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New York Observer Stiffing Freelancers: Editors
Jared Kushner's Not-So-Coast-to-Coast Political News Empire Is Now Less So

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Maulleigh
02/24/09

In reply to New York Observer Stiffing Freelancers: Editors
If krakah's don't have the money, they don't have the money! In the mid nineties, I worked for a dying ad agency. It was my job to talk to the freelancers who called up begging for their checks. We couldn't pay them until we got the checks from the client. And the client pays when s/he decides to pay!
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drunkexpatwriter
02/24/09

In reply to New York Observer Stiffing Freelancers: Editors
I've had a long standing policy of asking for 50 percent of my freelance rate up front. I've never lost a job over it and my rate of getting stiffed on the balance is pretty low. About one in 10 will try to put off paying the balance a week or so and about 1 in 30 will stiff me.

But, I bill out at a rate where if I only end up with the 50 percent deposit I can still eat and drink.
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narnio
02/24/09

In reply to New York Observer Stiffing Freelancers: Editors
no one is getting paid on anything, at all. if you invoice now you might get paid by christmas.
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Charlotte Rae's Web
02/24/09

In reply to New York Observer Stiffing Freelancers: Editors
Last time dotcoms tanked I had a ton of freelance writers working for me that weren't being paid. I did everything I could to get them paid but it was horrendous. At one point a higher up I hated asked me to see if they'd take less money to get paid immediately. Writers would call me and be begging for their money, which was needlessly humiliating.

I finally had to quit because I just wasn't wired to handle that sort of stuff. I did enjoy giving out the higher up's phone number as the contact to writers to discuss payment.
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BookishLookish
02/24/09

@Charlotte Rae's Web: Good on you, honey. And I hope it was the higher-up's home phone.
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Baroness
02/24/09

In reply to New York Observer Stiffing Freelancers: Editors
NYO is also stiffing its readers- it's deadly dull. Rex Reed's ongoing diary of doddering senility is amusing though.
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BookishLookish
02/24/09

@Baroness: I am also fond of Simon Doonan's ramblings, which are always charming. That Spencer Morgan has got to go, though.
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Baroness
02/24/09

@BookishLookish: Ah, how can I forget about Simon?! Oh yeah, his articles are never linked on the front page anymore, that's how - they have to make room for a story on yet another grey-suited real estate guy, or something.

I love Simon, they really don't seem to appreciate what they've got there.

And I agree on that SpeMo person.
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misterdisco
12/12/08

In reply to Jared Kushner's Not-So-Coast-to-Coast Political News Empire Is Now Less So
I was laid off. We didn't find out until about 9:30 or so this morning - or, at least that's when I personally found out.

I've never been laid off from a job before, so I can't say whether or not this was typical - but although it was done nicely, it wasn't really done as a surprise. Only one of the network's seventeen states was profitable, and I don't think it's difficult to figure out which one that is.

Sidenote - it is really odd to read about your own layoff on Gawker.
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Kid Twist
12/12/08

@misterdisco: Sidenote - it is really odd to read about your own layoff on Gawker.
If you plan to try to stay in the media business, get used to it.
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MrInBetween
12/12/08

In reply to Jared Kushner's Not-So-Coast-to-Coast Political News Empire Is Now Less So
He's no Charles Foster Kane.
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