Taproot Edmonton’s latest Media Roundup was published today. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox every Monday morning.
Local updates from the Media Roundup
Here are a few select updates from today’s Media Roundup:
- The 20th annual Corus Radiothon took place last week raising a total of $1,564,455 for the Stollery Children’s Hospital, the highest two-day total since the event began in 1999. The annual radiothon has raised more than $23 million over the last 20 years.
- Long-time Alberta broadcaster Peter Watts died in Calgary on Friday morning at the age of 68. In a statement, Watts’ family said he “peacefully passed away.” Watts began his career at CBC Edmonton in 1976.
- After 21 seasons with the Edmonton Eskimos, PA announcer Al Stafford is leaving to become the PA announcer with the Edmonton Oilers. “Thanks for your years of service to the Edmonton Eskimos and all the best calling the @EdmontonOilers!” tweeted the Eskimos.
- Here is the latest Alberta Podcast Network Roundup. They have added Shaw Business as a new sponsor.
- Via Vintage Edmonton, here’s a 630 CHED Aircheck from 1977 featuring Wes Mongomery, Jerry Forbes, Stan Ravendahl, Eddie Keen, Randy Kilburn, Ken Conners, Barry Wall, Don Kennedy, Chuck Chandler, Bob Layton, C.R. Nichols and Clifford Oginski.
Premier speaks at Alberta Industrial Heartland Conference, photo by Premier of Alberta
Media-related updates from elsewhere
And here is some non-local media news that I found interesting this week:
- Facebook has announced it is spending $300 million over the next three years on news partnerships and programming, with an emphasis on local.
- Phillip Smith, who has launched a series of journalism entrepreneurship bootcamps, argues that journalism innovation has a pipeline problem. “The same people getting support today are the people that have always had support, and those are typically people who are financially able to take a risk on a full-time academic program or a full-time startup attempt — basically, the status quo, just with smaller budgets.”
- The Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism has shared its 2019 Trends and Predictions report. They predict ongoing trends “are likely to lead to the biggest wave of journalistic lay-offs in years – weakening further the ability of publishers to hold populist politicians and powerful business leaders to account.”
- Last year, someone gave the City of Calgary an advance copy of a column written by the Calgary Sun’s Rick Bell. But it wasn’t Bell or his editor.
- BuzzFeed says its story about Donald Trump directing Michael Cohen to lie to Congress was reviewed by at least three editors and that they’re sticking by it, even though Robert Mueller’s office took the “extraordinary step” of issuing a statement challenging the story’s accuracy.
Follow Edmonton media news using the hashtag #yegmedia and be sure to check out Mediagazer for the latest media news from elsewhere. You can see past Media Monday Edmonton entries here. If you have a tip or suggestion for future updates, let me know.
At Taproot Edmonton we’re working hard to ensure that local journalism has a future in our city. Join us to be part of the movement.