Paid On Time.”
The event was hosted by the Toronto chapter of the Professional Writers Association of Canada (PWAC) on February 25 and featured writers and editors Diane Peters, Allan Britnell and Carol J. Anderson.
Peters said she disapproves of the mindset that sees cutting back on personal expenses as the best response to low rates. Instead, she said, freelancers should “push themselves” to earn more.
“Money is one of those things that motivates you as a freelancer” said Peters who, in addition to writing, teaches at Ryerson University. “You always have to hustle to get the work that you love and to make more money.”
All of the panelists said their careers have mainly been freelance, and they’ve all managed to earn comfortable incomes. It’s possible for freelancers to make between $75,000 and $95,000 a year, they said.
Anderson, who mainly works as an editor, said that, in her view, rates are always open to negotiation. “I think we’re often afraid to ask for more, and we shouldn’t be,” she said.
Read the rest of this post »
Off the Wire: News for the Canadian media freelancer Feb 26-Mar 4
Once a week, we gather stories about the media business, journalism, writing, communications, and freelancing—with a Canadian focus—and share them in Off the Wire. Who needs a water cooler?
From Canada:
- CBC Tentative Agreement – Information Package [CMG]
- Torstar reported $3.1-million Q4 loss, revenue down from year ago [J-Source]
- Remaining staff struggle to cope after layoffs at Ottawa Citizen, Canadian Press [CWA Canada]
From The U.S. and beyond:
- Tip: Develop new interview techniques [Journalism.co.uk]
- Daily habits of productive freelancers [Freelancers Union]
- Contently’s New Service Fee Draws a Backlash [Managing Editor]
- LinkedIn: here is what journalism students need to know [Journalism.co.uk]
- Contently Shoots Itself in the Foot with a Charge for Freelancers to Get Paid [Inc.]
- How Freelance Labor Became the Unsung Casualty of Media Layoffs [Observer]
- Freelancers claim they haven’t been paid for contributions to Out magazine [NY Daily News]
- How to live your most productive freelance life [Journo Resources]
- Out Magazine: Pay the Freelancers! [National Writers Union]
- Out Magazine’s Fresh Start Overpowered by Bitter Money Dispute [New York Times]
Recently on Story Board:
- The 5-Minute Freelancer Q&A #40 — Kalli Anderson: Award-winning freelance audio producer, filmmaker and journalist Kalli Anderson spoke with Story Board recently about the value of working in a variety of media, the ways in which teaching complements her journalism, and the importance of sharing information among freelancers…
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 5-Minute Freelancer Q&A #40 — Kalli Anderson
In this regular feature, Story Board asks Canadian freelancers to share a few details about their work habits and their strategies for navigating the ups and downs of freelance life.
Photo by Jenna Wakani
Kalli Anderson is an award-winning freelance audio producer, filmmaker and journalist based in Toronto.
She has produced radio documentaries, news reports and current affairs segments for CBC Radio. Her writing has appeared in publications such as The Walrus, Chatelaine, Today’s Parent, and The Globe and Mail. Her short films have screened in festivals across North America.
Kalli also teaches multimedia reporting. documentary production and feature writing at Ryerson University School of Journalism.
She spoke with Story Board recently about the value of working in a variety of media, the ways in which teaching complements her journalism, and the importance of sharing information among freelancers.
You work in a lot of different media — print, audio, film. What are the challenges of balancing all of those various skills?
I see it differently than it being a challenge. I’ve always consciously tried to be able to be skilled in different media because I think that helps me get different kinds of work, which has practical implications.
But also a journalist and as a documentary maker, I really like to be able to think “what medium would be best for this story or for this material?” I think it helps me do different kinds of work creatively if I have the ability to do it in these different media — because I don’t think all stories fit super well as a magazine piece.
Read the rest of this post »
Off the Wire: News for the Canadian media freelancer Feb 20-25
Once a week, we gather stories about the media business, journalism, writing, communications, and freelancing—with a Canadian focus—and share them in Off the Wire. Who needs a water cooler?
From Canada:
- What layoffs at Elle Canada, Style at Home and Canadian Living mean for the future of print [J-Source]
- Alberta Views short fiction contest open [Alberta Views]
- CBC and CMG Reach a Tentative Deal [CMG]
From The U.S. and beyond:
- Rookie mistakes freelancers make when they launch a business [Creative Boom]
- What to look for before writing a story about an academic study [CJR]
- Four tips for building your professional brand [Freelancers Union]
- These 4 questions might be preventing you from starting a side hustle [Inc]
- Bounce back from burnout with these three simple steps [Freelancers Union]
- How to work at peak productivity–and know when to take a break [Fast Company]
Recently on Story Board:
- Freelancer-related highlights of the CMG’s tentative agreement with CBC: The proposed agreement will provide more clarity to distinguish between the various types of freelance engagements. The CMG will have access to additional contact information for freelancers to improve communication about their rights. As well, we negotiated freelance rate increases in line with the across-the-board wage increases for other members…
- Public Lending Right program’s 2019 registration period now open: If you’re a Canadian author, illustrator or photographer with one or more published books, it’s time to register for the Public Lending Right Program. The program is a Canada Council for the Arts initiative that sends payments every year to creators whose books are in Canadian public libraries…
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.
Freelancer-related highlights of the CMG’s tentative agreement with CBC
The Canadian Media Guild’s bargaining committee reached a tentative agreement with the CBC earlier this month. Highlights of the tentative agreement as it relates to freelancers are as follows:
The proposed agreement will provide more clarity to distinguish between the various types of freelance engagements. The CMG will have access to additional contact information for freelancers to improve communication about their rights. As well, we negotiated freelance rate increases in line with the across-the-board wage increases for other members.
You can find more information about the CMG’s tentative agreement with CBC on the CMG website.
If you have any questions about the contracts you’ve been given for your freelance work at CBC, you can email CMG Freelance president Don Genova anytime at freelance@cmg.ca.
Public Lending Right Program’s 2019 registration period now open
If you’re a Canadian author, illustrator or photographer with one or more published books, it’s time to register for the Public Lending Right Program. The program is a Canada Council for the Arts initiative that sends payments every year to creators whose books are in Canadian public libraries.
This year’s registration period runs until May 1, 2019. To register, you’ll need to fill out and mail in a signed registration form along with photocopies of the title page, copyright page and table of contents of the book or books you’ve contributed to.
If you’ve already registered but you have new books to add to your file, fill out the blue file update form you’ll receive in the mail over the next few weeks. Forms should arrive by March 27 and need to be returned before May. If you don’t receive a form by the end of March, you can contact program administrators at plr@canadacouncil.ca.
The minimum payment the program will send out is $50. The maximum payment issued in 2017 was $3,521.
For details on eligibility criteria or the application process, see the Public Lending Right Program’s website.
Off the Wire: News for the Canadian media freelancer Feb 12-19
Once a week, we gather stories about the media business, journalism, writing, communications, and freelancing—with a Canadian focus—and share them in Off the Wire. Who needs a water cooler?
From Canada:
- Bail out journalists, not their bosses [J-Source]
- Workers at BuzzFeed declare intention to unionize [Globe and Mail]
- BuzzFeed Canada staff file to unionize [CWA Canada]
- If you read this statement it will tell you why BuzzFeed Canada is unionizing [Medium]
- Data storytelling in a diversifying field [J-Source]
- Let’s talk about rates, baby! [PWAC Toronto]
From The U.S. and beyond:
- 4 ways to create and maintain a writing habit [The Write Life]
- How freelancers can battle imposter syndrome [The Freelancer]
- In open letter, freelancers demand fairer pay and better treatment [IJNet]
- Am I too expensive? Asks every freelancer, ever. Spoiler: no! [Mediabistro]
- 8 books that will improve your freelancing in 2019 [Freelancers Union]
- Young reporters find news ways to break into journalism [Financial Times]
Recently on Story Board:
- Audio rate card survey aims to empower freelance producers: A group of freelance producers are running a survey of freelance audio production rates in an effort to gain a better understanding of how much producers are charging for their services across the country…
- SABEW Canada’s 2018 Best In Business Awards are open for submissions: Freelance business writers, it’s time to apply for the SABEW Canada Best in Business awards. Submissions opened this week for the 5th annual awards program, which covers work published, broadcast and posted during the 2018 calendar year…
- BuzzFeed Canada staff file to unionize: The Canadian Media Guild (CMG), media union CWA Canada’s biggest local, is filing with the Ontario Labour Relations Board and the Canada Industrial Relations Board after a majority of the 10 BuzzFeed staff in Toronto signed union cards…
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.
Audio rate card survey aims to empower freelance producers
If you do freelance audio production work, you’re invited to contribute to the creation of a rate card for Canadian audio producers.
Freelance producers Michelle Macklem, Aliya Pabani, Jess Shane, and Kalli Anderson are running a survey of freelance audio production rates in an effort to gain a better understanding of how much producers are charging for their services across the country.
Once they collect enough responses, they’ll compile them into an accessible format to serve as a guideline for independent audio producers.
“From my experience, a lot of us have been having these conversations offline for years, and we felt it was valuable to create some public resources, especially for producers who are just starting out,” Macklem told Story Board via email this week. “If we can all get a sense of how much we charge, it empowers producers to set rates with reasonable expectations.”
Macklem said she’s seen producers enter the industry passionate about their work, only to burn out after months of working contracts with no stability and low pay. Despite drastic increases to the cost of living in Canada’s major cities, she said, pay rates have not risen to reflect this change.
“Talking about money is hard,” she said. “We hope that this survey can help alleviate that stress and provide support around what fair pay looks like.”
You can take the Canadian audio rate card survey right here. The group is hoping for over 50 responses by the time they close the survey at the end of February. And stay tuned to Story Board — we’ll share details about the audio rate card when they become available.
