Contract Highlights:

=> PAYMENT SCHEDULE -- In this contract, the artist is paid "...upon publication, use or distribution of the material..." We believe that payment should always be made upon acceptance of the artwork, regardless of when it is published.

=> KILL FEE -- The contract calls for a kill fee "to be negotiated" if the artwork is not published. The good news here is that the client at least recognizes such a thing as a kill fee. The bad news is that the amount and the terms of payment are not specified. They should be.

=> RIGHTS GRANTED -- In one short paragraph, the Chicago Tribune Company tries to get it all. Read it and see:

"You...assign to CTC...and their affiliates a non-exclusive and perpetual worldwide license and right to publish, copy, modify, display, distribute, perform and broadcast the submitted material, in whole or in part, in any print, electronic or digital media or software of any kind now existing or developed in the future."

Does the phrase "lock, stock and barrel" sound about right?

And then there's this:

"The submission of material by you as a freelancer as well as the receipt of payment for such material is a binding acknowledgement of the grant of all rights to CTC... In addition, your endorsement of any CTC check issued to you shall constitute your confirmation of the continued existence of this agreement."

Let the artist beware! When a client wants "all rights" to your work, you stand to lose a great deal. In addition, we don't think companies should attempt to acquire rights through "submission of material" or "endorsement of a check." Signing a check should be confirmation of nothing other than that the artist wants to get paid.