The DOX Comeback!
It took some thinking before I came to this positive conclusion. In the 20th year of the existence of EDN (European Documentary Network) you will from now on be able to study one of the organization’s main contributions in the past two decades: The publishing of more than 100 issues of the DOX Magazine – contributions to the development of the documentary during these years. As an art form and part of the visual landscape in Europe and beyond. Thanks to Norwegian Truls Lie, former editor of DOX, who is launching his ModernTimes.online with the subtitle ”The European Documentary Magazine” – as was DOX called before it was stopped by the current management of EDN. With around 400 articles and reviews from DOX going back to the late 90’es as the fundament for new articles written by Truls and his staff. So far around 100. A Comeback for DOX.
This is what Truls did, quote from a mail he sent me: ”I am writing
to you now, Tue, because I just bought the rights to the Dox archive, and would put the articles out in the coming doc web magazine ModernTimes.online. Mostly documentary critiques, interviews and political-ethical essays/commentaries. Since nothing is on the web, so would it be ok by you, that we put your articles out there with the others? They will all be referenced as printed in DOX by EDN…”
I said yes and asked Truls how many articles he bought, he answered 350-400. Wow! Indeed a DOX Comeback to celebrate in a year, where celebrations of the 20 years of EDN have been limited, almost non-existing, because of financial problems in the organization. Some celebration might happen at the upcoming IDFA?
Having written this I am happy now to go online to re-read articles and reviews by clever people as Emma Davie, Anette Olsen and (written with tears in my eyes) Ulla Jacobsen, the best editor DOX ever had. Ulla died in 2013. And many many others. Texts put on the site in a nice layout. Check it for yourself. Link below.
In terms of rights for the articles and the whole procedure, Truls has told me that his contract with Paul Pauwels (PP) of EDN is non-exclusive and that all contributors have to agree in beforehand, when approached by Truls.
I am sorry but some thoughts come up:
Is it ethically correct that EDN gets an income for selling articles that the writers have written for free for DOX?
And is it basically correct that PP is “selling off the family jewels”? I know that EDN can still – as right holders – publish them as Truls has bought non-exclusive rights. That will probably not happen. But would it not have been right to inform the members about this action? To open a debate? Who is the next buyer?
And would it not have been right to promote the fact that a core activity of EDN during the 20 years of existence is now having its Comeback as part of a documentary magazine, edited by a previous editor of DOX.
There is still time to do so – promote – on the EDN website and through the weekly newsletter. You could for instance pick one article, ask permission from the writer and put it every week on the website?
As for our site, the one you are reading right now, we consider “modern times” as a colleague and might pick some of the texts we have written (Allan has written a fine review of Audrius Stonys “Uku Ukai” and there are 51 texts by me). Let’s see if we can establish a collaboration one way or the other. It’s also interesting to compare the reviews that the two of us make. Modern Times will be launched at IDFA after Jihlava and Leipzig. Good luck!
http://www.moderntimes.online/
