Vice promised assignments to freelancers and later rescinded them, failed to pay freelancers, and used fixers on stories without intending to pay them

You might have heard: Being a freelance journalist comes with its own challenges, such as not getting regular feedback on your work and not having as many rights with companies as a full-time employee would

But did you know: “Freelancers have grown accustomed to being treated like disposable cogs of news production,” and Yardena Schwartz reports that Vice seems to have made itself a prime example of how to not treat freelancers. Schwartz reports that freelancers who worked for Vice said the company published their work without paying them for it, promised them assignments which were later rescinded, and asked reporters and fixers for help with stories without any intent to pay them for their work. In a statement to CJR, Vice head of content Ciel Hunter said the company is taking steps to improve its relationship with freelancers: “We’re constantly taking steps to improve the experience for our freelancers, and we regret if the journalist writing this story didn’t experience the high expectations that we set and strive towards.”

+ More news on freelancers: Trying to cut down on its use of freelancers, The New York Times cut its coverage of restaurants, art galleries, theaters and other commercial and nonprofit businesses in the tri-state area (Deadline Hollywood)

The post Vice promised assignments to freelancers and later rescinded them, failed to pay freelancers, and used fixers on stories without intending to pay them appeared first on American Press Institute.

from American Press Institute http://ift.tt/2bEGm6C