Gawker: hall of shame

Hall of Shame: And Now, Some Words From the Accounting Dept.

Doree Shafrir — Fri, 05 Jan 2007 15:25:48 EST

Now that the shameful dust has settled, and we've learned which publications to avoid now and forevermore, our final installment of the Hall of Shame concerns what to do if and when you find yourself getting royally screwed. (See, we told you we weren't going to be afraid to be servicey.) To do so, we've enlisted the aid of a former magazine accounting department lackey—who admits to having screwed over more than one freelancer in their day.

Sayeth our now-repentant accountant:

If you've reached the point where it seems like you are deliberately not being paid, the warning signs of which are:
- No one answering your calls
- No one returning your calls
- No particular reason given for why you're not being paid
- Having to resend your invoice more than once
- It being more than 60 days since you should have been paid

... then there are a few magic words you can use in your voicemail message.

Those magic words, and much more, after the jump.

These are "I am going to send it to a collections agency in 2 days" or "I am going to initiate legal action." The first generally works better than the second, since so many people threaten lawsuits these days that you actually have to hire a lawyer (or send a fake but legitimate-looking legal letter—which I can provide cheap!) in order for them to believe you. But these do work, because almost all media companies have investors, and you have to report certain things to investors because of due dillegence and various other corporate governance rules.
If it's merely on the books that you need to be paid, this is one of many, many debts they owe. But if you become a pending collection or lawsuit, they have to report that separately, and it looks very, very bad;
most companies will want to avoid this if it's humanly possible, and they always have SOME money (well, unless they're about to fold), so yours can be the one discretionary debt they pay off that week/month/year. If you're worried about this ruining your relationship with the company, don't; editorial and finance are separate, so accounting will hate you, but that will often make you more likely to get paid.

Of course, this assumes that accounts payable is actually checking their messages, but god knows I went through periods where I didn't. So if you've pulled out the collections threat, call around a bit; check the
website and see if you can figure out who is in the finance department, and then ask to be transferred to each of them by name. If they won't transfer you to them, direct-dial someone else in the company and pretend you got the wrong number and ask to be transferred, this almost always works.

So sorry to all the writers (and pubs) out there I didn't pay, but hopefully this makes up for it in some way!

Earlier: Hall of Shame, Part III: The Leading Offenders

Hall of Shame, Part IV: Chicken Soup for the Freelancer's Soul

Doree Shafrir — Thu, 04 Jan 2007 16:20:05 EST

Of all the Hall of Fame submissions we've received thus far, one really goes above and beyond typical accounting department shenanigans:

I wrote an essay for Seventeen magazine a million years ago [pre-'Toos, we're assuming—Ed.] and it turned up in fucking "Chicken Soup for the College Soul." Not only did the chicken soupers not have my permission (it's my copyright), I got nothing. I've appealed to them but apparently the LA Times company felt okay in selling my story, which was in their syndication (still my copyright and how the LA times got hold of the syndication rights is beyond me). My essay is now quoted in midwestern preacher's sermons every once in a while and pops up in google searches for my name. I'm an athiest.

This touches even our cold, cold hearts. And in other news, we're still soliciting HOS submissions, so send 'em along.

Earlier: Gawker's Hall of Shame

Hall of Shame, Part III: The Leading Offenders

Doree Shafrir — Thu, 04 Jan 2007 12:50:35 EST

Well then! Based on the overwhelming response to our inquiries about publications that pretend you don't exist after you've poured your blood, sweat and tears into their piddling assignments, we've come up with a preliminary list of publications that should be avoided at all costs, even when their editors woo you with promises of fame, glory and on-time checks. We're still soliciting tales of woe for subsequent rounds, which you can send to the usual place. In the meantime, enjoy our list of offenders, including more Observer woes, post-jump.

"Teen People has owed me over $1300 since june. sure, they went under, but it's time inc — they definitely have the money. i keep calling the accounting department at time inc, and no one answers."

"I'm still owed money for a piece I wrote for the New York Press on an exhibit at the Whitney -over a year ago, only $50, but they obviously need it more than me."

"Black Book. A story I filed in May for the September issue? It's January, and I still haven't seen the check, though they've sworn to me three times (once in November, once in December, and once again just yesterday) that it had *just* been processed.... According to their payment policy, they pay 45 days after publication; which is, in itself, ridiculous, but whatever. I'm at day 130 and counting. According to another friend I have, who has written for them several times, she has never been paid by them without having to cajole and threaten and rage first."

"Anyone who freelances for UGO.com is asking it up the ass without vaseline-was given a line about how much money I'd be making writing for them-never saw a dime, resorted to calling NY1 on them!"

"New York Observer owes me too!— NYO West Coast Editor Whats-her-name told me, "We pay peanuts," and I said fine, that's more than most, but it's been more than a year and I haven't even seen peanut one!"

"Not sure if they've improved in the last 5 years, but CMJ's mag was notorious for never getting around to paying its writers."

"Re: NYO— not paying their freelancers? they cant even pay their staffers a decent wage."

"i was just a stringer for the AP on election night and that's only like $50, i think, of pay. they still haven't paid me."

Earlier: Hall of Shame, Part II: The 'Observer' Doesn't Pay Anyone, It Turns Out
Earlier: Hall of Shame: Non-Paying Pubs

Hall of Shame, Part II: The 'Observer' Doesn't Pay Anyone, It Turns Out

Doree Shafrir — Wed, 03 Jan 2007 16:30:53 EST

It appears that the New York Observer has a long tradition of failing to pay not only Gawker editors who freelance for them, but pretty much everyone else, as a tipster reports:

Fuckers owe me $250 since August. I've written them about a dozen times asking for my money. We're working on it, they always say. Then my editor there says, I'm so sorry. I can't wait until they send me a 1099, so I get to pay taxes on income I never received.

Seriously, the New York Post pays faster than they do, and that's saying a lot.

So. Who else hasn't learned that not paying freelancers doesn't pay? Do let us know. Your anonymity is, as ever, assured.

Earlier: Hall of Shame: Non-Paying Pubs

Hall of Shame: Non-Paying Pubs

Doree Shafrir — Wed, 03 Jan 2007 10:40:08 EST

In the spirit of the new year, as well as utter brokeitude, we've taken stock of our outstanding invoices from '06. One offender appears to be the New York Observer, which still owes us money from ages ago. (Confidential to J.K.: When you switch to a tabloid, you still have to pay people. Love, Us.)

Our friend The Assimilated Negro also has a beef with Player Magazine, and we imagine that there are tons of you out there with similar tales of woe that sting especially fresh in the new year. So, please do share by sending to the usual address. We'll post a list of the most egregious offenders, and perhaps they will be shamed into submission.

Dear Avery Cardoza, Please Pay Me [The Assimilated Negro]