• Amy Reid, a reporter for Surrey Now, documented a drug overdose that happened right in front of her. Screenshot by J-Source.

    Reporting from the midst of a drug crisis in BC

    By Nicole McCormick In March of 2016, less than a month after learning that the deadly opioid fentanyl had begun wreaking havoc in the streets of Surrey BC, Surrey Now reporter Amy Reid watched as one of her sources almost died in front of her. Jeff, a man she had interviewed three weeks prior, was…

  • Despite newsroom layoffs, great photojournalism can still be seen. Here’s why. Photo courtesy of Patrick Fulgencio.

    Down, but not out of the picture

    By Patrick Fulgencio for The Signal When Canon Inc. announced one of its higher-end cameras in 2013, the advertising campaign sought to catch the attention of amateur photographers. Nearly every advertisement and product description had two recurring elements. The first was crisp images of the camera. The second was a slogan that read: “Revoke your…
  • Journalists struggle to get Canada’s prison agencies talking. Photo courtesy of Julianne Steeves.

    The right to remain silent?

    By Julianne Steeves for The Signal Early to rise, hard labour and frequent beatings – that was an inmate’s life at the Kingston Penitentiary during the 1840s. Prisoners – men, women and children – were silent 24 hours a day. Breaking the silence could lead to a beating. Food was scarce, partly because the kitchen…
  • The last edition of the Lindsay Post. Screenshot courtesy of Policy Options.

    After the local newspaper closes shop

    By Nancy Payne for Policy Options Wally Nugent and Brenda Stonehouse were reviewing the ad they planned to run in the Lindsay Post for Canada Day. They were key organizers of the community’s Canada Day festivities, and the paper was where people looked to find out about local events. But then their phones started pinging…
  • Mark Latham has pioneered a voter-funded media project at UBC since 2007. Screenshot by J-Source.

    Why one economist believes letting people vote to fund media could save it

    By Mitchell Thompson Mark Latham says the cure for local media’s ills is voter-funded media—where voters decide which media outlets receive grants. The economist and Votermedia.org founder says the University of British Columbia has been providing grants to media outlets covering the school’s student union and its elections since 2007. It allows voters to rank…
  • On Feb. 25, protests organized by a coalition of journalism and free speech groups will take place across Canada. Screenshot by J-Source.

    Upcoming Day of Action calls for protections for journalists

    By Grant Buckler A Day of Action set for February 25 will call for an end to mass surveillance, repeal of the Anti-Terrorism Act and new legislation to protect activists, whistleblowers and journalists. The Day of Action was originally to have taken place February 4, but was delayed to avoid conflicts with mass demonstrations against…
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    Canadian news consumers unaware of financial strain on the industry

    By Steph Wechsler for the Ryerson Journalism Research Centre Although Canadians value journalism and believe it is essential to a well-functioning democracy, they don’t want to pay for it, concludes a new study that examined the state of Canadian news media. A survey conducted as part of the Public Policy Forum (PPF) report, “The Shattered Mirror,” found…

  • War correspondents face a lack of mental health resources. Photo courtesy Victoria Walton.

    Untreated trauma

    By Victoria Walton for The Signal Too few journalists are informed of the mental health impacts they may face on the job. War correspondents have almost all taken hostile environment training, says the Globe and Mail’s Latin American Bureau Chief Stephanie Nolen, who has worked internationally for over two decades. This aims to prevent physical…