Media Monday Edmonton: Update #228

Here’s my latest update on local media stuff:

• We’re starting to see the impact of the looming additional layoffs at Postmedia. First up: the Saturday books page will be produced nationally and the Journal is going to stop publishing the Edmonton weekly bestsellers list. Michael Hingston, who was the Journal’s books columnist until earlier this year, said “it was only a matter of time.”
• In other Postmedia news: local columnists like Terry Jones are now appearing in both the Edmonton Journal and the Edmonton Sun, and the company recently extended CEO Paul Godfrey’s contract through 2020.
• The Tomato, which started life as City Palate Edmonton, is marking its 20th anniversary. Judy Schultz marked the occasion with a look back.
• CTV Edmonton’s Michel Boyer is headed to Ottawa to be a reporter in CTV’s national bureau. His last day here in Edmonton will be Wednesday.
• CTV Atlantic’s Matt Woodman is making the move to CTV Edmonton starting November 28.
• NewCap/CFCW’s Jackie Rae Greening is being inducted into the Association of Country Music in Alberta’s hall of fame. The awards ceremony will take place in Red Deer on January 22, 2017.
• Stacey Brotzel celebrated 4 years with CTV Edmonton on Saturday. “Best thing I have ever done,” she tweeted.
• iMEDIA has announced some of its line-up of speakers for this year’s conference. Beverley Theresa, Jeff Samsonow, and Linda Hoang are among those speaking.
• Congratulations to Jennifer Cockrall-King! Her Eighteen Bridges feature on the novelty of modern dining has been included in Da Capo Press’ 2016 Best Food Writing series.
• K97’s Terry Evans was the featured guest on the most recent episode of Matt Cundill’s “Sound Off” podcast.
• Here are the latest blog and podcast roundups from Seen and Heard in Edmonton.
• The Writers Guild of Alberta and the Alberta Magazine Publishers Association are hosting “How to Pitch” and PitchFest in Calgary and Edmonton. Here in Edmonton, the workshop takes place Saturday with PitchFest taking place on November 26.
• Glass Buffalo Magazine is hiring an intern for a four-month term starting December 5. The deadline to apply is November 25.
• Look who got a copy of I Heart Edmonton’s book: Mayor Iveson!
• The Christmas Bureau’s annual media launch event is taking place tomorrow at the new Elevate Food Fair in City Centre Mall.
• It’s back. Last year both 92.5 Fresh FM and 96.3 Capital FM switched to Christmas music on November 13. Both claim to be “Edmonton’s Official Christmas Station” but this year Fresh FM beat Capital FM to it, making the switch at 12:01am on November 12. Capital FM tweeted their own switch is coming soon.

And here is some slightly less local media stuff. This week, it’s very election-related:

• I have read so many interesting, thoughtful, depressing, and fascinating articles about journalism, media, and the US election this week. I’m going to write something about all of it, especially as I was in Chicago for the election, but here are a few links to check out in the meantime: I’m Listening in Josh Stearns’ Local Fix, Here’s the to the return of the journalist as malcontent at CJR, and How Trump Took Over the Media By Fighting It at Politico.
• Perhaps the most helpful way to think about the media’s role in Trump’s victory came from The Atlantic’s Salena Zito back in September: “The press takes him literally, but not seriously; his supporters take him seriously, but not literally.” As the Washington Post’s Margaret Sullivan wrote the day after the election, “The media didn’t want to believe Trump could win. So they looked the other way.”
• John Oliver’s latest episode was all about President-Elect Trump, no surprise there. Oliver maintains he’s a comedian and not a journalist, but what he does looks an awful lot like advocacy journalism, especially this episode.
• Here is the Freedom of the Press Foundation’s statement on Donald Trump winning the election. “Never has our nation faced such a grave threat to First Amendment rights and freedom of the press.”
• Both Google and Facebook have faced a lot of criticism this week over fake news. Finally, they’re going to do something about it.
• One positive thing to come from Donald Trump’s win? Donations and subscriptions are up significantly for ProPublica, the NY Times, the Washington Post, and others.
• One Canadian thing to mention: those “skinny basic” TV packages don’t seem to be reducing the number of cord cutters. In fact, the decline in TV subscribers may be accelerating.

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.