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.

You can see past Media Monday Edmonton entries here.

Here’s my latest update on local media stuff:

• Great to see that John Sexsmith was back in the Global Edmonton newsroom “after taking some time off to focus on his health (and kicking cancer’s butt.)”
• News photographer Geoff Stickle has retired from Global Edmonton after 42 years with the station. “Thanks to all. It’s been quite a ride,” he tweeted. Here he is on his final day with Kent Morrison.
• Brad Gowan has also left Global Edmonton after nearly 12 years.
• 630 CHED has a new logo that, while entirely devoid of character, better fits into the Global News lineup. This past weekend marked the 64th anniversary of 630 CHED’s launch.
• Bridget Stirling has called out the Edmonton Journal for a sexist cartoon. “It’s 2018. Maybe we could consider that women aren’t just a sexy distraction from the economy?”
• The Yards and Edmonton Quotient have launched a joint video series with cinematography by Andrea Beça. The first video is a conversation about street harassment.
• There’s a new Facebook group for “freelancers working in the media and information sectors in Edmonton and area.”
• The upcoming CPRS event on March 16 features Rob McAnally and Tim Spelliscy discussing public relations and news media. “Don’t miss this rare opportunity to ask questions and hear them share their personal tips and tools on what works when you’re pitching a story.”
• iMEDIA takes place on Friday and Saturday! Check out the lineup here.
• Here is the latest Alberta Podcast Network Roundup.
• Friday is the deadline to answer Metro Edmonton’s call for a reporter/photographer.
• What happens if you go to the Edmonton Journal website and click on news? You’ll find a “breaking news” page with links under “National” and “World” that were last updated in 2017!

Growing Skyline, photo by Kurt Bauschardt

And here is some slightly less local media stuff:

• The new federal budget includes $50 million over the next five years to support local news organizations. But will it help?
• Frederic Filloux on why a Spotify for News can’t fly: “Platforms are calling the shots. They control a large chunk of news distribution, capture all the advertising growth, are technologically way ahead, and can up-sell across all their product lines, and withstand any loss necessary.”
• The ratings are in and the 2018 Academy Awards were the least-watched Oscars to date, with viewership down approximately 19% compared to last year.

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.

You can see past Media Monday Edmonton entries here.

Here’s my latest update on local media stuff:

• The Wanderer is running an Alberta BoostR campaign to launch a print publication. “To celebrate our five-year anniversary, we are publishing our FIRST-EVER print publication! This magazine will not only celebrate The Wanderer, but also Edmonton as a whole.” They have raised $575 of the $7,500 goal so far.
• Greg Shannon starts alongside Stella Stevens on CFCW’s morning show tomorrow!
• The Yards Magazine is hosting its Spring 2018 Salon & AGM on Thursday at CKUA. The event features writer Danielle Paradis hosting a panel on Women in the Core.
• iMEDIA is back again at MacEwan Univeristy on March 9 and 10. You can learn more about the social media marketing conference here.
• The Province plans to begin broadcasting its new TV channel called Legislature TV on March 8.
• The Alberta Podcast Network presents Doug Hoyer Band & Strings on March 17 at CKUA. It will be “an evening of music and whimsy in celebration of the fans of Alberta-made podcasts!”
• Here is the latest roundup of local podcasts from the Alberta Podcast Network.
• Bell Media’s 104.9 Virgin Radio is looking for an Afternoon Drive Announcer. The deadline to apply is March 8.
• CBC Edmonton is looking for a new host for Radio Active. “As the Host of Radio Active, you will be an editorial leader, helping shape the content and format of the stories the show delivers to its audience.”
• From earlier this month, here’s a CBC feature on GRadio, “an internet radio station dedicated to the city’s local music scene.” It was started by Jeff Williams “in part to his disdain for FM radio stations.”
• Here is Zoe Todd on the media’s approach to Indigenous people. “The way Indigenous people are expected to perform our grief for mainstream Canadian media is EXTRACTIVE.”
• From Vintage Edmonton, here’s an old newspaper ad for a series of radio talks on CJCA in 1928.

Premier Notley at the Alberta Pipe Trades College, photo by Premier of Alberta

And here is some slightly less local media stuff:

• Rebel Media has teamed up with Wells Asset Management to launch an RRSP fund “geared toward Canadians who want to invest in the highly controversial and conservative online news site.”
• From The Outline: Surveying the past, present, and future of marijuana journalism.
• Variety reports that CBS is launching free 24-hour sports streaming site called CBS Sports HQ.
• The next billion users are the future of the internet, writes Google’s Caesar Sengupta.

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.

You can see past Media Monday Edmonton entries here.

Here’s my latest update on local media stuff:

• “We published more than 250 items in the last year, and more than 60 newsletters.” Jeff Samsonow reflects on the first year of Edmonton Quotient. Congrats on the milestone!
• Marty Forbes wrote about the NAIT Radio & TV 50th anniversary. “Many of our city’s finest media talent are homegrown and attended NAIT’s Radio and Television course as a prerequisite to them getting a foothold in the business.”
• He also wrote a tribute to his brother Gerry who is “hanging up his headphones at CJAY in Calgary shortly.”
• Hot 107 FM is one of the dozens of Canadian radio stations that have pulled Hedley from their playlists amid secual misconduct allegations against the band. “It’s a band of talented musicians but there’s simply too many stories from underage fans who claim they were victims of misconduct,” said Chris Myers, the station’s program director.
• A reminder that The Yards Spring Salon & AGM is coming up on March 1 at CKUA!
• CBC Edmonton is looking for “an experienced host with strong journalism skills to anchor our weekday 3-hour long afternoon radio program Radio Active.”
• The Young Gaffers and That’s a Thing?! are the two newest members of the Alberta Podcast Network.
• Here is the latest roundup of local podcasts.
• The Edmonton Podcasting Meetup is getting together again on Sunday, February 25 at Variant Edition Comics & Culture. “Let’s get together and talk about what we want to do this year, and how we can help each other get there.”
• The Echo-Pioneer in High Level is looking for a Community Newspaper Reporter. “There is a rumour going around that newspapers are down for the count,” the ad reads. “Not so, as those of us in the rural areas of Canada are still standing; merely leaning on the ropes, catching our breath. We’re still in the fight!”
• Here’s a recent edition of Social media watch in the Journal: Revolution and pipeline retweets.
• I discovered recently that Edmonton Public Library members get access to Kanopy, a video streaming platform “with a large and unique collection of documentaries, feature films, shorts, and television series featuring over 30,000 films from hundreds of producers…and thousands of independent filmmakers.”

Ryan and Lanny!, photo by elleenmak

And here is some slightly less local media stuff:

• Corus Entertainment has cut nearly 80 jobs at Global News across Canada “as part of a restructuring geared toward boosting online coverage.” Vancouver was hit the hardest, with 21 employees laid off.
• Vassy Kapelos is the new host of CBC’s Power & Politics, starting in March. Congrats!
• Roughly 3,300 of Shaw Communications Inc.’s workforce took a voluntary severance package, five times more than originally estimated. “The anticipated long-term net cost savings — estimated at $225 million by fiscal 2020 — will provide room to make “appropriate investments” as required.”
• “A warning from Canada’s biggest media companies that their survival is under threat from unregulated foreign rivals and illicit content pirates has sparked a massive influx of submissions to [the CRTC] from consumers with little sympathy for their cause.” More than 5,440 responses have been submitted already with the consultation open until March 1.
• Jesse Brown reports that the Toronto Star has killed its internship program. “Biggest paper in the country no longer has a mechanism to bring in new talent,” he wrote.
• Google has introduced AMP Stories, “a mobile-focused format for delivering news and information as visually rich, tap-through stories.”

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.

You can see past Media Monday Edmonton entries here.

Here’s my latest update on local media stuff:

• Friday, February 9 was Rob Christie‘s last day on the air as he heads now into retirement. He has worked in Edmonton radio for many years, at 630 CHED, Power 92, Magic 99, and 96.3 Capital FM. Cam Tait shared the story of meeting Rob and saluted his career. Many others wished Rob well on Twitter and some even visited the studio.
• “Takin’ over for my idol, I can’t begin to tell you how humbled and excited I am!” tweeted Sean Burke, who will be taking over for Rob Christie on 96.3 Capital FM.
• Portia Clark is leaving Edmonton and will be heading back to Nova Scotia to host CBC Radio’s Information Morning. “It’s a bit of a homecoming for Clark, who grew up in Sandy Cove on Digby Neck and then nearby Bear River, in a household where the radio dial was constantly tuned to CBC.” She starts the new job in early April. Congrats!
• Starting February 26, Greg Shannon will join Stella Stevens on CFCW Mornings.
• Jonathan Willis has been named managing editor of The Athletic in Edmonton. “I am so very excited about this,” he tweeted.
• Congratulations to NAIT’s techlifetoday brand newsroom on winning gold from the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) District VIII. “The award recognizes excellence in external newsletters and blogs and featured competition from post-secondary institutions across Western Canada and the Pacific Northwest.”
• CBC’s Alberta@Noon featured the Bollywood is for Lovers podcast as well as Karen Unland from the Alberta Podcast Network today, and also solicited suggestions for podcasts on Twitter.
• The Supreme Court of Canada has ruled in favor of CBC in the case about publication bans that was filed and appealed last year. “An important #yeg-related ruling this morning on free press, retroactive publication bans, and the privacy rights of the dead,” tweeted Paula Simons.
• NAIT’s Radio & Television program is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year with a reunion taking place on May 12.
• Adam Rozenhart’s podcast The Expats will be wrapping up with a two-part finale at the beginning of April.
• Here is the latest Alberta Podcast Network roundup which is going to be “a Friday thing from now on.”
• Are you watching the Olympics? CBC’s Mark Connolly is in South Korea covering the games.

Premier Rachel Notley news conference, photo by Premier of Alberta

And here is some slightly less local media stuff:

• The Globe and Mail is launching a new Visual Journalism department and is looking for pitches for “ambitious, diverse visual stories from across the country.”
• Have you seen Seth Meyers’ parody of journalism films? “Newspaper Movie” is pretty darn funny. I kept thinking of State of Play while watching it. Hilarious!
• It’s that time of year again: Valentines for Journalists.
• Sounds like some relatively big changes are taking place at CNN: “CNN, a key property in AT&T’s planned takeover of CNN’s parent company, Time Warner, is targeting big savings on the digital side, with as many as 50 jobs around the globe scheduled to be eliminated this week, according to people familiar with the matter, who noted the exact number could still be in flux.”

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.

You can see past Media Monday Edmonton entries here.

Here’s my latest update on local media stuff:

• Former Edmonton Journal opinion editor David Evans died last week of pancreatic cancer. “Evans, 68, worked at the Journal for 15 years, arriving as an editorial writer in 1997 and rising to opinion editor before retiring in 2012. In that time, he was twice nominated for a National Newspaper Award.” Paula Simons wrote that she’ll remember Evans as “an editor who never hesitated to take the mickey out of me, who never let me get away with lazy writing or lazy logic, who helped me to clarify my thinking – and who protected me, always, from senior management and my own worser instincts.”
• Newcap is making changes here in Alberta: “Effective immediately, Al Tompson is taking on the newly-created position of Director of FM Programming for Calgary and Edmonton.” Today was John Roberts’ last day as Program Director for Newcap in Edmonton, a position he has held since late 2011. “Effective February 1, Jeff Murray will take on the job of Program Director for K-97 and Assistant Program Director for 96.3 Capital-FM in Edmonton.”
• This piece published at the Edmonton Journal reads like an awards submission that was accidentally made public: “Amplified, plugged in — Elise Stolte’s use of social media is setting a new bar for what it means for a beat reporter to be digitally engaged with the community she covers.” I’m definitely a fan of her approach!
• Speaking of Elise…she shared the news on Facebook Live that Postmedia now has a second reporter at City Hall. Prior to coming to Edmonton in October, Hina Alam was at the Toronto Star.
• Postmedia’s David Staples has taken some heat recently for his column about Jordan Peterson.
• The 19th annual Corus Radiothon raised $1,456,881 for the Stollery Children’s Hospital this year! “Since 2000, the Corus Radiothon has raised more than $20 million for the foundation.”
• Episode 82 of the Seen and Heard in Edmonton podcast features Elizabeth Spencer, “creator and co-host (with Karen Unland) of That’s a Thing?!, ‘a sometimes belated, already outdated guide to your teens, tweens and everything under 20.'”
• The Cups N Cakes podcast, a local music podcast hosted by Jeff MacCallum and Carey Newton, is celebrating 100 episode in four years. Nice work!
• Paula Simons noted that Postmedia is “experimenting, again, with stand-alone video essays” like this one.
• Here is David Climenhaga on the news that Stephen Mandel is campaigning to lead the Alberta Party: “The prevailing media narrative is that enough of his municipal popularity remains to make him a threat to the NDP government of Rachel Notley in in its Edmonton stronghold.”
• Metro Edmonton is looking for a Reporter/Photographer to join the team. The deadline to apply is February 17.
• CKUA is looking for an Executive Assistant/Office Administrator. The deadline to apply is January 29.
• CBC dug into the archives for this TV-based gem – Jan. 15, 1987: Home shopping channel hits Edmonton TV screens.

Edmonton Deep Freeze Festival, photo by IQRemix

And here is some slightly less local media stuff:

• Rogers Communications has terminated its $100 million joint venture with Vice Media. “Viceland Canada will go off the air on March 31, 2018, Rogers confirmed.” Vice Canada president Ryan Archibald says despite the setback the organization plans to grow and “will be announcing some new exciting partnerships soon.”
• Facebook has essentially admitted that it could be having a negative effect on democracy: “Facebook was originally designed to connect friends and family — and it has excelled at that. But as unprecedented numbers of people channel their political energy through this medium, it’s being used in unforeseen ways with societal repercussions that were never anticipated.”
• NiemanLab has a feature on Linda Solomon Wood, founder of National Observer.
• Netflix is going to be adding a new explainer show from Vox Media to its docuseries lineup. I have been enjoying Rotten most recently.

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.

You can see past Media Monday Edmonton entries here.

Here’s my latest update on local media stuff:

• Alberta Views magazine is celebrating 20 years of publication. “I had hoped that we would put it on a strong foundation and it would last the way Harper’s has lasted,” founding editor Jackie Flanagan told CBC.
• Jeff Samsonow noticed a recent Paula Simons column appeared on the Edmonton Sun website, which Postmedia said was a tagging or posting error.
• J’lyn Nye and Andrew Grose are celebrating three years of the Afternoon News on 630 CHED.
• The 19th annual Corus Radiothon in support of the Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation takes place on January 17 and 18.
• Here is the latest Alberta Podcast Network roundup. The network is now up to 30 podcasts and 3 sponsors.
• Global Edmonton did a feature on the Alberta Podcast Network and Karen’s upcoming workshop on how to create a podcast.
• The latest episode of The Sound Off Podcast with Matt Cundill features CISN Country 103.9’s Chris Scheetz, “who was recently named one of the On-Air Personalities Of The Year (Large Market) at the 2017 Canadian Country Music Association (CCMA) Awards.”
• Adam Rozenhart and Jason Bossert are the newest members of the CKUA Radio board of directors – congrats!
• CBC Edmonton’s Mark Connolly is hosting “Risk-Takers and Money-Makers; Edmonton Entrepreneurs” at The King’s University on January 18. The event will be taped for Edmonton AM, and also features Margot Ross-Graham, Edmonton AM’s workplace columnist.
• Humans of Edmonton Experience is a Facebook page that aims to “feature real people with real stories that are raw, honest and inspiring by photographing, interviewing and sharing their personal experiences with care, compassion and acceptance.” CBC interviewed some of the folks behind the page, and found lived experience is what sets it “apart from other media when they talk to vulnerable people in Edmonton.”
• From Fish Griwkowsky, here’s a chat with filmmaker Josh Miller, the first CEO of the new Edmonton Screen Industries Office. “Absorb the organization’s name to sense its new mandate beyond TV and film into the digital future.”
• Attention photographers and Instagrammers: Edmonton Tourism is hosting the #ExploreEdmonton Instameet on Saturday afternoon.

Ryan Jespersen hosted the 2018 EEDC Impact Luncheon, photo by EEDC

And here is some slightly less local media stuff:

• Corus Radio is launching a new late-night national talk show called The Shift with Drex. Hosted by Justin “Drex” Wilcomes, the show launches January 22.
• According to new research from NPR and Edison Research, one in six Americans now own a smart speaker. “30 percent of smart speaker owner said the device is replacing time spent with TV. They’re also listening to more audio (71% are), including news and talk radio or podcasts.”
• After Trump described a bunch of countries as “shithole” countries, media organizations had to decide whether to use the word or not. “What mattered much more was what Trump’s words really meant, and what the responsibilities of journalists were in conveying that meaning in some sensible way,” wrote Margaret Sullivan.
• The Guardian has redesigned its website and apps “for our global readership online – to create a beautiful new design that works for readers across mobile, apps and desktop.” Looks good!

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.

You can see past Media Monday Edmonton entries here.

Here’s my latest update on local media stuff:

• CBC Edmonton’s Zoë Todd is now “covering the peace region from Grande Prairie”. Pretty neat looking newsroom!
• Jason Gregor reports that this year’s Month of Giving raised $102,625. “We helped out The Christmas Bureau, The Holiday Hamper, Brightfield elementary breakfast program, Alzheimers Foundation, Adopt-A-Teen, The MS Society, Operation Friendship Senior Society and Santas Anonymous.” And later in the post: “Thank you again and while the Oilers’ record is frustrating you right now, remember that helping others will make you feel better.”
• Pretty cool that SONiC 102.9’s Lauren Hunter turned her #ConnorMcPortrait into a $26,757 donation to YESS.
• Marty Forbes reportsthat broadcaster Tony Biamonte passed away just before Christmas at age 93. “Career milestones on-air at CKUA, CFRN and as an instructor in Radio and TV Arts at NAIT were surpassed only by his love and dedication to his family.”
• Cam Tait wrote about the recent passing of Vern Traill at age 92. He managed 630 CHED in the 80s.
• “Odds are that even if you’ve never heard the name Alan Bleviss before, you’ve heard his voice — a warm, golden rumble — selling you something, telling you how to vote, or letting you know what was coming soon to a theatre near you.” The Edmonton-born actor died just after Christmas at age 76.
• Congratulations to 630 CHED’s Dave Campbell on the birth of his daughter Addison!
• TSN 1260’s Dustin Nielson is hosting the launch party for the World’s Longest Hockey Game on January 20. All the proceeds go to the Alberta Cancer Foundation.
• Episode 81 of the Seen and Heard in Edmonton podcast features Kat Griffiths, “a fangirl of the highest order who shines a light on the artists who make the songs she loves with a podcast called Start the Music.”
• Here is the latest Alberta Podcast Network Roundup. “You’ll get the story behind the explosion of marketing tech, and an amazing deep dive into rebranding, plus football talk, game recommendations and music nerdery.”
• Looking to start a podcast of your own this year? Karen Unland is hosting a four hour workshop on how to start a podcast at CKUA on January 27. Tickets are $99.
• Who doesn’t love a good photo booth!
• Here’s a look back at what we published in 2017 over at Taproot Edmonton.
• Here is the Journal’s year in review section for 2017. It includes Larry Wong’s top photos and editor-in-chief Mark Iype’s unforgettable moment.
• Edmonton Quotient also put together a year-in-review complete with many links to roundups from the local media.
• Postmedia is seeking applications for its summer 2018 internship program. “These paid internships run from mid-May to early September for a total of 16 weeks.”
• CBC Edmonton is looking for a weekend producer and a web writer.

Mayor Don Iveson and Premier Rachel Notley on New Year’s Eve, photo by Premier of Alberta

And here is some slightly less local media stuff:

• Jim Shaw, former CEO of Shaw Communications, died on Wednesday at the age of 60. He joined the company in 1982, then “was appointed vice president of operations in 1987, president in 1995 and CEO in 1998.” Edward Rogers, chair of Rogers Communications, said “Jim was a brilliant man and a fierce competitor.”
• NAIT graduate Lee Jones has been named the new co-anchor of CTV News at Six in Regina!
• Bloomberg Media and Bell Media have partnered to create a new Canadian business news service called BNN Bloomberg that will launch this spring. Bloomberg has five bureaus in Canada, with Calgary the closest to us.
• So much interesting stuff going on right now with Michael Wolff’s “explosive new book that questions President Donald Trump’s fitness for office”.
• From Nieman Lab: A year in fake news, and what to look forward to (or how to tune out) in 2018.

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.

You can see past Media Monday Edmonton entries here.

This will be my final media notes entry of 2017 – see you in the new year!

Here’s my latest update on local media stuff:

• Randy Boissonnault, MP for Edmonton Centre, announced funding of nearly $700,000 “to help launch Radio Cité, a francophone community radio station for the Edmonton area.” The station, at 97.9 FM, was announced back in October and will launch in September 2018. Here’s the news release from Western Economic Diversification Canada.
• 630 CHED’s Ryan Jespersen has made it official: he’s not running to lead the Alberta Party. “A Jespersen leadership bid had been the object of significant speculation,” wrote James Wood in the Calgary Herald. Honestly, it seemed like only Postmedia was making a big deal out of the rumors. Though to be fair, they note Jespersen “acknowledged he had ‘several conversations’ with people in political circles about potentially running for leader.”
• Edmonton Quotient is offering a holiday promotion! “Until January 1, 2018, we’re offering one year of support for $35 – a 30% discount on our standard annual rate.”
• Yukon Jack on Twitter: “Can we get a moratorium on the local news showing the gratuitous clip of Tim Hague dying in the ring?”
• Home delivery of the Journal, Sun, and National Post was delayed on Friday due to the freezing rain. Our paper arrived early as usual!
• I don’t use them, but apparently the Journal has released new apps for iOS and Android. The new versions promise “a faster and smoother reading experience”.
• Here is the latest Alberta Podcast Network Roundup. I like the organization by episode length!
• Episode 80 of the Seen and Heard in Edmonton podcast features Dan Shessel, “co-host and co-creator of the Northern Nerdcast, a showcase for the geeky, nerdy people, groups and events in and around the Edmonton area.”
• Corus Entertainment’s 980 CKNW in Vancouver had a very similar logo to that of 630 CHED but as of last week it has re-branded to “Global News Radio”. Seems this change is happening across the country as 680 CJOB in Winnipeg, 640 Toronto, 980 CFPL in London, 900 CHML in Hamilton, and 770 CHQR in Calgary have all made the switch. Only a matter of time for Edmonton’s station?

Ice Level Media Centre at Northlands Coliseum, photo by Jason Woodhead

And here is some slightly less local media stuff:

• The FCC on Thursday voted to dismantle the Obama-era net neutrality rules by a 3-2 vote. “Critics of the changes say that consumers will have more difficulty accessing content online and that start-ups will have to pay to reach consumers.”
• Employees of the Prince Albert Daily Herald are buying the paper from Star News Publishing. “This news comes less than a week after the Daily Herald’s owner publicly stated the newspaper would shut down if he did not find a buyer.”
• Disney’s rumored acquisition of 21st Century Fox was made official last week. The $60 billion purchase is all about Netflix and streaming. “The first episode of the Streaming Wars is over. The rebels won. Now the empire strikes back.”
• Storify is shutting down in May 2018. Here is the end-of-life FAQ.
• From Stephen Smith in The Covnersation Canada: The news industry has always needed government support: A look back to the 1800s.
• NiemanLab is collecting predictions for journalism in 2018. A few caught my eye, including “the year of machine-to-machine journalism” and “from algorithms to institutions“.

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.

You can see past Media Monday Edmonton entries here.

Here’s my latest update on local media stuff:

• The fall radio ratings are out (here are the demographic breakdowns) and show 630 CHED ahead of 102.3 Now! FM. Here is more on the numbers from kowchmedia.
• From Mike Ross over at Gig City: “The rules of the ‘Find Any Good Song on the Radio’ game are simple: Start at the bottom of the dial and work your way up until you find a good song. If you fail, you have to listen to CBC until you figure out what they’re talking about before you can try again.”
• In his latest column in the Sun, Marty Forbes remembers Chuck Chandler and Fil Fraser. “If I listed all their accomplishments in this column I’d need the full Page 6 and likely half of Page 7, too.”
• Liane Faulder wrote The Journal’s latest Life & Times feature on Fil Fraser. “Fraser will be remembered at a public memorial to be held in early 2018.”
• ICYMI we wrote about membership-based journalism in the Taproot newsletter recently.
• Back in the fall, CTV Edmonton’s Bill Fortier travelled to Turkey to offer training for new Syrian media outlets in partnership with Journalists for Human Rights. “We are attempting to help Syrian journalists improve their broadcast news writing, empowering them to tell the human rights stories affecting their war-torn home country.” You can read his archived blog entries here.
• Congratulations to Full Circle Visuals (started by Ryan Jackso+n) on partnering with the Shaw Conference Centre to provide “a fully immersive 360 tour of Edmonton’s premier convention centre utilizing virtual reality technology.”
• Karen and her daughter attended PodCon in Seattle and also published the second episode of their new podcast, That’s A Thing?!.
• 630 CHED Santas Anonymous brought in a record-breaking $35,950 during its 24th annual on-air auction.
• CBC Edmonton’s 22nd annual Turkey Drive starts on Thursday and runs until December 21. “Help us reach our goal of $500,000 in support of Edmonton’s Food Bank.”
• The Catholic Archdiocese of Edmonton has launched Grandin Media, “a new online media outlet” that “aims to tell the stories of Catholic life in Alberta and also to apply the lens of faith in its coverage of issues that matter in the wider community.” Andrew Ehrkamp is the site’s News Editor.
• “Before fun was outlawed in newsrooms, the @Edmononsun staff compiled a list of celebrities we (sort of) resembled,” tweeted Chad Huculak. “Many ppl pictured no longer work in journalism,” he added.
• Times New Roman and Arial don’t mix! Or do they?

Remembering victims of gender-based violence, photo by Premier of Alberta

And here is some slightly less local media stuff:

• Here’s a story on Calgary’s The Sprawl from Tim Querengesser in CityLab.
• From The Conversation: Instead of mourning local news, try paying for it. “There’s a significant disconnect between the value Canadians say they place on local news and their willingness to actually pay for it.”
• Netflix received 9 Golden Globe nominations, the most it has ever received. HBO led with 12, while Amazon and Hulu both received 3 each.
• A group of former Gawker employees have launched a Kickstarter campaign that aims to raise $500,000 before January 8 to buy the site back and relaunch it.
• Apple has confirmed it is acquiring Shazam for around $400 million.

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.

You can see past Media Monday Edmonton entries here.