Music writing is a notoriously underpaid profession – that’s if you even get paid. For the very few that reach the upper echelons, however, you can eke out a reasonable living writing for the celebrated music mags like Q, Mojo and Uncut. Well, you could. Bauer Magazines, a German publisher who bought these music titles off publisher EMAP, are sending their storm troopers through the ranks of the UK’s most legendary freelance music writers and photographers trying to make them sign a draconian publishing contract.
In essence, the contracts remove copyright and all financial, legal and moral rights previously entitled to freelance writers and photographers; as well as giving Bauer a lifetime financial indemnity against any legal action against their work. It gets even worse: it gives Bauer the right to sell any stories or photographs without crediting the authors or subjects, and requires them to get licenses from photo subjects to use their images, which the publisher will use for profit.
The cover letter delivered with the contracts also says if they don’t sign up by April 16th, they will no longer receive commissions. Understandably, freelancers are up in arms, with over 200 refusing to sign the contracts. These include legendary writers such as Miranda Sawyer, Nick Kent, Jon Savage, Sylvie Simmons and Greil Marcus. Photographers including Jill Furmanovsky, Kevin Westenberg and Kevin Cummins are also baulking at the demands .The company has confirmed that once these contracts are in place, they intend to roll similar contracts out over other titles in their stable such as Empire, Heat, Closer, Grazia, Max Power, MCN, Match!, FHM and Zoo.