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November 30, 2009: Journalist Questioned at Canadian Border Crossing in Vancouver, British Columbia
Has freedom of speech become antiquated in Canada in advance of the 2010 Vancouver Olympics?
The CBC reports that American journalist and Democracy Now host Amy Goodman was stopped at a Canadian border crossing near Vancouver, British Columbia and questioned for 90 minutes about her reasons for entering Canada. According to Goodman, the border guards were interested in one thing only: Goodman's thoughts on the 2010 Vancouver Olympics.
Goodman said she told them she planned to speak about the debate over U.S. health care reform and the wars in Asia.
After much questioning, Goodman said the officials finally asked if she would be speaking about the 2010 Olympics.
"He made it clear by saying, 'What about the Olympics?'" said
Goodman. "And I said, 'You mean when President Obama went to Copenhagen
to push for the Olympics in Chicago?'"
"He said, 'No. I am talking about the Olympics here in 2010.' I said, 'Oh I hadn't thought of that,'" said Goodman.
"He said, 'You're saying you're not talking about the Olympics?'"
"He was clearly incredulous that I wasn't going to be talking about the Olympics. He didn't believe me," Goodman said.
Goodman is known for her open criticisms against the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. She was entering Canada to give speeches in Vancouver and Victoria, BC.
Allowed to enter Canada after the questioning, Goodman says she was presented with a document demanding she leave the country after 48 hours. Watch Goodman's account of the incident and a look at Canada's attempts to stifle dissent on the Democracy Now broadcast.
This is the latest report suggesting a clampdown on freedom of speech in advance of the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. The CBC also reported in July 2009 that the head of security for the 2010 Games, RCMP assistant commissioner Bud Mercer, was planning to erect "free speech areas" while acknowledging that "...anywhere you participate in
lawful protest is legal and lawful in Canada. It doesn't have to be in
a free speech area."
November 30, 2009: Next Wave of Internet Piracy: Reading
The United Kingdom's Times Online discussed the recent rise of e-book piracy and shares words of warning for the coming storm, arguing that the increase in book piracy in the Unites States parallels the popularity of e-book devices such as Amazon's Kindle and the Sony Reader.
The article raises some very real concerns for Canadian rightsholders. Amazon just announced that it's hugely popular e-book reader is now shipping to Canada (previously having been available for Unites States ship-to addresses only) which may bring about a surge in illegal downloading of copyright-protected content like magazines, books, etc. in file formats that are compatible with the device and easily copied. According to the Quill & Quire, Canada's magazine on the book industry, Canadian book publishers were scrambling to prepare Kindle editions of their titles for sale in the Kindle Store. In the rush to digitize and make Canadian editions Kindle-ready, worries about piracy have been pushed aside.
The Times, however, suggests that British publishers have seen this coming and have reacted accordingly:
British publishers are taking action to stop the pirates. The Publishers Association has released a web tool that allows publishers to log the details of an infringement of copyright. It then sends a demand to the offending website for the link to be removed. The portal has been alerted to more than 4,000 cases of online piracy by more than 40 publishers and has succeeded in taking down 2,638 illegal copies of books.
Publishers should take note that the most anticipated e-book reader and all-round "wow" item, the Apple Tablet, has been lurking in the shadows, waiting to enamour consumers, save newspapers and magazines, and change the world (or so any tech geek will tell you). Although still unannounced, its release will drive awareness of e-books and associated gadgets' cool factor - which the Time article's author asserts will spur an increase in illegal downloading:
This Christmas, e-book reading devices such as Amazon's Kindle and Sony's Reader will be among the most popular gadgets. But there are fears that as consumers get used to reading digital books they will look for a free download rather than pay.
In the US, where the Kindle has been available for two years, digital book piracy is booming. The web has enabled thousands of sites to distribute pirated book content free. American publishers are estimated to have lost more than $600 million (£363 million) last year to piracy.
Apple's impact on the e-reading world has already been noted:
The increase in the use of smartphones is also expected to add to the demand. One out of every five new applications introduced for the iPhone last month in the US was for e-books, according to Flurry, a research company that studies mobile trends.
November 27, 2009: The Future of Arts Advocacy?
The newly-formed and expanded all-party Canadian Arts Caucus met for the second time in Ottawa on Wednesday, November 25, 2009. The Caucus, designed to be a non-partisan forum for MPs and Senators to learn about the arts and to meet with the arts community, has the potential to eliminate "letters and lobbying" and focus on issues affecting the artistic community.
The Caucus originated from a conversation between Nancy Oakley (the General Manager for the Great Canadian Theatre Company) and Paul Dewar (MP for Ottawa Centre). In the summer of 2009, Dewar invited all MPs to ask them to become a member of a group to be organized and managed by MPs with ongoing cooperation from the arts community. 29 MPs expressed initial interest to form the Caucus, and held an inaugural meeting in October 2009. Approximately 40 interested MPs and Senators met for a second meeting on Wednesday.
The Caucus provides an opportunity for the arts community to raise awareness among MPs on issues of the day and to increase the profile of the arts on the Hill:
"What hopefully will change is that there won't be this huge chasm between decision-makers and artists, that there will be a lot less ignorance among decision-makers," Dewar said. "Maybe, just maybe, when there's not the spotlight of an election, we might be able to agree on something, put forth some ideas as a group to support the arts."
November 26, 2009: Canadian Freelancer Amanda Lindhout Freed
According to the CBC, Canadian freelance journalist Amanda Lindhout and Australian photographer Nigel Brennan have been released from captivity following their families' payment of a ransom estimated at $600,000 US.
"Amanda's parents are overjoyed and request continued privacy for the family while they focus on Amanda and her transition back to normal life," said Lindhout family spokeswoman Sarah Geddes. "They will return to Canada as soon as Amanda is fit to fly home."
Lindhout, an Alberta resident who frequently wrote for the Red Deer advocate newspaper, was on assignment in Mogadishu, Somalia for French TV channel France 24 when she was captured and held for 15 months. The two allege torture and beatings occurred against them during their captivity. Lindhout and Brennan were reporting on refugee issues.
Eva Manasieva, a friend and former colleague of Lindhout, called her a courageous journalist.
"One of those who are not afraid to go to places where others are afraid to go, just for the sake of telling a story, just for the sake of showing that there is something wrong going on in that place," Manasieva said from Austria.
"This is exactly the reason why she went to Africa to do freelance reporting, because she felt that was the right thing to do, to tell a story from a very troubled region."
November 24, 2009: New PWAC Executive Director in the New Year
After a rigorous process of interviews with a number of stellar candidates, the Board of Directors of PWAC is happy to announce the engagement of a new Executive Director. Former Board member Sandy Crawley begins full-time in the position on January 4, 2010.
Sandy comes to PWAC after two years as Labour Relations and Professional Development Manager at the Professional Association of Canadian Theatres. He has been a life-long cultural activist and has served as Executive Director for the Canadian Screen Training Centre in Ottawa and the national Documentary Organization of Canada.
"I have acted as a positive change agent in every leadership role I have taken on and I look forward to managing positive change at PWAC," Crawley said. "During a time when old business models are collapsing and new ones coming up, the steady mutual support within the membership is an invaluable boon to both long-time members and emerging talent. A priority for me will be strengthening relationships with our partners in the sector."
Crawley served on PWAC's Board as Treasurer, and member of the Core Executive, from fall 2005 to June 2009.
PWAC President Tanya Gulliver, who led the search process, expressed satisfaction with the decision. "After a challenging year, it is good to have someone in place who knows the organization. Most of the current Board has worked alongside Sandy as a fellow Director and that will make the leadership transition swift. Sandy has a long history within the arts community and is well-liked and respected by the membership."
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More information:
Tanya Gulliver, President, tanyagulliver@gmail.com, (647) 236-7589
Lauren Stewart, Associate Director, info@pwac.ca, (416) 504-1645
November 18, 2009: Why I won't sign the Transcontinental contract: Diane Elizabeth Hill
Another prominent freelancer has voiced her concerns about the new Transcontinental contract.
Read the original post here.
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Diane Elizabeth Hill is a freelance writer and editor. She has published feature articles in Reader's Digest, More, and Best Health, personal essays in the Toronto Star and the Globe and Mail, and poetry in Avocet, the Penwood Review, and Carousel. She also operates a small business providing writing, editing, and research services to non-profit organizations. She is the former Director of Research at United Way Toronto. She refuses to sign the new Transcontinental contract. Here's why. No more More for me. Let me explain. I started writing for More magazine earlier this year and had a great experience. My editor was terrific and I was looking forward to pitching her again. The contract I signed gave them first publication rights for 18 months, their right to archive my article in the context of the magazine, and to keep it on their website for two years. Any subsequent publication must be agreed to in writing by me. If the article generated any royalties from a paying electronic archives and/or reprographic processes, 100 percent went to me. I would also receive 50 percent of any royalties from CEDROM through a nonexclusive license (leaving me free to also reproduce through other means). Any other rights not expressly named in the contract remained mine. The same month that my story was published, I heard that Transcontinental had a new contract. I was shocked to see that all of the rights stipulated in the previous contract had been stripped away, with nothing offered in return, such as a pay increase. If I signed this new contract, I could kiss goodbye my e-rights, my database royalties, and my right to re-sell. My copyright would not revert to me after 18 months - it was gone forever. There was no mechanism for me to negotiate my own terms of work or to opt out of any of the clauses. Once I signed, the contract would remain in force in perpetuity with no possibility of future renegotiation. It would cover all work I would ever do in the future, for any of their publications. They could reprint an article I wrote for one of their magazines in any one of their fifty-four other publications, as many times as they wanted, or even sell my article to a third party, all without paying me any additional fees. Besides the loss of copyright, there is no language about the things that tend to keep writers awake at night: payment terms, kill fees, and libel. Oh yes - either I sign or I never write for Transcontinental again. The contract puts writers into a box designed by Transcontinental. When writer's groups approached Transcontinental to express their concern, they were basically shooed away. At least the top brass at Transcontinental was being honest - they didn't pretend they wanted to work in collaboration with their writers. That's a shame, because that is certainly not how their editors operate. It's not surprising that a major multinational corporation wants to strip copyright away from the people who create what they sell. And I know that things are tough out there in the publishing world. But things are tough in here, too. I'm a business person. I earn my living by writing. Pay rates for periodical writers haven't increased in decades. I can't afford to give my work away in perpetuity, to give up my right to re-sell it, even the right to post it on my own website. More, it sure was nice while it lasted. Maybe we'll meet again.
November 13, 2009: CAJ Urges Toronto Star to Preserve Editorial Jobs
The Canadian Association of Journalists is gravely concerned by word that the Toronto Star is exploring major cuts to its newsroom.
"This has been a terrible year, financially, for many newspapers and we recognize that companies need to cut costs to remain viable," said CAJ president Mary Agnes Welch. "But outsourcing copy editing and layout jobs could be bad for readers. We fear that quality will suffer."
The Toronto Star is considering a plan that would see "some or all copy editing and pagination work" outsourced in "what is likely to be the biggest restructuring of the Star's workforce in its history," according to a memo from publisher John Cruickshank. The union that represents editorial staff says as many as 100 editing jobs may be done outside the paper's newsroom.
The move follows similar consolidation of editorial services by Quebecor and CanWest Global, which has centralized many editorial functions in Hamilton. Some American newspapers, such as the Miami Herald, have contracted out newsroom jobs to New Delhi, India.
Welch said copy editors, headline writers and paginators are critical to the creation of a newspaper that is accurate, independent and relevant to local readers.
"We urge the Toronto Star's management to ensure that it maintains a strong editorial staff to continue to deliver the high-quality journalism that its readers deserve, which is vital to a functioning, healthy democracy," Welch said.
The Canadian Association of Journalists is Canada's largest professional organization for journalists from all media, with about 1,100 members across the country. The CAJ provides high-quality professional development for its members and public-interest advocacy.
For further information:
President Mary Agnes Welch - (204) 697-7590 or (204) 470-8862
Executive Director John Dickins - (613) 526-8061 or (613) 868-5442.
www.eagle.ca/caj
November 12, 2009: Why I won't sign the Transcontinental contract: Kim Pittaway
In a brave declaration, prominent freelance writer and editor Kim Pittaway discusses her reasons for refusing to sign the new Transcontinental contract.
Read the original post here.
------------------------- Kim Pittaway is a magazine writer and editor. She has been a frequent contributor to Transcontinental magazines, including More and Homemaker's and has garnered six National Magazine Award Foundation nominations, three of them for articles published by Transcontinental. She is the past editor-in-chief and managing editor of Chatelaine magazine, past president of the National Magazine Award Foundation and an in-demand seminar leader on topics related to writing, editing and online journalism. She refuses to sign the new Transcontinental contract. Here's why.
I've had great working relationships with editors at More and Homemaker's, and know and respect many others who work for Transcontinental - which is why I was so deeply disappointed by this new contract, one which conveys a fundamental disrespect for the creators who contribute so much to the success of Transcon's publications. Why does this contract seem disrespectful to me? - Because it grabs a whole bundle of new rights with little or no additional fee. I know that print publications are struggling to find new revenue streams. I get that the media mix is shifting. And I'm eager to work with editors and publishers to find new ways to reach readers. But publishers already get a bargain on the print rights they purchase from copyright holders - those rates haven't gone up in over 30 years. And to now say you're taking a whole whack of new rights for the same bargain-basement rate is simply unfair. I own those rights on my work. And I choose not to sell them to you at that low rate.
- Because it was imposed with no consultation with writers. One day, I had a great working relationship with my editors, was juggling three or four assignments, and all was right with the world. Oh - and I'd just garnered Transcon mags two National Magazine Award nominations. The next day, I was told that if I didn't sign the contract as is, no changes, that I wouldn't be working for them any longer. - Because it is a sign-once, live-with-it-forever contract. This contract applies to my work with Transcon in perpetuity and applies to all work for all Transcon properties. So Transcon is locking in the rights they want at a point when suppliers are vulnerable because of the current economic situation, and preventing writers from renegotiating the contract at any point in the future. Who in their right mind signs a contract that applies forever? I'm mystified by this contract - perhaps because I have difficulty believing that the good folks I know at Transcon actually intended to send such a negative message with it. Maybe they're getting bad legal advice. I hope that's the reason. But even more than that, I hope we're able to engage in a constructive conversation to change it. Because a bad contract is bad for writers, it's tough on editors and it's ultimately bad for magazines and their readers. And that's a shame, for all of us. ------------------------- PWAC
and more than one dozen writers' organizations have united and called
on the thousands of writers they represent not to write for
publications owned by Transcontinental Media. For more information, click here.
November 10, 2009: Magazines Canada's "Buy 2, Get 1 FREE" Subscription Campaign
Magazines Canada, one of PWAC's industry partners, is bringing back its highly popular "Buy 2, Get 1 FREE" subscription promotion. From Magazines Canada:
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The fifth annual Magazines Canada Buy 2 Get 1 FREE subscription campaign, offering customers an amazing deal throughout the gift-giving season and into the New Year, launched recently - a full two months earlier than usual.
This year, the campaign offers amazing savings on 191 diverse Canadian titles - 22 titles more than last year! Targeting magazine readers across the country, the campaign offers a wide variety of magazines that range from national, regional-interest and niche titles covering family, fashion, business, arts and literature, recreation, lifestyle and more. Customers can visit the Magazines Canada Buy 2, Get 1 FREE website at 1free.magazinescanada.ca to browse the selection, select any 3 - and then pay for only two. It's like getting a year's worth of a great Canadian magazine for FREE!
"This is a terrific example of co-operation among magazines of all sizes and shapes across Canada to enhance the visibility for all our magazines as well as obtain subscriptions from people who enjoy perusing the range of choices either online or in print," said Michael Fox, Senior Vice President, Circulation & Development at Rogers Publishing Limited. "The support of all the participating magazines makes this possible."
The campaign runs until February 28, 2010.
Magazines Canada's 2009-10 cooperative subscription campaign is financially supported by the Government of Canada through the Canada Magazine Fund of the Department of Canadian Heritage, the Ontario Media Development Corporation, WorldColor, Cornerstone Group of Companies and CDS Global.
Access the Magazines Canada Buy 2, Get 1 FREE website at 1free.magazinescanada.ca.
November 06, 2009: Songwriters and Recording Artists Speak Out in the Toronto Star
Why levies allow musicians to maintain their livelihoods
Canada's politicians have promised a new copyright bill for the past several years. Expectations were mounted this summer when the Departments of Industry and Heritage invited Canadians to attend a series of public townhalls and online discussions about copyright and how it should be treated in a new piece of legislation.
So far, we're still waiting.
As anticipation builds (Will they? Won't they?), the conversation continues online and in print. In today's op-ed for the Toronto Star, songwriters and recording artists Amy Sky, Marc Jordan and Marie Denise Pelletier speak out about copyright and why they need it to survive.
The Copyright Act is important legislation for Canada's songwriters, recording artists and other rights holders, because it sets the rules around the copying and use of music, and how the artists who create it are paid for their work.
Like so many other Canadians who make and market something, we make our living from the sale and use of what we create. Some people make furniture or footwear or even wireless hand-held communication devices. We make music.
Sky et. al. also make an important point about the Private Copying Levy, which has paid out over $150 million since its inception in 1997 to over 97,000 rights holders. They argue for it's expansion to recognize the diminishment of blank media like cassette tapes, recordable CDs and mini-discs and the proliferation of iPods and other digital audio players.
We're not asking for a multi-billion dollar bailout. We're just asking for copyright legislation that will let us continue to have our livelihoods amid the technological realities of the 21st century.
Hear hear! Levies are not government handouts, grants, or freebies. They are an acknowledgement of a changing technological landscape where many do not understand or appreciate the financial repercussions to individual rights holders when copies of songs, albums, and other copyrighted materials are distributed to various media.
For musicians and other creators to keep on doing what they're doing for the benefit of all Canadians, they must be able to make a living.
November 04, 2009: Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(November 4, 2009) A coalition of more than a dozen Canadian writers' organizations today launched a new website, http://www.BadWritingContracts.ca, to raise awareness about the unfair and damaging freelance contract from Transcontinental Media. This follows a September 30 announcement by the coalition that called on Canadian writers to not write for Transcontinental publications.
BadWritingContracts.ca offers the latest news and information about the campaign against Transcontinental Media, one of the country's largest publishers of magazines and newspapers. The website provides:
- A clear dissection of the Transcontinental contract, outlining why it's a bad deal for writers.
- A list of Transcontinental publications to avoid, as well as access to a free, confidential consultation service for writers. Anyone considering pitching a Transcontinental publication can visit the website and contact an industry expert who will help suggest alternative markets for their story.
- A page that fact checks statements made by Transcontinental executives.
- A list of ways for writers and members of the public to get involved and show their support for a compromise solution to this dispute.
- A regularly-updated blog.
The website is being launched in conjunction with a Facebook group (www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=187790340352) and Twitter account (www.twitter.com/badcontracts) to help spread information and awareness about Transcontinental's contract, and the company's refusal to engage in negotiation with writers.
Background: A Refusal to Negotiate
Earlier this summer, Transcontinental Media began sending a new freelance contract - which it calls a "Master Author Agreement" - to the many writers who contribute to its stable of publications, including Canadian Living, More, Elle Canada, Homemakers, and Vancouver Magazine.
In June, the country's largest writing organizations, in cooperation with major literary agencies, approached Transcontinental in the hope of reaching a compromise. The coalition raised four primary concerns with the contract:
1. Transcontinental's new contract was muddying the copyright waters. The Master Author Agreement grants copyright of each work to the author but then undercuts this copyright by licensing the following extraordinary rights: "The ongoing non-exclusive right to do in respect of the Work any other act that is subject to copyright protection under the Canadian Copyright Act (including, without limitation, the right to produce and reproduce, translate, develop ancillary products, perform in public, adapt and communicate the Work, in any form or medium) as well as to authorize others to do so on behalf of or in association with the Publisher."
2.The agreement is permanent. Once signed, it covers all future work for Transcontinental publications.
3. Transcontinental has no intention of compensating freelancers for the many additional uses of their work. In essence, the company wants to continue paying what it's been paying for decades for basic first publication rights but now get unlimited rights to writers' work.
4. The Master Agreement is one-sided. It makes no mention of payment terms, kill fees, provisions for libel suits, and other important issues that are part of any balanced contributor's agreement.Since meeting with representatives from the coalition, the company has stated that it has no intention of altering the contract. It has also instructed its editors to not offer any assignments unless a writer has signed the controversial contract.
An Unprecedented Coalition
The coalition consists of 14 groups, which together represent thousands of Canadian writers:
- Anne McDermid &Associates
- Association des journalistes indépendants du Québe
- Canadian Authors Association
- Canadian Freelance Union
- Canadian Writers Group
- The Cooke Agency
- Federation of BC Writers
- Professional Writers Association of Canada
- Quebec Writers Federation
- Saskatchewan Writers Guild
- Toronto Writers' Centre
- Westwood Creative Artists
- Writers Alliance of Newfoundland and Labrador
- The Writers' Union of Canada
For Additional Information
Derek Finkle
Canadian Writers Group
(416) 469-3333
derek@canadianwritersgroup.com
Tanya Gulliver
President, Professional Writers Association of Canada
(647) 236-7589
tanyagulliver@gmail.com
November 04, 2009: PWAC Member Wins the Tourism Industry Association of Canada's Tourism Toronto Travel Media Award
Re-posted with permission from the PWAC-Biz listserv, posted by Deborah Carr:
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Last night [PWAC's] own lovely Sandra Phinney from Yarmouth, NS walked away with TIAC [the Tourism Industry Association of Canada]'s "Tourism Toronto Travel Media Award" for her outstanding work promoting Atlantic Canada. Congratulations, Sandra!
Sandra not only writes her heart and soul into her work but generously
shares her talents and knowledge (even her spare room!) with fellow writers. I know I speak for all her colleagues down east (and beyond) when I say
we've always known she was a star, but we're thrilled that she's been
recognized nationally.
From the TIAC Website:
"Sandra Phinney writes for regional and national magazines and travel guides. She is an ambassador for the Atlantic region and looks for every opportunity to promote Eastern Canada to other writers, organizations and industry. She also gives workshops on travel writing and photography throughout Atlantic Canada. Sandra is currently writing a series that sheds new light on old communities. She is a founding member of the Tusket River Environmental Organization and is a volunteer plant monitor with the Nova Scotia Nature Trust."
"Phinney doesn't write because she can; she writes to provide illumination on an area beyond the typical iconic images, drawing people to the region. She gets out of the way of the story and lets places speak for themselves, promoting genuine pride of place."
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