Media Monday Edmonton: Update #187

Here’s my latest update on local media stuff:

• Last week’s merger by Postmedia of the Edmonton Journal and Sun newsrooms has resulted in a series of knock-on effects in addition to the original 35 layoffs. At least two of those were hired back – photojournalist Shaughn Butts and editor Paul Bacon. But there have also been some resignations. Copy editor Dave Ryning resigned as did crime bureau chief Jana Pruden. She wrote, “I have decided to leave the Journal, to devote myself to my book and longform narrative true crime outside a daily news environment.”
• You have to wonder how long it’ll be until some of the other high profile names leave, by choice or otherwise. We know that additional cuts are on the way for Postmedia, and it feels a bit like the local newsroom is in a death spiral. On top of that, I’m not sure how long reporters are going to put up with having their stories completely rewritten but with the same byline. For instance, here’s a story Elise Stolte wrote in the Journal the day after the cuts took place and here’s the “same” story rewritten for the Sun. Both also carry a sidebar written by Dave Lazzarino. The changes will definitely take some getting used to.
• And speaking of knock-on effects, the timing on reprinting this feature on photographer Ian Kucerak and his wife Laurie Callsen could not have been worse.
• Karen Unland did some press last week talking about the cuts. Here’s her interview with Global Edmonton. And although it was recorded earlier, her conversation with the 30minuteweek podcast contains some relevant commentary. She also wrote a piece on when the unthinkable happens at your newspaper.
• Curiously in this time of cutting back, the Edmonton Sun is publishing a magazine called YEG MAN. I hadn’t seen this until recently but I guess the first (and so far only) issue was published back in September. It features dating advice from Dinner TV co-host Claire Hanna.
• Congratulations to Corus on raising $1,334,381 for the Stollery Children’s Hospital during last week’s radiothon. Here’s more on the annual event from Cam Tait and here’s a photo of some of the participants.
• Congratulations to CTV anchor Daryl McIntyre for being short-listed for top local news anchor in Canada in the 2016 Canadian Screen Awards. Here’s a list of the other Alberta nominees. The awards will be handed out on March 13.
• In his latest column, Marty Forbes wrote about the many changes taking place in the world of major electronic media. He notes that Doug McCulloch has moved from Edmonton to become General Sales Manager for Newcap in Calgary.
• Episode 26 of the Seen and Heard in Edmonton podcast features TJ Jans and Salena Kitteringham of the Curious Arts blog. Here is the latest podcast roundup and last week’s blog roundup.
• Happy birthday to Breanna Karstens-Smith and Courtney Theriault.
• Here’s an interesting video of a K97/ITV feature from the late 80s.

Former Edmonton Journal editor-in-chief Margo Goodhand who tweeted fond memories and praise for each of the staffers who lost their jobs

And here is some slightly less local media stuff:

• Rogers Media today announced that it is cutting 200 jobs across its television, radio, and publishing divisions. No word on the local impact yet. The cuts are slated to take place in February.
• Here are Linda’s latest social media notes. Congrats on #100 Linda!
• The Canadian Association of Broadcasters CEO Radio Council is launching a new “radio marketing and advocacy bureau” later this year.
• Frontline, a program series “that trains and supports writers who are exploring, testing, witnessing and reporting back on some of the most current and pressing issues of our time,” is offering a two-week residency at the Banff Centre for writers focused on environmental reportage.
• After a tough week for media in Canada, Marsha Lederman wrote in the Globe: “So if the day comes when media organizations are no longer paying journalists to dig up these stories, what will these sites do for material?”
• Also in the Globe, Simon Houpt wrote: “City newspapers aren’t just pillars of their communities. Ideally, they are the connective tissue of the body politic, as well as its first response to nascent cancers.”
• Newspapers aren’t the only ones being affected by the shift to digital: “Nearly half of the country’s local TV stations could be off the air by 2020 without a boost in revenues to pay for local programming, the national broadcast regulator has been told as it prepares to open public hearings into the viability of local TV.”
• This piece by Dave Winer covers a lot of the reasons that I’m uneasy about Medium.

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!

You can see past Media Monday Edmonton entries here.