I used to edit a business travel magazine.
They were scum for various reasons, but the most morally-reprehensible part was their paying of bills, particularly of commissioned freelance journalists.

When I took over, I was given a list of contacts, whom I set about commissioning. It came out yearly, so imagine my surprise on saying "Hi XXXXX, I was wondering if you fancied doing the XXXX chapter again this year", to receive replies from all 40 or so of them saying "Well - I might be interested, but when are you going to pay me for last year?"

Considering that the prices were only between £500 and £700 for what was in total well over a week's work, it was pretty bloody difficult to keep them on-side.

The meeja is perhaps the most sordid place I have ever worked - I know that's not news (ha!), but it's notoriously amoral. See the current phone-hacking scandal for details.
( Je suis un vagabond is an unfunny, up your own arse middle class knob, Thu 7 Jul 2011, 14:16, Reply)