Category / Field Notes

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Is African famine too boring to cover?

Field Notes Editor Nicole Blanchett Neheli finds out why the President of the University of Guelph said media weren't reporting on African famine because they deemed it a boring story, and speaks with CBC's Brian Stewart to get his take…
Want to sell your story? Practice the art of the pitch

You might think content is the most important factor when you're trying to sell a story, but it's the pitch that closes the deal. Freelance journalist Katie Ingram gets advice from three seasoned professionals on pitching for publication.…
How I got the story: Selena Ross on Montreal’s dirty snow removal contracts

Selena Ross set out to discover what was behind a number of pedestrians who had been killed by snowplows in Montreal. What she found was a snow removal industry that is entrenched in a culture of collusion, bid-rigging and violence.…
The view from behind the lens: Working ENG camera

James Morrison-Collalto, an ENG camera for CityNews in Toronto, describes what it's like working behind the lens to get the story, and his path from the classroom to the big city streets.…
When the storytelling never stops: Working at an all-day news channel

Selena Drepaul, a producer at CHCH news in Hamilton, Ontario, describes the juggling act required to work at an all-day news channel, learning lessons the hard way, and how news keeps you humble.…
The suicide taboo: Covering a story no one wants to talk about

As a Senior Producer at CTV, Heather Sherman has tackled a lot of stories that weren't easy to tell. But a recent assignment to do a series on suicide put all her experience to the test, and reminded her why…
Putting the story above the storytelling

Web producer Heather Loney describes how digital journalists need to stay focused on the story, not contribute to the "noise" of digital content.…
From the ground up: Building the SUN News Network

Dayna Gourley has worked in television news for over 15 years, but helping to launch the Sun News Network could be the biggest challenge she's ever faced.…
Focusing on Jack Layton: How working in smaller markets prepared one reporter to cover one of the biggest stories of the year

CBC Videographer Charlsie Agro was called up from Windsor to work in Toronto this summer. Little did she know she'd be covering one of the biggest stories of the year, the death of NDP leader Jack Layton. What did Agro…
My first summer job in news

David Hedley’s first job at a community newspaper in 1980 dashed any illusions his younger-self had about the glory of work as a journalist. It also taught the future Calgary Herald web producer the importance of multi-tasking — and truth.…