Full 35 Minute Rebroadcast


(1,735 Word Count)
Word count does not include copy pasted rule section at bottom


The recent Media Strike in Canada has left workers to miss out on needed paychecks. It is unknown how much the SMJHL and SHL are losing on a daily basis to the Strike. Sources have reported that it could be upwards of 3 Million per day in Canadian Currency. At current exchange rates that would be 2.2 Million in the United States Dollar. Hardly a sum to sneeze at and officials are working hard on both sides to come to an agreement. This happened at the worst time possible as the Montreal Militia are in the midst of a Four Star Cup run. They were up in the series 3 games to none but have currently fell in their last 2 games as the Whalers have battled back. The Whalers traveled to home ice in Vancouver yesterday and game six is scheduled to start at 8pm Pacific Standard Time. Three hours later than usual and the whole East Coast of North America are up in arms about it. Thank the heavens for Digital Recording Devices but the trick is to stay away from any social media, computers, televisions, cell phones and close personal friends as anyone at any moment could spoil the tension of not knowing who won.

Back to the topic at hand, which is the Media Strike in Canada. It appears that a 4 way riff caused the whole mess and most likely an upcoming agent named Pen Knight is the real culprit of it all. It appears he flipped out when he noticed Zarley Zalapski was paid only 900k and 500k for the first two installments of Game 1 Round 2. It seems Zarley Zalapski has worked out a deal with Super Agent StamkosFan and Marty Lange, of the Montreal Radio Network to receive kickbacks for published material. Not to mention the large royalties that are associated with rebroadcasting, sponsors and endorsements. The fine people at "Sports Canada" most likely had plenty to do with it as well as they are known to constantly cause trouble. The media giant "Sports Canada" has been ruining individuals and merging with companies, swallowing them whole for over three decades now. The bigger they get the more they want! 

So, what happened exactly as this freelancer has snooped around trying to get the scoop, while Montreal and most of Canada is at a Media standstill? It appears that this up-and-coming ambitious agent, Pen Knight got wind of the decrease in pay, to Zarley, compared from weeks past. The drop was so significant, that he was able to stir up a hornets nest and manipulate the young Russian Rookie to start a chain reaction, causing an entire meltdown in Radio Broadcasting and Newspaper Reporting combined. Not that those two forms of media aren't on their way out, in the immediate future, thanks to such greats as twitter, player signatures and 1 minute video hype reels. That being said, many people in Canada and Northern America still live a somewhat backwards lifestyle and refuse to change to the modern times. They enjoy having a hot cup of coffee or tea, while reading the daily newspaper, delivered from a local paperboy, who delivers it on their bike or snowmobile. If you have made it this far in the article, you are probably asking yourself: why I haven't explained the situation and been rather quick about it? Well, since the professionals are on strike, this is how bad things have regressed. You will just have to put up with the amateur blogger, trying to report on this subject, for the time being.

Back to the issue at hand. It seems that Zarley Zalapski was getting high level kickbacks from the media that was created around his play, his team and the league that he is a part of. Many Media Kickbacks were at the 1.5x level and after reading all the content, this amateur thinks the pay was on par for the content. Why the sudden decrease or drop in pay? It appears that the media was well written in the form of a scrip totaling 2,450 words. Now, mind you, those words were typed out and written out of thin air. They were not just some copy and paste or some sort of fluffed material. Next the written script was using actual data from game one of the playoff series between the Montreal Militia versus the Kelowna Knights. Now if the media would of been posted in article format the pay would of been right at 2.5 Million and that is rounding up 50 thousand dollars. Even without the round up it would of garnered 2.45 Million. However, the subject material was transformed into an actual live or rebroadcast of the game. Sound Effects were used to make the crowd sound realistic. Emotions were used in Marty Langes voice to give it a depth of realism. When you listen to the finished thirty five minutes of audio that came in five youtube installment uploads, it had a the feel of an actual ice hockey game being called over the radio. Of course, the work was rough and could of been better. What artistic work can't be improved upon? However to take the time to try to bring the simulations to life was quite a feat in itself. In my personal opinion, I do believe that the content would get better in the future.

The conflict came after grading and Zarley was told his pay was at the rate of about 60k per word because the words were converted to audio which translated to fifteen minutes. At the rate of 50 thousand dollars times fifteen minutes you come out with seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars. So the nine hundred thousand pay day seemed to be a generous bonus in the mind of the creditor. However, when Pen Knight started to research the matter it was clear that pay was such a huge drop compared to prior payouts that a revolt was in order. Zarley Zalapski had been paid near double for his first Radio Broadcast Attempt which was just over 800 words (7:30 Minutes of Audio) paying him 1.5 Million. His next kickback from radio content was a large drop but still worthy of a 1.5 multiplier at 1100 words (11 Minutes of Audio) for another 1.5 Million Dollar payday. Yes a decrease but on par and Zarley had no cause for alarm. At the bare minimum the kid should get a kickback for his written word and that rate is one word for one thousand dollars. So writing a script of 2450 words should garner 2.45 million dollars. Getting paid 900k instead of 2.45 million stung and when Pen Knight put salt in the wound, it sent a ripple effect through the Canadian Media Outlets.

Jim Jabroni, of the Montreal Gazette, got involved in the Strike as well as he had "kick backed" Zarley the usual 1.5x multiplier from his newspaper graphics and articles. Jim noted to myself that it is clearly written in the SHL and SMJHL Rules, which can be read at the bottom of this article and will not be counted as the word count, since it is copied and pasted. As you will note articles that go above and beyond word count are subject to bonuses up to two times the amount written and extensive stats, research and or graphics count in this formula! Of course, pressers or podcasts, will be subject to 50k per minute but when the material has been written out clearly and converted to a real life experience you would think the creditors would take all this into account!? Creativity is supposed to be king and it would be hard pressed to find a more creative upload compared to this radio broadcast of an actual game following detailed game log statistics mixed in with honest emotion. Lastly, it is clear that if one is rambling on about nonsense or using music to buff the audio content that is a clear violation and demerits will incur due process. However, if one gives an honest listen to the 5 uploads, nobody can argue that it isn't league related material that never strays from the task at hand.

After 20 minutes of crying the pay was increased the following day from 1.4 Million, for the two installments, to a total of 2.7 Million. The words written garner 2.45 million so we see the bonus paid is 255 thousand dollars. The bonus is not enough for the Radio Station to survive and this will put a damper on the future media content. Marty Lange noted that 255k is not worth his time to get sound effects, edit, be enthusiastic and involve his staff in the endeavor. Money is money but when all you have to do is type out 1000 words in an article format to get paid 1 million dollars why go the extra mile to try to enhance the experience? On a side note, if you make a 1 minute hype video mixing stolen content you will get paid nearly 1 million dollars depending. Also, if you create a signature in Gimp or Photoshop or something like that the pay is near 500k to 1 million dollars. So lets look back. If you use your artistic ability and write a script and convert that script into a radio broadcast, mimicking an actual game experience, you could get docked 40k per word, unless you cry so loud... that the league submits.

All in all, it is very good fun but why work for a newspaper or radio broadcast when all you have to do is type words and get paid!? So the Strike Continues and Radio Broadcast Content was deleted from three posts that totaled just about 1500 words. Marty Lange owns the rights to those words and he told the sponsors they can shove it up their Yin Yangs! Who cares about 1.5 million in audio/article content when you can just keep typing and get paid at a rate of 1000 dollars per word? No graphics or audio needed. Power to the People as the Strike Continues! The VHL is in current contract negotiations with Marty Lange of the Montreal Radio Network along with Jim Jabroni but both media experts have expressed their heart felt need to make a deal at the bargaining table with the SHL and SMJHL combined.


MEDIA/POST-GAME RUBRIC:
SHL & SMJHL Media Scales has changed to reflect 100 words = 100k at a flat rate.
Articles that go above and beyond word count are subject to bonuses (up to 2x) at grader's discretion (ie. extensive stats, research, or graphics).
Pressers will now be worth 50% of the new scale (100 words = 50k). (this has already taken place in the SMJHL Media section, it will now be in effect for the SHL Media Section as well).
SPREADSHEETS SUBMITTED BY THEMSELVES WILL ALSO BE GRADED UNDER THE PRESSER SCALE. 

Podcast RUBRIC:
Best way to make money on SHL. We like creativity in this so that is why we will be offering ~$50,000 per minute. Don't ramble on about non-SHL related things. We will listen to it. Creativity pays and original ideas/discussion will incur cash bonus.

PODCAST CONTENT IS AT THE DISCRETION OF SHL MEDIA GRADING TEAM. IF WE THINK YOU GO OFF-TOPIC TOO MUCH, YOUR PAY WILL REFLECT THAT.