Here’s my latest update on local media stuff:
- CBC launched its Aboriginal news site today. Looks like a great start, congrats!
- Scott Johnston remembered the 20 year anniversary of 630 CHED on December 1. As he said, time flies!
- Shawna Randolph, who is the new co-host of Alberta Primetime, has joined Twitter as @ShawnaCTV. She was just filling in during the search, but will now stay on as co-host.
- Marty Forbes has a bunch of other media moves and news in his latest column.
- “I love it, but it’s not even close.” That’s what Gord Steinke had to say about Will Ferrell’s Anchorman in this Gig City profile. Gord has been anchoring for 22 years, if you can believe it!
- Here are the latest Edmonton radio ratings for August 26 to November 24. Once again on top is 630 CHED, followed closely by Now 102.3 FM.
- Was new legislation introduced by the Province designed to target bloggers like David Climenhaga and Dave Cournoyer? James Muir, a professor of law at the U of A thinks so.
- Congratulations to Omar Mouallem, now published in The Walrus!
- I’m not sure this needed to be aired in public, but here’s an open letter to Virgin Radio about their “Roof Whip” event.
- The Art of Conversation’s Christmas Gathering will take place on December 19 at The Fairmont Hotel Macdonald, hosted by Rob Christie and Audie Lynds of Capital FM. The fun starts at 4:30pm.
- The Edmonton Journal remembers Bill Sass, who held a number of positions at the newspaper, including business editor.
- All the fun competition stuff happens at Christmas. Bill Fortier won the Edmonton Public Schools Foundation gift wrapping competition.
- Here’s a summary and photos of the tribute event held for Randy Lemay, who retired from Newcap in Edmonton.
- Are you going to watch the Canadian edition of Chopped? Edmonton chef Mariel Montero Sena is one of the 52 contestants.
- In case you missed it: Jay Runham interviewed me on his podcast recently!
- Here’s some Vintage Edmonton for you: CFRN-TV Totem Talk from February 1960.
- No new announcements from Rogers this week, but there’s always hope for next week!
- I don’t know about you, but I quite enjoy these News with Personality clips from Global Edmonton.
- “Never hold your best stuff.” Lots of interesting stuff in this tribute to Clay Felker by Peter W. Kaplan, editor of The New York Observer from 1994 to 2009, who died of cancer recently. Also, don’t miss the NY Times piece on Kaplan.
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!
MasterMaq's Blog 
Re: An Open Letter to 104.9 Virgin Radio Edmonton
Rayanne’s post raised valid points. However, one angle has been missed in all of this. Here’s what I wrote to Virgin honcho Pat Cardinal:
“Apart from issues raised here (http://www.boycottvirginradio.blogspot.ca/2013/11/by-rayanne-forbes.html), I’m more concerned with the environmental damage your station’s stunt has caused.
“In television coverage of the event I saw cathode ray television sets being tossed. Did you know that each one of those picture tubes contains up to 5 lbs of lead? That dust you see is death set free.
“While the nearby bikini-clad girls may have been worried about catching pneumonia, they should be more concerned about the long-documented harmful effects of exposure to a substance with no known safe threshold.
“Roof whip might be seen as a comment on society’s attitude towards treadmill consumerism, but it comes at the cost of a teachable moment: responsible behaviour.
“Suddenly, hanging bras on a bridge seems like a saintly gesture.”
Graham