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Post by Vivienne on Sept 5, 2011 13:22:47 GMT
Our copyright laws are very similar, that's why I brought up the idea that he didn't have total control over his own writings. It's almost copying something on the copy machine. I know at school we were always told to check the book for copyright infringement. Usually if it's to educate they let it slide until someone finds out.
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Post by lindenchase on Sept 5, 2011 19:49:40 GMT
James works as a freelancer, which means he owns the copyrights to his column, and not the Telegraph. Not necessarily. Under UK intellectual property law, although the default copyright holder is the author, work produced for an employer is an area where exceptions may occur, dependent on the terms of the contract under which it is produced. (...) But James isn't employed by the Telegraph, that's what I've been trying to point out. Maybe the Telegraph did negotiate the right to republish columns in the paper and on their website. I hope all is resolved soon. I'm sure there are plenty of other newspapers that would like to take him on board if the Telegraph is no longer interested. I'd love to see him writing for the Guardian. ;D |
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Post by Wyvern on Sept 6, 2011 9:28:55 GMT
Not necessarily. Under UK intellectual property law, although the default copyright holder is the author, work produced for an employer is an area where exceptions may occur, dependent on the terms of the contract under which it is produced. (...) But James isn't employed by the Telegraph, that's what I've been trying to point out. Maybe the Telegraph did negotiate the right to republish columns in the paper and on their website. I hope all is resolved soon. I'm sure there are plenty of other newspapers that would like to take him on board if the Telegraph is no longer interested. I'd love to see him writing for the Guardian. ;D But that's the point - work done by a freelancer for a company is still subject to contract and is still classed as work undertaken on behalf of that company. The way freelancing tends to work here is that the freelancer is contracted to produce something, and the terms of that contract will depend on who holds what rights over the published work. I'm looking at freelance and contract work myself at the moment (engineering is subject to a lot of the same IP concerns* as writing), and to be honest, the main difference in the UK is the tax position. In terms of the CDPA, if you get paid to produce something, it belongs to the person who pays for it, unless (as in the case of most books, for example) the copyright remains with the author and the publisher is simply paying for the right to publish and distribute the works. Obviously, we don't know the details of what goes on between Mr May and the Telegraph, but the implication that there may be no residuals being paid for the reprints would suggest that isn't the case. But yes - any of the Top Gear boys writing for the Grauniad would be a thing of absolute delight. Watching all the 'Comment Is Free' people slowly implode would be brilliant. James should offer his services forthwith! ;D *e.g. if I as a freelance engineer am brought into a project to design a widget for Associated Widgets (Widgets) PLC, it may be that the terms are such that AW(W) PLC retain the IP rights and I receive a single payment, even of my widget goes on to change the world and make AW(W)PLC a shedload of money. The music industry also works in a similar way, with freelance session musicians often getting a single payment and relinquishing future rights to their performance. The bloke who wrote and performed the iconic harmonica break on Karma Chameleon? He got paid £70, though he does get a few pence in residuals when it's played on telly or radio. |
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Post by Vivienne on Sept 6, 2011 13:42:08 GMT
In the states James would probably be considered an independent contractor. In that instance he would be paid a lump sum or a sum for every column and instead of the Telegraph take out all those taxes, he would be responsible when he filed his income tax. When I worked with kids on an after school I was paid that way. I am still paying the IRS from 2007. James being James probably does the right thing and pay when it is due. I couldn't afford to. They give us an earnings for called a 1099.
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Post by jacqui on Sept 6, 2011 15:28:41 GMT
We could speculate about the absence of the weekly column and the book until the cows come home  There is only one person who knows...... ;D Anyway, i think i speak for all on here, when i say - Come back soon James... be it in hardback, paperback or the back page of the DT ;D |
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Post by crumbs on Sept 14, 2011 18:11:39 GMT
Oh how disappointing - no new column. It was reading his jottings that attracted me to him (plus the eyes and hair and bottom) - I do hope he writes a weekly column for a broadsheet again soon. Is he working on Man lab at the moment then? Does anyone know?
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Post by jacqui on Sept 14, 2011 20:21:06 GMT
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Post by dit on Sept 23, 2011 18:18:06 GMT
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Post by ambergris on Sept 23, 2011 21:11:00 GMT
I don't know, it seems to me as if there are still negotiations going on. The strapline (or whatever you'd call it) has changed from 'James takes a well-earned break' to 'James takes a back seat' (which sounds a bit more long-term), and his comment, while light-hearted and jokey, suggests some kind of terms that he can't agree to. It's all rather enigmatic, but I do hope they can sort it out between them soon.
Edit: Strangely, jamesdmay's comment has now disappeared, replaced by one that wasn't there before. Something fishy going on...
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Post by dit on Sept 23, 2011 22:26:12 GMT
Oh, that's seriously weird. I didn't actually think his comment was that barbed. So either it was and the DT objected, or it was someone else pretending to be James so it got pulled. Perhaps my suggestion of a rapprochement was well far of the mark.
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Post by meimichan on Sept 23, 2011 23:16:47 GMT
Oh, that's seriously weird. I didn't actually think his comment was that barbed. So either it was and the DT objected, or it was someone else pretending to be James so it got pulled. Perhaps my suggestion of a rapprochement was well far of the mark. They pulled it. Pretty sure James has always been jamesdmay on the DT's website, so that handle's probably not available for anyone else to use. The weird thing is that they pulled it and have someone else with a different handle with a comment in the same spot. I know people with blogs who use discus for the comment section and while I'm pretty sure you can delete comments and change the content(one blog post in particular had them change all the troll's comments to pictures of kittens, for example), I've never heard of being able to change the name of whoever posted it along with the content. That comment left in reply to James' initial comment is still there. Not sure how they pulled that one off. I LOL'd at the one jamesdmay left the first time. Pity it's gone. |
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Post by dit on Sept 23, 2011 23:28:40 GMT
This is getting to the stage where I'm going to have to do a full frontal request to the DT for an explanation as to what's going on. Need to think very hard how to word it, though.
(I have a feeling I might get a rather vague response, if at all!)
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kt
Filthy Mayhemer
Please, May I???
Posts: 649
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Post by kt on Sept 24, 2011 5:15:39 GMT
Hear, hear, dit, I second your self-nomination as our spokeswoman. You are a wordsmith of skill and talent and can plead our case (for the return of the Man's typed words) with eloquence and finesse. Go dit!  |
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Post by jmsquared on Sept 24, 2011 6:36:57 GMT
Hear, hear, dit, I second your self-nomination as our spokeswoman. You are a wordsmith of skill and talent and can plead our case (for the return of the Man's typed words) with eloquence and finesse. Go dit! I concur. You're the woman for the job Dit. By the way, can anyone give me the gist of James' comment? Didn't get to see it. |
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Post by ambergris on Sept 24, 2011 9:34:01 GMT
I've never heard of being able to change the name of whoever posted it along with the content. It is possible, though I don't know how. The original comment said something like, 'At first they said they'd let me go if I fixed the car. Now they're asking for cheesy sauce balls with spam and beans, but I'm b******d if I'm giving them that.' It sounds quite like James, but now I'm not at all convinced it was him. Dit, it would be great if you could get a straight answer from the DT  |
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Post by dit on Sept 24, 2011 10:59:20 GMT
Well, I've done as suggested and fired off a very carefully worded online letter to the DT. I note that the matter of the wording change and the missing comment has already been raised in the comments below the column, but personally I suspect that DT staff don't actually look at those in any depth, other than to check that there's nothing obscene being posted. I certainly don't imagine that any DT editor is likely to put an answer on there.
It is possible, of course, that James himself may post another comment, but if so, it's possible it wouldn't be there long! It does annoy me that, when all we want to do is read new, witty and amusing articles, we end up embroiled in what seems to be a 'political' situation!
I've just realised something. I've reached my 'middle years' and I'm writing letters to the Daily Telegraph. There's clearly no hope for me.
Signed, mildly irritated from Lancashire.
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Post by jacqui on Sept 24, 2011 14:26:23 GMT
Well done and good luck with that Dit ;D But please dont' start The Lady ;D "Back seat"?? More important fish to fry i suspect! The DT really need to quit with the re-runs though  Still it has its advantages |
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Post by adrianmay on Sept 24, 2011 18:02:29 GMT
I've just realised something. I've reached my 'middle years' and I'm writing letters to the Daily Telegraph. There's clearly no hope for me.
Signed, mildly irritated from Lancashire. Hee, hee. Soon you'll be wearing sensible shoes and a scarf on your head as you shuffle off to the 'early bird' special so you can be in bed by 8pm. Don't trip over a cat and break a hip. Seriously though, thank you for taking the time to try to get to the bottom of the DT situation. We're all curious. |
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Post by dit on Sept 24, 2011 18:40:30 GMT
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Post by jmsquared on Sept 25, 2011 4:26:22 GMT
Talk about attention seeking. Sheesh!
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Post by ambergris on Oct 1, 2011 16:20:28 GMT
I don't get the paper DT. Is it right James has disappeared from it this week?
I very much fear the ship's going down...
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Post by dit on Oct 8, 2011 13:38:02 GMT
Just picked this up on twitter - haven't had chance to follow it up to see what else is being said there or elsewhere, but if it's true, I suppose none of us is really going to be surprised:
James May leaving the Telegraph. Wonder if it is artistic differences (!) or just a better offer?
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Post by meimichan on Oct 8, 2011 13:57:08 GMT
Just picked this up on twitter - haven't had chance to follow it up to see what else is being said there or elsewhere, but if it's true, I suppose none of us is really going to be surprised: James May leaving the Telegraph. Wonder if it is artistic differences (!) or just a better offer?Or lack of time to write a weekly column at all these days? You're right though...not much of a surprise if it's true. I think I'd be more surprised if it wasn't true. |
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fallatyourfeet
Filthy Mayhemer
You'll never see the end of the road while you're travelling with me.
Posts: 779
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Post by fallatyourfeet on Oct 8, 2011 14:02:06 GMT
From Twitter: "MrJamesMay James May @ No longer writing for the Telegraph but archive of columns will be available online if you need a quick fix" Is that the site run by his agent?  |
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Post by dit on Oct 8, 2011 14:24:10 GMT
I was sure that it was, but I seemed to remember that it said so, even mentioned his agent Fiona and carried the Arlington website address. Can anyone help with that one?
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Post by Wyvern on Oct 8, 2011 15:19:16 GMT
Yes, it's the account for official James news. It's run by his agent, and someone actually got a bit arsey about that a while ago, which did clarify it quite nicely. It seems to have been sidelined a bit by the Manlab twitter lately, but it was set up by Arlington. They've not tweeted that much, so it's easy enough to go back to the beginning |
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Post by jacqui on Oct 9, 2011 14:08:50 GMT
Well i hope the parting of ways wasn't too acrymonious I hope James finds another outlet for his writings soon In the meantime I'm sure he is keeping himself busy Just a thought.... how about writing a book James ;D  |
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Post by eshalda on Oct 9, 2011 15:01:58 GMT
I'm a bit confused about all this. Did James stop writing for the Telegraph because he was too busy with other projects, or was there a falling out?
I was hoping he would take a short break and then resume his column writing.
I also seem to think I hesrd that there was to be a new book published of his columns, has anyone heard anything about this?
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Post by jacqui on Oct 9, 2011 15:47:17 GMT
The book 'May on Board' ( alleged title) was pulled a full months back by James' publishers. Around the same time it became apparent James was extending his leave from the DT |
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Post by dit on Oct 9, 2011 15:50:50 GMT
Wharever's happened, the decision is definitely very recent. I don't want to quote directly as that seems inappropriate, but at the end of September I e-mailed the Telegraph and had a very cautious reply that suggested negotiations were still ongoing. Clearly it's gone pear-shaped since then.
The followers on the DT are all in the process of saying goodbye to each other, but some of them have decamped to an alternative site set up by commenter rosbif, where they are reprinting those articles they can still get hold of online then commenting below as they did in the DT.
Regarding the book - there was supposed to be a book of his columns called May On Board, due to be published 1st September. However, when I phoned Hodder (his publisher) to find out if there to be a signing for that and/or the Man Lab book (James May's Man Lab: The Book of Usefulness, which is to be published this week) they dismissed any enquiry about May On Board, but said ,"the big one" was going to be the Man Lab book. The lady I spoke to said at the time that there would 'almost certainly' be signings, but there's nothing at all on their website yet about the book or any signings.
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There is only one person who knows...... 
I love a man who can handle a gun 
Still it has its advantages 
