The Big Issue
Jun 14, 2011
- Posted by Patricia
Elliott
The Committee to Project journalists has released a report on women journalists and sexual violence. The ongoing problem brought to light in February with the assault of Lara Logan. The case had news editors examining how to better support women journalists in the field. Meanwhile, the International Women’s Media Foundation has announced the names of three frontline women journalists who will receive 2011 Courage in Journalism Awards in October. While violence against female journalists persists, recognition of their right to be there is growing, in contrast to the days when “gal reporters” were told to go home.
(Lara Logan - photo courtesy of CBS)
The Committee to Project journalists has released a report on women journalists and sexual violence. The ongoing problem brought to light in February with the assault of Lara Logan. The case had news editors examining how to better support women journalists in the field. Meanwhile, the International Women’s Media Foundation has announced the names of three frontline women journalists who will receive 2011 Courage in Journalism Awards in October. While violence against female journalists persists, recognition of their right to be there is growing, in contrast to the days when “gal reporters” were told to go home.(Lara Logan - photo courtesy of CBS)
Jun 07, 2011
- Posted by Patricia
Elliott
Is the current focus on chasing down apps and tweets, instead of graft and corruption, taking us off our game? Some worry that the fourth estate has lost its tenacity. For several years now, journalists have pointed to dwindling investigative resources as the heart of the problem. Initiatives like the Canadian Centre for Investigative Reporting, launched in 2008, were created to revive the art of digging. Globally, new resources and tools have been mustered, like Investigative Dashboard, and a number of journalism schools have embraced investigative learning. Programs like APTN Investigates are investing in research, a strategy that pays off in the long run with breaking news.
There’s no doubt solid investigative work costs money up front. Algonquin College has embraced the novel approach of raising donations to finance projects. The Tyee has done the same, giving rise to a new set of ethical questions. This year, J-Source’s Integrity Award honoured investigative journalism. But how are we doing in the long run? Have the grassroots, journo-powered initiatives of recent years changed anything? Are we turning the trend around in our workplaces? What do you think?
Is the current focus on chasing down apps and tweets, instead of graft and corruption, taking us off our game? Some worry that the fourth estate has lost its tenacity. For several years now, journalists have pointed to dwindling investigative resources as the heart of the problem. Initiatives like the Canadian Centre for Investigative Reporting, launched in 2008, were created to revive the art of digging. Globally, new resources and tools have been mustered, like Investigative Dashboard, and a number of journalism schools have embraced investigative learning. Programs like APTN Investigates are investing in research, a strategy that pays off in the long run with breaking news.There’s no doubt solid investigative work costs money up front. Algonquin College has embraced the novel approach of raising donations to finance projects. The Tyee has done the same, giving rise to a new set of ethical questions. This year, J-Source’s Integrity Award honoured investigative journalism. But how are we doing in the long run? Have the grassroots, journo-powered initiatives of recent years changed anything? Are we turning the trend around in our workplaces? What do you think?
May 31, 2011
- Posted by Lauren
McKeon
For some lucky journalists, this is the most wonderful time of the year: award season. In the next couple of weeks, winners of the National Magazine Awards, the Western Magazine Awards, the Kenneth R. Wilson Awards, and the Michener Award will all be announced. And of course, the Canadian Journalism Foundation will announce its award winners at its annual gala June 7. That's not to mention the many journos who've already received much-deserved pats-on-the back these past few weeks after the National Newspaper Awards and the Canadian Association of Journalism Awards were both announced on the same weekend. Want to know more about what's going through the judges' minds when they score entries? Read all about the criteria for what they say makes excellent journalism. In the meantime, congratulations and good luck to everybody.
May 24, 2011
- Posted by Patricia
Elliott
It's the time of year when new j-school grad dive into the job market. Whether you want to work abroad or close to home, you know want to be a journalist. How to get there? J-Source has advice on how to land a job, including guaranteed tips on the basic ingredients like a great resume, an attractive portfolio, and the all-important letter of reference. Being a rookie is tough, so you'll need thick skin, too. And remember that you can always create your own job. You have a great dream - follow it.
May 17, 2011
- Posted by Patricia
Elliott
A report that the Edmonton Journal is losing five newsroom staffers reveals owners may change, but the story remains the same. Despite a promise of no job cuts, Postmedia opened with a round of layoffs last September. It doesn’t seem to have helped the bottom line, though. In March the company raised eyebrows when it entered the stock market without an IPO, and then posted a $12.3 million net loss in April. The company continues to bet on its digital-first shift, but with one in 10 employees now gone, one wonders who will provide the content.
Visit J-Source’s Business of Journalism section to keep up with ownership news.
Visit J-Source’s Business of Journalism section to keep up with ownership news.
May 10, 2011
- Posted by Patricia
Elliott
The accreditation issue appeared in our Town Hall this week, after Quebec journalists overwhelming backed a proposal to create a special designation for professional journalists. In a world where accreditation is routinely used by authorities to silence us, it’s a prickly concept for journalists to embrace. Still, the increasingly wide constellation of media outlets and reporters has led some journalists to question who gets in, and who doesn’t. While some argue non-traditional journalists are no threat to the profession, others call for gatekeepers. The debate surfaced in Canada at the Olympics and the G8/G20. What to do? In 2008, a committee of Nova Scotia judges and journalists called on the courts to begin accrediting court journalists. Would judges have allowed ex-prostitutes to cover sex crime trials? We’ll never know. The accreditation plan was abandoned in less than two months.
May 03, 2011
- Posted by Patricia
Elliott
Canada’s draconian election news ban is bloodied but unbowed – for now. “It’s a 20th century law for a 21st century issue,” wrote Alexandra Samuel and Darren Barefoot before backing down and imposing a three-hour blackout at tweettheresults.ca. In the weeks leading up to the election, Canada’s media ban caught some attention south of the border, where NYU journalism professor Jay Rosen coyly suggested a mass tweet-in. After an unsuccessful court challenge by CBC and Bell Media, Elections Canada sent out a stern reminder to emboldened ban-breakers. On e-night, the chastened tweeters restricted themselves to playful hints. Then a few began reporting the results straight up. Then the tweet-in went global and the gates opened. Ironically, one of the first breaches came not from the blogosphere, but from an accidental CBC broadcast. OpenFile has posted a collection of notable election night communications. Sites like electopinion.ca have sprung up and continue to follow the buzz, and it seems results-reporting blogs are now part of the landscape. If bookies are taking money on the next round, the early money is likely on the bloggers, not the ban.
Canada’s draconian election news ban is bloodied but unbowed – for now. “It’s a 20th century law for a 21st century issue,” wrote Alexandra Samuel and Darren Barefoot before backing down and imposing a three-hour blackout at tweettheresults.ca. In the weeks leading up to the election, Canada’s media ban caught some attention south of the border, where NYU journalism professor Jay Rosen coyly suggested a mass tweet-in. After an unsuccessful court challenge by CBC and Bell Media, Elections Canada sent out a stern reminder to emboldened ban-breakers. On e-night, the chastened tweeters restricted themselves to playful hints. Then a few began reporting the results straight up. Then the tweet-in went global and the gates opened. Ironically, one of the first breaches came not from the blogosphere, but from an accidental CBC broadcast. OpenFile has posted a collection of notable election night communications. Sites like electopinion.ca have sprung up and continue to follow the buzz, and it seems results-reporting blogs are now part of the landscape. If bookies are taking money on the next round, the early money is likely on the bloggers, not the ban.
Images: Paul Bryan satirical tweet (above) and OpenFile photo (below)
Apr 25, 2011
- Posted by Patricia
Elliott
Terry Milewski is getting drowned out, Elizabeth May is getting left out, and tweeters everywhere are getting ready to speak out. As the clock ticks down to e-day, follow the ongoing adventures of the reporters, bloggers, politicos and pollsters in J-Source’s Election 2011 Special Section. What do you think about the stories? Comment early, comment often.
(GTD Aquitaine photo/WikiCommons)
Terry Milewski is getting drowned out, Elizabeth May is getting left out, and tweeters everywhere are getting ready to speak out. As the clock ticks down to e-day, follow the ongoing adventures of the reporters, bloggers, politicos and pollsters in J-Source’s Election 2011 Special Section. What do you think about the stories? Comment early, comment often.
(GTD Aquitaine photo/WikiCommons)
Apr 19, 2011
- Posted by Patricia
Elliott
In the lead-up to its TV debut, Quebecor indulged in the joys of cross-ownership, using its papers to slag the CBC and promote Sun TV anchor Krista Erickson as a Sunshine Girl. By the end of launch day, early reviewers were disappointed by the lack of promised ‘hard news,’ as the fledging station spent its first broadcast hours attacking the CBC and showing three-year-old Muhammad cartoons. The National Post found incessant on-air self-promotion tough to take, while the Toronto Star winced at zooming cameras and annoying music. But it hit the right note with Toronto Sun readers, judging by online comments like: “It’s about time Canada had a voice that isn’t coming from the pinko, leftards namely the CBC.”
Who’s afraid of Sun? Not the Liberal Party, apparently – they booked ad space. And what can we expect in the future? In this interview, Sun TV head Luc Lavoei says Afghan detainees are not news, while waves of illegal immigrants flooding Canada are. Meanwhile, amid fears of reduced broadcasting accuracy requirements, Rabble.ca has set up a Sun media watch blog and twitter feed to monitor the broadcasts. If nothing else, it’s going to be an interesting ride.
Who’s afraid of Sun? Not the Liberal Party, apparently – they booked ad space. And what can we expect in the future? In this interview, Sun TV head Luc Lavoei says Afghan detainees are not news, while waves of illegal immigrants flooding Canada are. Meanwhile, amid fears of reduced broadcasting accuracy requirements, Rabble.ca has set up a Sun media watch blog and twitter feed to monitor the broadcasts. If nothing else, it’s going to be an interesting ride.
Apr 12, 2011
- Posted by Patricia
Elliott
Elizabeth May’s exclusion from the televised leaders’ debate has observers calling for a clear set of rules. But let’s not go overboard. The U.K.’s first-ever TV debate featured 76 rules on everything from audience selection to applause.
After some argument, Ireland went ahead with a five-way debate, although critics argued the tightly bound format ensured boredom ruled. Greek broadcasters weren’t afraid to set out six podiums, including one for the Greens. But they followed up with a PM versus opposition leader debate the next evening, a format some want for Canada. French journalists called for scrapping a TV debate featuring an extreme right-wing candidate, arguing that giving racism a platform is irresponsible. So far the world’s biggest democracy, India, has decided there’s not enough podiums to go around.
The U.S. Commission on Presidential Debates decrees parties must be polling at a minimum 15 per cent to take the stage. During the 2008 election, the citizen’s group Third Party Ticket promoted public debates among the rest. A rival Citizens’ Debate Commission wants to take control of official debates.
In the ‘rule for everything’ department, Australians question whether or not to allow real-time polling during the debate, while Americans argue over texting. But whatever the question, you can be sure letting politicians in on rule-setting is a recipe for message control. Bulgaria’s moderator decided to bend the rules, arguing, “Sometimes it is more important to hear what the person has to say." Indeed, witness how Mahmoud Ahmadinjad’s angry off-the-wall performance galvanized Iranian citizens against him. Perhaps he deserves a place in the Daily Beast’s video gallery of nine outrageous debate blunders.
(update by Janice Neil)
TV debates: setting the rules of the game
Who's afraid of six chairs? Greece's debate line-up.
Photo by Ferengi/WikiCommons.
Journalists tend to look at the debate of the major party leaders during an election campaign completely differently than those who are actually watching, writes Carleton University's Elly Alboim. While reporters are assessing the "defining" or "electric" moments such as the knock-out punch, and the winner and loser, he says the audience looks at it through "an entirely different prism". But the reporting on the debates may influence those who were shuffling kids to hockey, watching Jeopardy! or doing anything else but watching the debate. Andre Turcotte reminds us on the same "Political Perspectives" website, that "the impact of the debates is minimal". According to a poll done after the last election, only 42 percent of Canadians watched either the English or French-language debate.
TV debates: setting the rules of the game
Who's afraid of six chairs? Greece's debate line-up.
Photo by Ferengi/WikiCommons.
Elizabeth May’s exclusion from the televised leaders’ debate has observers calling for a clear set of rules. But let’s not go overboard. The U.K.’s first-ever TV debate featured 76 rules on everything from audience selection to applause.
After some argument, Ireland went ahead with a five-way debate, although critics argued the tightly bound format ensured boredom ruled. Greek broadcasters weren’t afraid to set out six podiums, including one for the Greens. But they followed up with a PM versus opposition leader debate the next evening, a format some want for Canada. French journalists called for scrapping a TV debate featuring an extreme right-wing candidate, arguing that giving racism a platform is irresponsible. So far the world’s biggest democracy, India, has decided there’s not enough podiums to go around.
The U.S. Commission on Presidential Debates decrees parties must be polling at a minimum 15 per cent to take the stage. During the 2008 election, the citizen’s group Third Party Ticket promoted public debates among the rest. A rival Citizens’ Debate Commission wants to take control of official debates.
In the ‘rule for everything’ department, Australians question whether or not to allow real-time polling during the debate, while Americans argue over texting. But whatever the question, you can be sure letting politicians in on rule-setting is a recipe for message control. Bulgaria’s moderator decided to bend the rules, arguing, “Sometimes it is more important to hear what the person has to say." Indeed, witness how Mahmoud Ahmadinjad’s angry off-the-wall performance galvanized Iranian citizens against him. Perhaps he deserves a place in the Daily Beast’s video gallery of nine outrageous debate blunders.
The Big Issue
edited by PATRICIA ELLIOTT
Every week, we select a timely topic in journalism and explore it as The Big Issue. Patricia Elliott is a freelance magazine journalist, alternative media practitioner and author of The White Umbrella. She currently teaches journalism at The University of Regina.
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