Off the Wire: News for the Canadian media freelancer Mar 26-April 1

April 01, 2019 Editor News newsoff the wire

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:

New Magazines Canada program supports paid interns for members [Magazines Canada]
BuzzFeed Canada news staff officially members of Canadian Media Guild [CWA Canada]
Court decision a victory for journalists covering Indigenous protests [APTN News]
2019 Canadian Magazine Writing Contests: The Ultimate Guide [Magazine Awards]
The Trudeau government's tax subsidy for journalism puts the Halifax Examiner in an impossible situation [J-Source]
Huge and True: BuzzFeed Canada editorial employees receive union certification [Medium]
Black Press axing half of Alberta daily’s unionized staff [CWA Canada]
Clean Up Your Copy: 10 Common Spelling and Grammar Errors [Magazines Canada]
Throwing Money at Media Won’t Fix Canada’s News Deficit [The Tyee]
Liberals’ journalism funding makes it harder to launch news startups [The Discourse]

From The U.S. and beyond:

How freelancers are fighting for their pay [Financial Times]
Hidden Gold: A Massive Freelancing Niche Overlooked by Most Writers [Freelance Writing Jobs]
Vice Media Agrees to $1.87 Million Settlement for Paying Female Staffers Less Than Men [Hollywood Reporter]
How to vet PR industry claims [Open Notebook]
Yes, Freelance Writers Can Take a Real Vacation: Here’s How [The Write Life]
This is the one simple act that helps me be more creative [Fast Company]

Recently on Story Board:

CMG members vote 80% in favour of ratifying new deal with CBC: CBC workers who are represented by CWA Canada through its largest Local, the Canadian Media Guild (CMG), have voted 80 per cent in favour of ratifying a new collective agreement with the public broadcaster...
Vancouver freelancers invited to NPAC "mix and mingle": BC media freelancers are invited to a “Mix and Mingle” with members of the News Photographers Association of Canada as they begin their conference in Vancouver next month...

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.

CMG members vote 80% in favour of ratifying new deal with CBC

March 30, 2019 Editor News

[caption id="attachment_15896" align="alignright" width="277"] Photo by Laurence Butet-Roch[/caption]CBC workers who are represented by CWA Canada through its largest Local, the Canadian Media Guild (CMG), have voted 80 per cent in favour of ratifying a new collective agreement with the public broadcaster.The five-year deal contains wage increases…

Vancouver freelancers invited to NPAC “Mix and Mingle”

March 27, 2019 Editor Event eventfreelance meet-upnpac

BC media freelancers are invited to a "Mix and Mingle" with members of the News Photographers Association of Canada as they begin their conference in Vancouver next month.Please come and join in the fun and network with photographers and other freelancers at the opening night of the Capture Photography Festival on Thursday, April 11th at 6 p.m.…

Freelance at the CBC? You may be eligible to vote on the new collective agreement.

March 25, 2019 Editor News cbccbc freelancerscmg freelancecollective bargaining

CMG-CBC agreement – Freelance workers eligible to voteFrom Tuesday, March 26 to Thursday, March 28, Canadian Media Guild (CMG) members working at CBC/Radio-Canada will have the opportunity to vote on the tentative agreement reached between our union and the Corporation. The vote will take place online using our electronic voting system.In order…

Off the Wire: News for the Canadian media freelancer Mar 19-25

March 25, 2019 Editor News newsoff the wire

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: Government funding for journalism: to what end? [J-Source] Ratification vote next week – CMG-CBC tentative agreement [CMG] Rogers Media is out…

CWA Canada seeks writer for union history project

March 22, 2019 Editor News cwa canadawork opportunity

CWA Canada, the country’s only all-media union, is looking for a journalist/writer to research and write a 50-page booklet on the history of the union.Please apply if you write with flair, have proven research and organizational skills, are able to work independently - and always meet deadlines.The project is to be completed by December 2019…

Applications open for the 2019 Forum Freelance Fund hostile environment training bursaries

March 19, 2019 Editor Event bursarycanadian journalism forum on violence and traumaforum freelance fundsafety training

Applications opened this week for the 2019 Forum Freelance Fund competition. The fund provides bursaries to help Canadian freelancers pay for hostile environment training.The deadline for this annual competition is April 13 2019. Winners of the bursaries (worth up to $2500) will be notified by May 31 and will have up to two months to choose a…

Off the Wire: News for the Canadian media freelancer Mar 12-18

March 18, 2019 Editor News newsoff the wire

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: How Doug Ford is endangering local news ecosystems [J-Source] Deadline approaching for CBC New Indigenous Voices media training course [CBC]…

The Born Freelancer’s Q&A with “Light Writer” Maggie MacPherson

March 14, 2019 Editor Advice adviceborn freelancerfreelance lifefreelancer q&aphotographythe 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? We’d love to hear from you in the comments. As a word person (primarily) I've always been fascinated by those skilled in the visual arts. Maggie MacPherson is a Vancouver-based…

PWAC Toronto editing seminar March 25

March 12, 2019 Editor Event editingeventpwac

Toronto-area writers, there's an evening seminar coming up that will teach you how to do a better job of editing your own work."Polishing Your Work: From Expert Tips to Editorial Workflows" is presented by PWAC Toronto Chapter and Magazines Canada on Monday, March 25 from 7:15 to 8:45 p.m. at the Miles Nadal Jewish Community Centre.At this…