MD News Magazine / True North Custom (formerly Sunshine Media)

[JenniferDZ]

I have come across another editor who seems to be unwilling to pay his writers. In September 2006, I wrote an article (on assignment) for South Carolina M.D. News (it’s a publication of Sunshine Media). I submitted the article on time, but never heard from the editor (Jack Heape). I e-mailed to check on it a couple weeks later, and he e-mailed back to say that everything looked OK. I submitted the required paperwork for payment. I have e-mailed him three or four times since with reminders and copies of my invoice, and I have received no reply at all. I finally e-mailed Sunshine Media’s editor in chief for help, and I received no reply from them either.

Has anybody had any contact with this company? I have sent an e-mail to Dave at Preditors and Editors about it, too.

Thanks,
Jennifer Della’Zanna

 

[CaoPaux]

http://www.sunshinemedia.com/pub_index.php?pubID=2

Looks like each region's magazine is an independently run franchise. Check out our freelance forum for tips on how to rattle cages. Hope you get it resolved soon!

 

[JenniferDZ]

Thanks

I will keep plugging away, and I will let everybody know what happens. I have reported the incident to Dave at P&E, but I have no documenting emails because of a computer crash, and my contract doesn't specify an amount. He is going to keep an eye out for others who have problems with this mag and use my case as support in case others come forward. In the meantime, watch out for this guy!

Jen DZ

 

[Sassenach]

I will keep plugging away, and I will let everybody know what happens. I have reported the incident to Dave at P&E, but I have no documenting emails because of a computer crash, and my contract doesn't specify an amount. He is going to keep an eye out for others who have problems with this mag and use my case as support in case others come forward. In the meantime, watch out for this guy!

Jen DZ

Why would anyone sign such a contract? Do you contract for payment on acceptance or publication, and has it been published?

 

[JenniferDZ]

Ouch. You're right. The amount was specified in emails, that I DID save, but the crash got them before I printed them out. I was too trusting AGAIN...though not as trusting as the first time I got burned. I at least had some documentation this time...I guess I'm just taking babysteps toward cynicism. Count this as another step.

I don't know if it was published. It was an assignment, so I assume it was. He did tell me it "looked OK," when I sent it in, and he didn't ask for revisions. I simply have not been able to get an answer from him about anything since then. No copies, nothing. I could contact the interview subject, I suppose, to see if he has seen the article, but I'm not yet at the point where I want to reveal to the subject of the article that the magazine sucks! I will use that as a last resort. It's a regional magazine distributed to doctors...so I can't get it on a newsstand or anything.

Jen DZ

P.S. He said he would pay within 2 weeks of acceptance.

 

[CaoPaux]

Updating link: http://sunshinemedia.com/publications/

 

[CaoPaux]

http://www.mdnews.com/

Also, Sunshine Media merged into True North Custom a ways back, but dropped the name in '12. http://www.truenorthcustom.com/services/reach/md-news