TC Media defence of new contributors' agreement skates around the importance of moral rights

In recent weeks, the site Story Board, maintained by the Canadian Media Guild and the Canadian Writers Group has carried a great deal of information about the revised contributors' agreement being demanded by TC Media. Effectively, the new agreement would -- without compensation -- take all copyright from its many freelance writers and require a waiver of their moral rights.

TC Media has attempted to explain why it feels it needs these new and sweeping rights and yet why it is hoping that longstanding relationships with freelancers may be maintained. In a telephone interview between Susan Antonacci, Executive Director, Brand Development for TC Media Consumer Brands and Storyboard,  Antonacci tried to soothe concerns about the new agreement and its terms:

“What I can say is that we have great relationships with our writers and we’ll do everything that we can to promote our contributors and work with them moving forwards.”

 The detailed and very useful report of that conversation was published on March 1.

Of particular interest is a theme that Antonacci returned to several times, which can be characterized as "don't worry, be happy". For instance, in the matter of moral rights, she says that it would be "very rare" that the company would repurpose a writers' work and take off the byline. Her argument is that TC Media needs to be able to adapt content for
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Alberta Venture magazine adds Preston Manning as a columnist

Alberta Venture magazine has retained Preston Manning, the former leader of the Reform Party of Canada,  as a columnist. His column, called The Green Dividend; the first argues that the best way to deal with environmental degradation is through market mechanisms combined with the core principles of conservatism.

The column will appear in alternate months with another new column by Brett Wilson called Return on Investment, focussing on the business case for philanthropy. Wilson is chairman of Prairie Merchant Corporation; a private merchant bank focused on business opportunities in the energy, agriculture, real estate, sports, and entertainment industries.

"We are tremendously excited to be able to bring the unique and powerful voices of these eminent Albertans to our readers," says Alberta Venture's editor, Mike Ganley. "We know readers will be as keen as we are to hear their thoughts on the issues that matter."