Don't get caught in that 'net'!

Bad Freelance Editor!

You must have been snoozing to let the Times sneak in such a neat weasel unnoticed.

"Net identifiable" are two words that never see my signature. Net means the amount left after they've taken off the "costs". And how are they calculated? Not in a way that would ever be made transparent to the poor bloody journo you can be sure. By the time their rather well paid accountants have finished there won't be any net revenue to speak of.

And if there is, then the "identifiable" trick comes in. All those $2 reprints, pic sales for "personal" use & much else besides are treated in bulk - they won't be identifiable.

So the net identifiable revenue is whatever they fancy paying you. The phrase should be "50% of gross revenue" for any decent deal.

David Hoffman