Media Monday Edmonton: Update #21

Here is my latest update on local media stuff:

• Meshwest is happening tomorrow! Stay tuned to #meshwest for updates.
• The biggest media news of the week was probably the PC Leadership vote. I was up late that night with a lot of other people, watching the results come in and enjoying the discussion on Twitter. I agree that it took a ridiculously long time for the results to be finalized, but it bothers me that some of the mainstream media keep complaining about it. In a different scenario they’d be jumping up and down about how these kinds of stories would not be covered if the mainstream media no longer existed or was diminished, because you can’t count on social media users to go and sit through the four or five hour process. To say nothing of the fact that the complaining reflects archaic distribution mechanisms more than it does any problem with the actual vote process.
• Metro Edmonton reports that it now reaches 71,600 readers daily and 205,100 weekly in the greater Edmonton area, an increase of 4% daily and 20% weekly over the 2009-2010 numbers.
• Congratulations to the Edmonton Journal, recognized with six nominations for the 2011 Canadian Online Publishing Awards. The awards will be presented in Toronto on October 24. Maybe I should enter next year…
• OMNI is set to become Canada’s first national multi-language broadcaster to move beyond French and English. Stories filed from Edmonton and Calgary will “include national significance.”
• Ara Adonian will be taking over the PM Drive on The Bounce starting in November. Speculation has Jake Ryan moving to Virgin Radio.
• Gordon Klassen has been named Sales Manager for 105.9 Shine FM and AM 930 The Light here in Edmonton.
• Could local radio find its way back to Leduc? Mark Tamagi is behind the push to get Leduc One FM Radio approved.
• In Karen’s latest Edmonton New Media Roundup, she talks about how lots is happening in Edmonton. There’s so much going on, and we need a better way to tell everyone.
• As Karen pointed out, a new online magazine called KikkiPlanet launched this week. The launch party video features a number of familiar faces from Edmonton’s new media scene:

• I’m not sure how long these have been around, but I only just noticed the new Sum Media stands around town. This one, at the Italian Centre Shop in the southside, features the Examiner, 24 Hours, has Italian Centre branding, and has room for them to make other newspapers available as well. I like it. The newspaper area is cleaner, and Sun Media benefits with the prominent branding.

You can follow Edmonton media news on Twitter using the hashtag #yegmedia. For a great overview of the global media landscape, check out Mediagazer.

So, what have I missed? What’s new and interesting in the world of Edmonton media? Let me know!