The news that four people died when two U.S. news helicopters collided last week was stultifying; the deaths seemed too pointless to even mention here. Then I read Mark Hamilton’s blog post, and find myself in agreement with his opinion that the helicopter crash is a sign that “somehow journalism has lost its way and…
NowPublic Technologies Inc. calls itself the world’s largest participatory news network, with 100,000 non-professional contributing reporters from more than 140 countries and 3,600 cities, and a partnership with Associated Press. Today, the company that began in a Vancouver garage received $10.6-million US in venture-capital financing. It says it aims to become the world’s biggest news…
As a reader, my eyes started glazing over every time there was another headline about Conrad Black, and I turned off the radio or TV when the news turned to him. I’d had about enough, oh, six years ago. Seems that my interest level about the former media tycoon and former Canadian is shared by…
Peter Stockland, editor-in-chief of Reader’s Digest Canada, is out to rock the boat. A story by Dana Lacey in the latest Ryerson Review of Journalism says the magazine is starting “to get noticed again. Peter’s plan to develop longer, more culturally engaging features, to bring long-form journalism back to the brand made famous by shortening…
In a piece that’s essential reading for anyone interested in the business of journalism, CNNMoney.com has a story on the challenges facing the Washington Post It includes this nugget from Post director and shareholder Warren Buffett, on the topic of online journalism: “The ideal combination would be if the New York Times, the Wall Street…
The federal government has started looking for a new president for the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. to replace Robert Rabinovitch, whose second term ends in November, reported Canadian Press.
Quebec’s federation of journalists protests the expulsion of a journalist from a Laval hospital: QUEBEC, le 26 juillet /CNW Telbec/ – La Fédération professionnelle desjournalistes du Québec (FPJQ) section de Québec dénonce l’expulsion d’unjournaliste, hier matin à l’Hôpital Laval, geste qu’elle juge abusif. Le journaliste Jean-François Labrie, du FM 93, s’est rendu…
This piece is worth reading, partly for a summer laugh and partly because it’s one British writer’s wry take on a large and influential chunk of the American media audience. An excerpt from “Ship of Fools” by the Independent’s Johann Hari: I lie on the beach with Hillary-Ann, a 35-year-old California designer. When I hear…
A senior CanWest executive is retiring. The Asper family will consolidate more of its control over the media monolith as Leonard Asper takes over the responsibilities of outgoing Peter Viner. Here is today’s press release: WINNIPEG, July 18 /CNW/ – CanWest Global Communications Corp. President and CEO, Leonard Asper, today announced the retirement…
The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp. has reached a tentative agreement to purchase of Dow Jones & Co. The story on the web site was free to non-subscribers as of late Monday. A New York Times report is here. It’s apparently true: everything really is for sale.