Publishers and staffers have very different perceptions of their relationships with one another, according to a just released study on editorial working conditions in the Canadian magazine industry. While 87% of the publishers felt that their working relationships with staff editors, staff writers and freelancers were excellent or good, only 31% of magazine staffers had the same feelings.

The study, entitled Respect And Remuneration: Attitudes about Editorial Working Conditions in the Canadian Magazine Industry and available as a PDF download here, was commissioned by the Professional Writers Association of Canada, in partnership with Magazines Canada and the Canadian Society of Magazine Editors, and undertaken by Impresa Communications Limited. More than 450 people responded to the online questionnaire.

According to a release from PWAC, the findings of the report will serve as the basis for the next phase of the Magazine Industry Task Force's efforts, where key magazine industry stakeholders will gather for a series of round table meetings across Canada to work out a Best Standards and Practices agreement for the magazine publishing industry.

The top five most important issues for all respondents were:

• Insufficient pay for freelance work
• Advertising/editorial conflicts
• Copyright issues and control of rights
• High cost of delivering and selling magazines
• Insufficient salary and benefit levels for staff work