From: Angela Hoy
To: nblankson@thegreenmagazine.com, editorial@thegreenmagazine.com, pressrelations@thegreenmagazine.com
Subject: COMPLAINT about The Green Magazine / Vision Media & Communications
Date sent: Thu, 16 Nov 2006 13:18:12 -0500
Copies to: rafaelm@thegreenmagazine.com

November 16, 2006

The Green Magazine / Vision Media & Communications, LLC.
Naadu Blakson-Seck - nblankson@thegreenmagazine.com,
editorial@thegreenmagazine.com, pressrelations@thegreenmagazine.com
Rafael Martinez, CEO - rafaelm@thegreenmagazine.com
226 West 37th Street, 9th Floor
New York, NY 10018
P(212)629-4920
F(212)629-4932
http://www.thegreenmagazine.com

WritersWeekly.com has received a complaint about:
The Green Magazine / thegreenmagazine.com / Vision Media & Communications,
LLC.

WritersWeekly.com is a publication that publishes information for and
about freelance writers. The publication is the largest-circulation
freelance writing ezine in the world.

As part of that information, WritersWeekly.com publishes a Warnings
section on its website and in its newsletter. This warning section
contains reports about publications that are unprofessional in dealing
with writers, have refused to pay writers money owed to them, who have
not
abided by their contracts, or who have unfair contract terms. These
reports are used by WritersWeekly.com's subscribers to decide which
publications they should and should not work with.

Your firm has been submitted to us for inclusion in the
WritersWeekly.com Whispers and Warnings section.

Step one of our investigation of this report is to gather all relevant
correspondence between your publication and the person submitting the
complaint so that we can piece together that person's side of the story.
Step one of our investigation has been completed.

[IC] (name not published here, but was provided to the publisher)
alleges you owe $450.00. See complete allegation
under my signature.

-----------------
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT
-----------------

The second step in our investigation is to send this communication to
your firm to get its side of the story. If you have evidence disputing
these allegations, or would like to make your own statement about these
allegations for publication in our report, please email
angela - AT - writersweekly.com within two business days.

***All correspondence for our investigations must be in writing and is
subject to publication.***

If you do owe this person money, we strongly suggest you read
this article before responding:
http://www.writersweekly.com/the_latest ... 32006.html

Our report on your firm is scheduled for inclusion in our publication
next Wednesday.

If there is no response to these allegations, WritersWeekly.com will
still publish this complaint, but our readers will not be able to read
your side of the story.

We appreciate your prompt response in this matter.

Angela Hoy
Publisher
WritersWeekly.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
THE COMPLAINT
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

From: [IC]
Subject: Whispers and Warnings
Date sent: Wed, 15 Nov 2006 15:07:13 -0500

Hi Angela,

I wanted to warn your readers about The Green Magazine, a NY-based golf
publication.

They published a travel piece of mine in the August issue. Payment was
$450. On Sept. 26, I received this email.

Dear Writers:

I am sure you are wondering what avails with payment for your
contribution
to the August/September issue. I just want you to know it has not been
forgotten; however, there is a delay. I am in regular talks with the
money-releasing people, so know that I have impressed the urgency upon
them. As soon as I have an answer about when, you will have answer.

I thank you for your patience, which I am sorry you have to exercise to
such extremities.

Sincerely,
Naadu

Naadu Blankson-Seck
The Green Magazine


On October 23, I received a similiar message:

Dear Writers:

I am in constant communication with our accounts payable department
regarding payment for your contribution to the August/September issue.
I just want you to know it has not been forgotten; however, there is a
delay. Unfortunately, at this point I do not have a date of resolution
to share with you, but please be assured that as soon as I have an answer,
you will have answer.

I thank you for your patience, which I am sorry you have to exercise to
such extremities.

Sincerely,
Naadu


I have offered to work with Naadu, agreeing to take my fee in two
payments. My last email to him was notifying him I would be forced to
warn other writers of this situation.

Naadu's contact information is :

Naadu Blakson-Seck
nblankson@thegreenmagazine.com
The Green Magazine
226 West 37th Street
9th Floor
New York, NY 10018
212.629.4920 t
212.629.4932 f
www.thegreenmagazine.com

Thanks, Angela.

Best,
[IC]

PUBLISHER RESPONDS

From: Editorial <editorial@thegreenmagazine.com>
Subject: Re: COMPLAINT about The Green Magazine / Vision Media & Communications
Date sent: Thu, 16 Nov 2006 14:21:25 -0500

Dear Angela:

Thank you for writing. I am glad [IC] contacted you, because she is well
within her right. We are indeed struggling with making timely payments,
as the emails she thoughtfully included indicate. I have at no time told her
we would not pay. I do concur that she offered to accept partial payments,
which I have shared with our accounts payable department, but that
decision does not fall with me. I should have let her know that such an
arrangement was not possible, and for that oversight I apologize.

As it turns out, as of yesterday, I had finally managed to get clearance
to have her check issued tomorrow, November 17--woefully late, but a
payment nonetheless.

I am sure you will hear from [IC] if she does not receive a check within
the following few days.

Sincerely,

Naadu Blankson-Seck
The Green Magazine
226 West 37th Street
9th Floor
New York, NY 100118
212.629.4920 t
212.629.4932 f

WRITERSWEEKLY RESPONDS

From: Angela Hoy
To: Editorial <editorial@thegreenmagazine.com>
Subject: Re: COMPLAINT about The Green Magazine / Vision Media & Communications
Date sent: Thu, 16 Nov 2006 14:32:26 -0500


What about the other writers who haven't been paid? When will their
checks be released?

Angela

PUBLISHER RESPONDS

From: Naadu Blankson-Seck <nblankson@thegreenmagazine.com>
Subject: Re: COMPLAINT about The Green Magazine / Vision Media & Communications
Date sent: Fri, 17 Nov 2006 10:51:13 -0500


It is happening incrementally. Two more payouts are scheduled, and the
final batch will go out mid December.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

The writer above reported to WritersWeekly on 11/28/06 that she did receive payment from The Green Magazine.