Here’s my latest update on local media stuff:
- The latest radio ratings are out: 102.3 Now FM is back on top, followed by 630 CHED, CISN Country 103.9, and CBC Radio 1.
- Claire Theobald has moved from Postmedia over to Metro Edmonton. She started at the Sun back in August 2014 (and was at the Examiner for a year before that). Here’s her first byline at Metro. Congrats!
- RTDNA Canada has announced the finalists for the 2018 RTDNA Awards – Prairie Region. CBC Edmonton picked up 15 nominations, Global Edmonton received 10, and CTV Edmonton received 4. The winners will be announced on April 21 in Regina.
- Congratulations to the winners of the 2018 Alberta Magazine Awards! Omar Mouallem won Gold for Alberta Story for a piece published in Eighteen Bridges while Tim Querengesser won Gold for Feature Writing Short for a piece also published in Eighteen Bridges.
- Congratulations to the Edmonton Journal’s Larry Wong on being named a finalist in the General News category of the News Photographers Association of Canada’s 11th annual National Pictures of the Year (NPOY) awards competition. Here’s the photo he is recognized for.
- Global Edmonton won a Canadian Screen Award on Tuesday “for the station’s coverage of the one-year anniversary of the Fort McMurray wildfire.”
- Jeff Samsonow and Duff Jamison spoke about the federal government’s proposed $50 million investment in local journalism on Alberta Primetime. Lots of speculation still, as details are scarce, but I agree the funding should not go to organizations like Postmedia. I’m glad that Jeff was so articulate on this issue!
- Daveberta has joined the Alberta Podcast Network. “This brings our contingent of politics-based podcasts to three.” Here’s the latest podcast network roundup.
- CBC Edmonton is hosting an open house at its downtown studios on Saturday, March 17 from 11am until 3pm. The event is family friendly, with activities for kids!
- Changes are in the works for the Edmonton Journal’s comics, puzzles, horoscopes, TV, and moving listings sections. There’s a survey you can fill out to provide your feedback.
- Here is Jason Strudwick and Jason Gregor talking about Crescendo, a fundraiser for local initiatives combatting mental illness, which takes place May 4 at the Winspear Centre.
- CBC Edmonton is looking for a Producer for Edmonton AM.
- In case you haven’t yet heard, PodSummit 2018 is coming to Edmonton on May 5. Tickets are $150.
Red Bull Crashed Ice 2018, photo by IQRemix
And here is some slightly less local media stuff:
- Farhad Manjoo, writing in the New York Times, took two months off from digital media and read news only in printed newspapers. Predictably, he says that getting a physical newspaper is pretty great. “I know what you’re thinking: Listening to a Times writer extol the virtues of print is like taking breakfast suggestions from Count Chocula.” On the other hand, I really do like his Michael Pollan-inspired news diet: “Get news. Not too quickly. Avoid social.”
- Apple has acquired Texture, the virtual magazine newstand. “Apple is acquiring the full company, including employees, and the deal is expected to close very soon.” No word on the price tag. “Financial terms of this deal are not being revealed, and Texture has never disclosed its valuation.”
- National Geographic asked “a preeminent historian” to audit its archives for the special issue called The Race Issue. “It hurts to share the appalling stories from the magazine’s past. But when we decided to devote our April magazine to the topic of race, we thought we should examine our own history before turning our reportorial gaze to others.”
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!
Want to read great stories about Edmonton? Or maybe you’d like to write them? Join Taproot Edmonton and help us ensure that local journalism has a future in our city.
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