Freelance writers and photographers are reacting with anger at the contract Transcontinental Media – publishers of magazines such as Elle, Canadian Living and The Hockey News – is insisting they sign to get paid for their work.
“Transcon is forcing people to accept a contract that makes us give up all control and rights to our work,” says Don Genova, president of the Canadian Media Guild’s freelance branch. “The contract terms would allow the publisher to take a writer’s story, change it in any way they want and either take the writer’s name off or, what is perhaps worse, leave it on.”
“And in exchange for all of these rights? The publisher will pay the same old low rates. This is truly outrageous,” Genova adds.
The Canadian Media Guild is joining with writers and photographers across the country to pressure the $2.1 billion company to scrap the contract and respect the valuable work that content creators provide to Transcon magazines and newspapers.
You can find out more about the campaign, and reaction to Transcon’s new freelance contract, on Story Board at www.thestoryboard.ca .
For further information:
Don Genova: don@dongenova.com
Keith Maskell: keith@cmg.ca or by phone at 416-524-9285 (cell)