Thursday, March 28, 2024

Ebony Refuses to Pay Black Writers, Blocks Them on Twitter Instead

Beyonce Ebony Cover, April 2009

*As EUR previously reported, Ebony Magazine allegedly owes thousands of dollars to writers for work done last year.

The publication has become the target of shameful accusations from still-unpaid writers, who have created Twitter accounts called #Ebonyowes and #Ebonystillowes. Many of them now say that Ebony has blocked them from viewing the magazine’s tweets.

Last April, freelance journalist Cat Distasio tweeted, “Still waiting for $2000 from @EbonyMag months after my work. Per my contract w @thekylesfiles it’s 150+ days PAST DUE.”Distasio went on to tweet, “I am not the only one who is owed thousands by @ebonymag. I have spoken to at least a half a dozen writers who have not been paid for 2016 work.”

Distasio went on to tweet, “I am not the only one who is owed thousands by @ebonymag. I have spoken to at least a half a dozen writers who have not been paid for 2016 work.”

As a direct result of her tweet, several freelance writers who have written for Ebony since 2016 have come forward — some anonymously— to say they have not been paid for work dating back as far as 2013, despite the fact that they were promised payment within 45 days of publication or them sending their invoice.

“The fact that one of the most prominent magazines for black writers is exploiting their work — and that these writers are by and large afraid to speak out — says a lot about the current state of freelance writing for young writers of color,” Jagger Blaec wrote for theestablishment.co.

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created the hashtag #EbonyStillOwes
Zerline Hughes, who created the hashtag #EbonyStillOwes.

Larry Goldbetter, president of the National Writers Union, told Journal-isms by telephone Wednesday that the union is representing 14 writers who are owed $30,000. He said the union and Ebony spoke Wednesday about resolving the debts.

On May 7, Michael Gibson, chairman of the CVG Group LLC, which purchased Ebony from Johnson Publishing Co. last year, said by email, “We have the list of everyone and are working to get them paid asap. Our apologies that this had taken this long to resolve. We will pay everyone what is owed.” He said the company would settle the oldest debts first.

Meanwhile, Zerline Hughes, who created the hashtag #EbonyStillOwes, explained in an email why she did so:

“I have been working for Ebony as a freelancer since September. Excited at the opportunity — especially when I was invited to write again and again — I continued to accept assignments. The pay window was 45 days which meant I would complete and submit an article and get another story assignment several times before seeing payment. So having started in late September, I knew I wouldn’t see payment until early December.

“Then, with turnover in the accounts payable department, with the buyout and of course the holidays, I thought the lag was somewhat understandable, though very inconvenient.

“At the start of the year, I started following up twice monthly about payment and by March I told my editor I could no longer accept assignments until I received payment for nine stories I’d written for online and magazine publication.

“At the start of the Twitter storm and #EbonyOwes, I received payment for under half of what was due me. That was a start, but I wasn’t happy with the response time, the company’s Twitter reply that was ultimately taken down, nor with being hung up on to follow up on the second half of my payment.

“As a result, I continued to rally for myself and other writers with #EbonyStillOwes.

“My hope is that the National Writers Union serves as an effective advocate and representative on our behalf. I also hope more young writers understand that they, too, deserve payment and deserve to advocate for themselves vs thinking they should stay quiet in order to protect their careers.

“I’m a veteran in the field and have moved from a career in daily journalism and regular freelancing, but it was such a pleasure to be invited to write that I was doing it for fun and to show my mom my Ebony byline!

“It truly hurts to see a Black publication doing this to its own folk. That’s the most [disappointing] part about this. Being treated with disrespect by your own and having to come out of the closet and tell on your own folks.”

What do you make of a publication that’s geared for a black audience taking advantage of black writers?

Typical or nah?

Sound off in the comments.

 

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