When Not to Sell Writer's Rights
Depriving People of Knowledge Gives Power to the Beasts
Here is a hypothetical example of a reporter not doing their job ethically:
Let's say, you was a news reporter in Germany in the 1930's prior to Adolf Hitler's getting elected and had written an article revealing testimonies of mass murders, Hitler had participated in.
Well, a writer wants to sell their article to the highest bidder, no matter what, right? Of course, that is not the correct attitude to have, unless you have no conscious and have already surrendered your soul to the devil.
Hitler or one of his buddies, would probably be the highest bidder for your article, if there was too many witnesses to commit murder, with you being the victim. Naturally, they would insist on all rights, so they could burn it, instead of publishing it.
A wise ethical writer, in this case, would only sell non exclusive publishing rights to publishers, to disallow the possibility of only one buyer buying and then the buyer selling all the rights to one of Hitler's friends.
Buyers of your rights, that want all of your rights to an article, may be the good guys or the bad guys. So check out publishers before selling all rights to important news. Big news medias can buy all rights and never let the public hear about it. (You don't have to be in Washington DC to sell out your country).
Published by LarrWayne Po
LarrWayne, AKA Quack Jack of many trades. If the educated do not educate others, the long term pay back will be "We are surrounded by the uneducated and they want to rule over us". Politically incorrect poem... View profile
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9 Comments
Post a CommentFantastic information and writing; thanks for sharing
Bingo! That's what the MSM does, buys up all the news they don't want you to hear. (MSM = mainstream media)
A lot of evil people around could be sponsored through an agent who wants to buy your writing.
Never thought of it this way!
awesome work; thanks for sharing ♥
excellent work - thanks for sharing
This is a topic that I haven't seen covered before, so is therefore very interesting. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this. rcj
I usually prefer to keep all rights so I can edit and improve articles later. An intention of this article is about how doctored news might alter an election's outcome.
When I first began to write after graduating from the Christian Writer's Guild, I was submitting to several magazine (Christianity Today and others) and they requested "Worldwide Exclusivity) and not knowing any better, I signed my writings away for a song and a dance. Same thing with Chicken Soup for the Soul books and the bible studies I wrote for Standard Publishing. Looking back on it now, I justify it by telling myself that God gave me the gift and if it brings Him the glory, then my rewards are in Heaven not my own bank account upon this earth! cheers :)