Off The Wire: News for the Canadian media freelancer Nov 26-Dec 2

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:

• Why we should care when a community newspaper shuts down [J-Source]
• Diversity of media ownership literally non-existent in Canada [J-Source]
• Postmedia’s Godfrey saw total pay rise 50 per cent last year [Globe and Mail]
• Live chat on internships: No pay, no gain? [J-Source]
• Postmedia and union talks break down over contracting out printing of Vancouver Sun and Province [J-Source]
• J-Source launches new Work and Labour section [J-Source]
• Online magazine Hazlitt releasing a one-off print version [Canadian Magazines]
• Frank magazine is back to mock, provoke and expose [Canadian Magazines]

From the U.S. and beyond:

• Journalist creates web app for audio transcription [Journalism.co.uk]
• Check out this Storify on essential skills for journalism [Journalism.co.uk]
• Oldboy Poster Artist Gets Screwed, Asks Spike Lee for Help [Slashfilm]
• The Year of the Paywall [Businessweek] (via @LuigiBenetton)
• 5 tips for reporters entering the digital journalism world [Journalism.co.uk]
• US freelance authors file new settlement proposal removing cap [Canadian Magazines]

This week on Story Board:

• Pay the Writers (and other ideas on the potential of the Internet): The Internet is not only a place of connectivity, it is also a place that is constantly morphing and changing. That is something as writers we can use to our advantage….
• CMG announces tentative new CBC agreement, freelancer issues still pending: SoThe Canadian Media Guild has reached a tentative agreement with CBC, but there are still freelance-related issues to work out…

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.