Archive
31 Mar

Opinion: Crackdown on unpaid internships a positive step, but the collective struggle must continue

<p><strong>By Katherine Lapointe, for <a href="http://www.thestoryboard.ca/crackdown-unpaid-internships-positive-step-collective-struggle-must-continue/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Storyboard.ca</a></strong></p>

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27 Mar

Updated: Ontario labour ministry cracks down on unpaid internships at Toronto Life, The Walrus

<p><img align="left" alt="" class="imagecache-medium inline-image" src="http://j-source.ca/sites/www.j-source.ca/files/imagecache/medium/images/Toronto Life_0.JPG" title="" /><img align="left" alt="" class="imagecache-medium inline-image" hspace="10" src="http://j-source.ca/sites/www.j-source.ca/files/imagecache/medium/images/Walrus.JPG" title="" /></p><p><strong>By Tamara Baluja</strong></p><p>The Ontario labour ministry has cracked down on unpaid internships at <em>Toronto Life </em>and<em> The Walrus</em>, saying they are in contravention of the Employment Standards Act.</p>

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24 Mar

Ask a Mentor: Is my freelance contract fair to me?

<p><em>Ask a Mentor is a collaboration between J-Source and the Canadian Association of Journalists. The goal of the section is to provide advice to journalists and journalism students who may not have direct access to a mentor or subject matter expert on a particular topic.</em></p>

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21 Mar

Heather Robertson, a champion for Canadian freelance journalists

<p><strong>By Tamara Baluja, Associate Editor</strong></p><p>Journalist and author Heather Robertson died at age 72 on Wednesday.</p><p>For more than a decade, Robertson championed on behalf of Canadian freelancers in two major lawsuits—and she won. In 1995, she went up against the <em>Globe and Mail</em> after it put three of her articles in its database. The lawsuit went all the way to the Supreme Court of Canada, and in 2006, the ruling supported the right of freelance journalists to protect their copyright when newspapers put their work in databases.</p>

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13 Mar

Sun Media restructuring, sale of Quebec weeklies will yield $67 million in savings for Quebecor

<p><img align="left" alt="" class="imagecache-medium inline-image" hspace="10" src="http://j-source.ca/sites/www.j-source.ca/files/imagecache/medium/images/Sun Media newspapers_0.JPG" title="" /></p><p><strong>By Tamara Baluja, Associate Editor</strong></p><p>Quebecor is expected to yield $67 million in savings in 2014 from the restructuring at Sun Media and the sale of its Quebec weekly newspapers last year.</p>

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7 Mar

Updated: Union concerned Toronto Star management is creating a two-tiered pay system

<p><img align="left" alt="" class="imagecache-medium inline-image" hspace="10" src="http://j-source.ca/sites/www.j-source.ca/files/imagecache/medium/images/Toronto Star_5.JPG" title="" /></p><p><strong>By Tamara Baluja, Associate Editor</strong></p><p>The <em>Toronto Star</em> union says it’s concerned management is creating a two-tiered system of employees with its plan to hire 17 new digital staff who will be paid “significantly less” than similar existing positions in the newsroom. </p>

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3 Mar

Five take buyouts at The Gazette

<p><img align="left" alt="" class="imagecache-medium inline-image" hspace="10" src="http://j-source.ca/sites/www.j-source.ca/files/imagecache/medium/images/Montreal Gazette_0.JPG" title="" /></p><p><strong>By Tamara Baluja, Associate Editor</strong></p><p>In the latest round of buyouts at Postmedia Network, five staff are leaving <em>The Gazette</em>, in Montreal.</p>

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3 Mar

Is reporting on labour issues no longer a ‘sexy’ beat?

<p><strong>By H.G. Watson</strong></p><p>I belong in a museum.</p><p>At least, that's what Rod Mickleburgh, former labour beat reporter for the <em>Vancouver Sun</em> and <em>Province</em>, says as we begin our interview about a beat he covered for close to 16 years, and that I have been assigned to for the past six months. "You're actually a paid labour reporter," he said, with a slightly incredulous chuckle.</p>

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28 Feb

Updated: 7 take buyouts at Ottawa Citizen

<p><img align="left" alt="" class="imagecache-medium inline-image" hspace="10" src="http://j-source.ca/sites/www.j-source.ca/files/imagecache/medium/images/Ottawa Citizen_1.JPG" title="" /></p><p><strong>By Tamara Baluja, Associate Editor</strong></p><p>Seven staff have confirmed with J-Source that have taken buyouts at the <em>Ottawa Citizen.</em></p>

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3 Feb

Why are so many journalists willing to write for free?

<p><strong>By Kathleen Kuehn</strong></p><p>Last March, an editor from <em><a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Atlantic</a></em> approached freelance journalist Nate Thayer about repurposing an article he’d published elsewhere for the news magazine’s website. Unfortunately, the editor informed him, freelance funds had run out. In lieu of payment, the opportunity would offer Thayer “exposure” to <em>The</em> <em>Atlantic</em>’s 13 million monthly readers.</p>

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