Off the Wire: News for the Canadian media freelancer Jan 29-Feb 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:

• The new partisan press [The Signal]
• Applications open for workplace mental health reporting awards [J-Source]
• VICE Canada workers face job cuts - collective agreement rights apply to union members [CMG]

From The U.S. and beyond:

• How to Survive Your First Month of Self-Employment [Entrepreneur]
• How foundation funding changes the way journalism gets done [CJR]
• How to find just about any email address [Freelancers Union]
• Are you ready for a rainy day? [Freelancers Union]
• Vice Media to cut 10 percent of staff [Poynter]
• How to thrive, not just survive, as a freelancer [Freelancers Union]

Recently on Story Board:

• The Born Freelancer on Being a Frugal Freelancer: One of the basic strategies of surviving a long life in freelancing is to spend as little as you can while making as much as you can...
• IATSE joins forces with CWA Canada in fight for better working conditions for factual / reality TV workers: Two of Canada’s top media and entertainment unions announced an innovative partnership today to improve working conditions and organize workers in factual/reality television...

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.