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 criticizes The Star's Gardasil story [Toronto Star]
• Unravelling of Zoomer deal final blow for Sun News [Globe and Mail]
• Sun News Network shuts down, putting 200 out of work [National Post]
• Pioneering Toronto Star baseball writer Alison Gordon dead at 72 [Toronto Star]
•  The Toronto Star's Gardasil controversy: A timeline [J-Source]
• 2015 Alberta Magazine Achievement Awards Winners Announced [AMPA]
• 'We failed.' Toronto Star publisher says the paper's HPV vaccine article 'let down' readers [CBC]
• Unions still needed to protect journalists' integrity in the face of creeping advertorial [RRJ]
• Freelancers fighting full copyright claim by non-profit media company [J-Source]

 

From The U.S. and beyond:

• Autopsy Cites Cancer as Cause in Death of David Carr [NYT]
• "Keep typing until it turns into writing": David Carr's invaluable advice for journalists [Vox]
• 5 Lies You Tell Yourself That Keep You from Becoming an Awesome Writer [The Write Life]
• Ask a Freelancer: How Do I Handle These 3 Common Pitch Problems? [The Freelancer]
• Major news organizations to reveal new freelancer safety guidelines [Poynter]
• Don't get fired: Why you should be discreet on social media [Freelancers Union]
• Yes, LinkedIn Can Help Freelancers Make Money. Here’s How [The Freelancer]
• Where’s Our WGA? The Union Situation for Freelancers [Scratch Magazine]
• The ultimate list of freelancer tax deductions [Freelancers Union]
• Newspaper group charges students £120 for chance of a by-line [NUJ]
• This is my best advice to young journalists [Vox]
• The Hidden Cost of a Flexible Job [The Atlantic]
• Infographic: The huge gap betweendigital and print rates for freelancers [Contently]

 

Last week on Story Board:

• Toronto freelancer goes the distance to pursue non-paying client: Most freelancers have had to deal with it at some point in their careers – a client who is slow to process invoices, or, worse, one that’s deliberately avoiding paying their contractors. Chasing down a paycheque can be frustrating, humiliating and damaging to your productivity...

 

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.