[Leica] Why I haven't entered photo contests

[pklein at 2alpha.net (Peter Klein)]

A link to a BBC photo contest was posted on another list.  I took a look. 
They referred interested photographers to their terms and 
conditions.  Check this out.  The relevant stuff is in Items 9 and 10:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/terms/

This is from the BBC, who I believe has historically been relatively good 
to creative people.  You must give them all rights to all possible versions 
and derivations of the work in every possible medium forever. At least they 
only want non-exclusive rights, so you can still  sell the image to someone 
else at a later date (if I understand the legalese correctly).  But it is 
galling to think that this is the price you pay for just submitting the 
image, whether you win or not, and whether they use it now or not.

I've read contest rules in the U.S. where in addition to all of the above, 
they demand *exclusive* rights.  Once you submit the image, you can never 
use it again.

If this is the current standard, I wonder why anyone bothers to enter these 
things at all.  It sounds like it's derived from the "work for hire, sign 
away all rights or you don't work" school of freelancer contracts.  I 
almost think one would get a better deal from old-school organized crime.

--Peter