b5 Media Cutting Writers’ Pay Rates? 3
We received an anonymous tip last October 1 from a person claiming to be a “b5 Blogger.” Here’s the message he left on our Contact page:
b5 media is cutting our pay by at least half. They said it’s because our stats were wrong for the past three years and now they’re going to be right. The thing is the pay is lowering for most of us by 50% or more. A significant decrease. No one will talk about our base pay so we don’t know if that’s going down too but we’re going to be paid a lot less money now.
Everyones afraid to talk about it because they don’t want to be sued but one member of the team and a channel editor already left because of this and so did some bloggers.
Feel free to use this news but please don’t ask my name. I need my paltry pay until I find a new job. I don’t think I’ll sign the new contract.
We welcome any reactions and clarifications, especially from the network involved, b5 Media.
You won’t hear from any b5 Media bloggers. They’re firmly ensconced in two camps.
The first is singing a rousing kumbaya around the campfire at the b5 love-in and the second is angry but isn’t talking because they don’t want Jeremy to sue them.
Words by Inge on October 7, 2008 at 2:11 am | #
Dear Jeremy Wright,
When I was accepted to work for b5Media I walked on air for days. Imagine, me, getting into a network with such a great reputation. Liz Strauss works for b5Media, Brian Clark works for b5Media and Darren Rowse was one of the owners. I could be a big name blogger too! Except that didn’t happen. I became known among other b5Media bloggers but no one knew of me outside of the network. But that’s not why I’m leaving I’m leaving because
- Our new contract makes our jobs more difficult. We can’t post images without government sized amounts of paperwork, we can’t use affiliats anymore and we can’t review big ticket items anymore. Considering I just lost MORE than half my pay this doesn’t give me much incentive. Did I mention I lost more than half my pay?
- In the private b5Media forum, certain team members are flat out ignoring certain questions regarding new pay and the contract. There is no excuse for this rudeness and starts you off on the wrong foot. At least say you can’t respond to that.
- Morale is at an all time low.
- Bloggers are leaving in droves. I can tell by all the internal blogger’s wanted lists. (Best to keep that off of ProBlogger. Can’t have everyone worrying about a “mass exodus” can we?
- CE’s promise one thing to us and turn around and say something else to each other in the CE chat. I no longer trust the people who are to manage us.
Nice work, b5media. I stuck with you because I believed in you. Now I don’t believe in you at all any more.
Signed,
A Recently Former Long Term Blogger
Words by Not signing on October 21, 2008 at 12:02 am | #
This is now the second or third place I’ve seen this comment… Odd that someone would do that. Instead of copying/pasting, here are links to my responses:
http://www.blogherald.com/2008/10/03/b5media-revamps-pay-model-bloggers-lose-money/#comment-631972
http://www.blogherald.com/2008/10/03/b5media-revamps-pay-model-bloggers-lose-money/#comment-632092
Words by Jeremy Wright on October 23, 2008 at 11:00 am | #