Overview: Salon, the on-line literary magazine, apparently has decided to use their contract as an qualifying entrance exam. They recently sent out a blanket contract to all past contributors, to be signed and kept on file for future assignment. Note that this contract was sent out as an independent document, unaccompanied by any specific assignment. It is intended to cover POSSIBLE assignments in the future, and artists who don't sign it will (presumably) not be considered for assignments. In essence, Salon is saying, If you ever want to do work for us, you'll accept our terms in advance.

CONTEXT: Other publishers have required artists to sign
blanket contracts, but those contracts have always been accompanied by a work assignment. To our knowledge, Salon is the first and only publisher to require such an agreement up front, as a criterion for consideration.

Contract Highlights:

=> The contract states that Salon will get non-exclusive rights in perpetuity--in perpetuity is a long time. Anytime you sign over any rights forever, you loose the right to negotiate on future use. Web magazines feel they need the right to publish your work forever on the web. Contract Monitor disagrees. Time is the foundation of all copyright issues. Limits on time is reasonable. A year is reasonable. Two years perhaps. But in perpetuity?

=> Salon has the right to license or syndicate the use of artwork to other publishers, in any medium or market, provided the artist is paid 25% of any fee negotiated by Salon--Should Salon become an agent on your behalf to decide where your work belongs and for how much your work is worth? Besides, agents usually only take 25% of the fees for themselves. Salon requires 75%.

=> If the artist reuses the image in any publication other than Salon, this statement always appearing in the credits: "This artwork first appeared in Salon, an on-line magazine at http://www.salonmagazine.com"..Requiring a 13+ word phrase to accompany any reprint lowers the value of your work. Salon offers no compensation and requires you become a billboard for Salon.

Ironically, Salon contacted the Guild for guidance on their blanket contract, and then proceeded to ignore all the Guild's suggestions.