BoSacks Readers Speak Out: Time Inc and Writing for the Web

BoSacks Readers Speak Out: Time Inc and Writing for the Web
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BoSacks Readers Speak Out: Time Inc and Writing for the Web
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Re: BoSacks Speaks Out: Time Inc: 'No Pressure' to Write for Web
Oh, silly Bob, why are you expecting logic? I think one of the last lines in the story gives it away: Guild representation was only for print and didn't extend to online. That would make it a power struggle and, therefore, emotional, not purely logical. The Guild probably saw the push to online as a possible way around its contract with Time Inc. One of the big fears of writers, as well as photographers and graphics artists, is that publishers started people on the web at lower rates because it wasn't "making money," and now that it's gotten really big, wages haven't gone up. It's true for freelancing, and I would bet it's true for staff positions as well. Unless some serious changes come into play, people working on the content end are going to find their incomes seriously cut back over time. Another part of this may also be about prestige and maintaining power within the organization (writers don't get to make traditional empires within corporations), and also seeing writing for the web as additional duties and work with no additional pay - which gets back to the Guild issue.
(Submitted by a Writer)

Re: BoSacks Speaks Out: Time Inc: 'No Pressure' to Write for Web
As a seasoned journalist and editor, I believe that everyone with a passion for covering the news in their industry wants to be writing for the new media. It's a lot of fun and definitely improves your future career choices.

The problems arise when we are expected to double or triple our workload with no increase in compensation. After all, ad sales staff get commissions on everything they sell, whether it be in print or on the web. Why shouldn't editorial staff be compensated for their additional work?

We've been feverishly working away, waiting for the new media to start making money so we can reap some additional benefits. But so far, in large part, it just isn't happening. Oh, and now the latest news is that some media companies are farming out their news writing tasks to India for pennies on the dollar. That should do a lot for our compensation packages. Hopefully the dollar will soon fall low enough that the use of foreign labor will becomes less advantageous.
(Submitted by a print/enewsletter/webinar/event/website writer/editor)


Re: BoSacks Speaks Out: Time Inc: 'No Pressure' to Write for Web
Bob, In terms of missing something . . . has there ever been a union action that wasn't about compensation? There can be validity to "what I was hired to do" but I think you need the context of how the Time/Guild negotiation went. It was contentious and that has been an escalating history since the '80s. When a union is backed up against a wall with so many things they can not control, scope of work and the ability to be compensated for those changes is a point the union has legal basis to argue. There were some similar situations at Time several years ago when "special" and commemorative issues were all the rage, writers were able to argue that these additional "issues" merited additional compensation. I think the Guild just wants to assert that Time mgmt. can't impose scope of work changes without consulting the union and offering compensation. I don't there's a Guild member who doesn't understand the digital migration.
(Submitted by a Senior Magazine Director)


Re: BoSacks Speaks Out: Time Inc: 'No Pressure' to Write for Web
The logic is simple. The writers had a contract, and you're not allowed to change it.
But it does sound like ITU/Big 6 all over again, huh? People being paid to come in and not set type so the new tech can start to be implemented.
They don't want to follow the money. They want the contract honored. Jobs today are more important than jobs tomorrow.
Put your blinders back on and get back to work.
(Submitted by an Industry Consultant)

Re: BoSacks Speaks Out: Time Inc: 'No Pressure' to Write for Web
I'll tell you, Bo, why I don't write for the web: I've done it before, and have found my essays copied, word-per-word, without attribution or so much as a byline, on other people's personal websites. This has also happened to many of the writers who write for my (paper) titles. It's bad enough that I don't get paid for web writing (because folks won't pay for web *reading*) but to find my hard work lifted in toto and passed off as someone else's work is simply adding insult to injury. I'm waiting for better protection for intellectual property before I put my work up on the Web; when I feel there's a reasonable chance of a) getting paid and b) not getting ripped off by readers, for Goddess' sake,
I'll be on the Web along with everyone else.
Until then, I'm sticking with tree bark and petroleum byproducts.
(Submitted by a Publisher)



RE: I cut down trees, I love my job
It's so funny that you send this out. After your first article I was noticing how you really love that "dead tree" analogy with print publishing. It's not all bad, especially to these loggers below . . .
(Submitted by a Publisher)


Re: Anderson News Move Puts SBT in the Spotlight
Harrington has ALWAYS taken the side of the wholesaler(s), and never looked at the perspective from the ND/Publishers side.

He reminds me of the cal Thomas of the Republican right wing. Cannot grasp the changes have taken on both sides of the fence. Without the ND/Pubs the w/s does not have a business, and John has never accepted that concept.

Both ND/Pub and wholesaler all need each other, It would be costly for ND to go out and find some new local distributors, like almost happened last week.
(Submitted by an Unknown)


Re: Major Consumer Magazines May Not Hit Wal-Mart Shelves (and other major retailers) Next Week
Simple GET RID OF THE WHOLESALERS AND DEAL DIRECT WITH THE RETAILERS, that is what WalMart has wanted all along and they do over 20% of the newsstand sales anyway, who needs Anderson, or anybody else for that matter?.
(Submitted by a Paper Person)


RE: Embrace digital or die, EMI told
EMI and other content publishers may not have much choice if the creators decide that they've been poorly treated for long enough. Radiohead, like many bands, probably makes little from actual record sales. Virtually any amount fans might be willing to pay would be a huge pay raise for them. I know writers and photographers trying to do the same thing. If they succeed, they'll walk away from traditional publishing happily, leaving publishers in an increasing bind. Going digital may not be enough when the people that they've really depended on feel little loyalty or affection.
(Submitted by a Writer)

Re: The Magazine Marketplace in Flux-How Can PR Benefit (and Help)?
Why is there nobody out there that recognizes the fact , the magazine industry suffers from too much duplication. "Look at the newsstands stupid" especially in chain bookstores and you will see what I mean.