Here’s my latest update on local media stuff:

• Karen and I announced Taproot Edmonton last week, and we’re pretty thrilled with the initial response! Taproot is our attempt to figure out what the future of local journalism looks like. We’d love for you to join us by becoming a member!
• At the CAJ conference last week, it was mostly doom and gloom for local news. “I think local news is so screwed,” said one panelist. Obviously Karen and I disagree!
• Trish Audette-Longo and Brian Gorman wrote about the importance of journalism to a community, as demonstrated by the Fort McMurray wildfires. “Journalists are storytellers, and that is very important work. It involves more than just gathering facts and repeating them. It is about selecting, organizing and interpreting those facts so they make some kind of sense.”
• Reporters from Fort McMurray Today left their home on May 3 but haven’t missed a single day of printing. “With the help of our generous hosts at the Edmonton Journal, Sun and Examiner offices, we have been able to carry on with our jobs and bring some sense of normalcy back to our daily life.”
• “A baby girl, born just days after her parents were forced to flee a wildfire in Fort McMurray, Alta., will forever bear the name of a CBC reporter who helped document the disaster from the front lines.” Baby Briar was named after CBC reporter Briar Stewart.
• Sportsnet is donating $400,000 to NAIT to fund “scholarships as well as support multimedia and digital media training, development and production.” More details will be announced tomorrow afternoon.
• If you missed last week’s Journalist Interrupted panel, here’s a liveblog from J-Source.
• Sam Brooks is moving on from Capital Ideas. His next adventure will be revealed later this summer, and it appears it’ll be with a startup of some kind!
• Congrats to Capital Ideas on winning the “Best New Concept to Incubate Products or Ideas” category at the INMA Global Media Awards.
• Episode 41 of the Seen and Heard in Edmonton podcast features Jess Holt, “the wry wit and graphic designer by trade who offers a raw, insightful look at life as the mother of twins on Grace & Champ.”
• Marty Forbes was in New York City recently and caught up with former Edmontonian Pat Kiernan.
• Edmonton-based Allarco Entertainment owes creditors $115 million and has been granted bankruptcy protection. The company owns Super Channel and Shine FM.
• Stanley Burke died of a heart attack Saturday at the age of 93. Early in his career he worked for the Edmonton Bulletin. “His biggest scoop was applying for and receiving driver’s licences for a dog, a goat and a duck (the province reformed its licensing law after that embarrassment).”
• Bell Media is looking for a part-time casual writer/web reporter. The deadline to apply is June 3.
• CKUA is looking for a Digital Content Editor “to participate in planning, creating, coordinating, monitoring and evaluating CKUA’s web and social media content.” The deadline to apply is June 8.

Mayor Don Iveson getting ready to scrum

And here is some slightly less local media stuff:

• Here are Linda’s latest social media notes. She linked to Buffer’s blog post which shares some lessons from studying over 16 million posts on social media.
• At the CAJ conference last week, “a new fellowship aimed at improving the skills of Indigenous journalists” was announced. Full details on the program are expected within the next few months.
• Albertans will soon have an alternative to Telus and Shaw when Ontario-based VMedia launches in Edmonton and Calgary on June 15.
• Huffington Post Canada celebrated its fifth birthday last week. “We’re now publishing 1,500 pieces of content a day in 10 languages on our platform, and we have more than 35 million followers globally on Facebook. Here in Canada, we’re the most popular digital news-brand with Canadian readers.”
• HuffPo aren’t the only ones publishing a crazy amount of content per day. The Washington Post posts an average of 1,200 things per day, and even the New York Times and Wall Street Journal post quite a bit.
• This video shows you the “most complete and functioning Gutenberg Press in the world.” Neat!

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.

Here’s my latest update on local media stuff:

• There’s still time to register for Journalist Interrupted on Thursday evening! Brian Gorman will moderate a panel featuring Jorge Barrera, Linda Solomon Wood, Kelly Toughill, and Karen Unland. “Whether you are a working journalist, a former journalist, a blogger, a podcaster, a student, a communications pro or simply a citizen interested in how to create an informed public, you will come away with a better understanding of the current challenges and new ways to imagine what comes next.” There’s even a Twitter account!
• Karen Unland was on Dinner TV recently talking about changes to the media landscape and what happens to journalism as a result. She gives a preview of the panel too.
• Edmonton is going to be full of journalists this week, with the Canadian Association of Journalists’ annual national conference taking place from May 27-28.
• Also taking place this week is the 2016 National Conference, “co-hosted by Newspapers Canada, the Alberta Weekly Newspapers Association (AWNA) and the Association de la presse francophone (APF).”
• Here is the final Dress Me Dearly post. The fashion blog has been a staple in Edmonton since 2009. As previously noted, Janis is now going to focus on her PR agency Publicity Room. She’ll also do some freelance writing on the side. Congrats and best wishes Janis!
• NAIT’s techlife magazine featured Meg Morrison, Liam Johnson, Tyson Dolynny, Brandon Rhiness, and Su-Ling Goh, all graduates of the Radio and Television program.
• Here is Michael Hingston’s final book review for the Journal. He wrote at the end: “After some four years on the job as the Journal’s books columnist, I’ve decided to step away from the position as of, well, today. This was my last one! I’m off to focus on other kinds of writing. If you’re so inclined, you can always reach me through the below-noted channels. Thanks for reading.” You can follow him on Twitter here.
• Great photo of the CTV Morning Live crew saying farewell to Kim Wynn, who is off to CTV Vancouver.
• Haven’t been able to find anything else on this yet, but Marty Forbes reports that Dave Simmons, a former DJ with 630 CHED, has passed away.
• Metro Edmonton is looking for both a Reporter/Photographer and a Digital Sales Specialist.
• Clothes But Not Quite is planning a return to regular blogging starting June 1! Joelle’s blog went on hiatus back in 2014 while she dealt with a recurring medical condition. Glad to have you back!
• Local photographer Melissa Trotter is getting quite a bit of attention for her striking photo called “Blood Dress”.
• Seen and Heard in Edmonton is on break this week, but here is the latest blog roundup and the latest podcast roundup. Lots to explore!

Premier Rachel Notley meets with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at the Provincial Operations Centre in Edmonton on May 13, 2016. Photo by Premier of Alberta.

And here is some slightly less local media stuff:

• In her latest social media notes, Linda highlights that Reddit will now make it easier to embed posts around the web. The front page of the Internet, everywhere!
• FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler said that the TV business us at a “make or break” point last week at INTX, an “annual event held by the National Cable and Telecommunications Association.”
• Here’s Margaret Sullivan in the Washington Post: “I’m especially drawn to the need for journalism that is transparent, honest, aggressive and deep, using all the new tools and with a great sense of openness on how to present the work to an ever-more-digital audience.”
• BuzzFeed is building a new team to experiment with news video. “In the same way that BuzzFeed started out focused on lighter content like listicles and then moved into narrative and investigative journalism, the company is taking steps to insert more news into its video operations.”
• Talk about a winning deal: starting in September, “Netflix will become the exclusive U.S. pay-TV home of the latest films from Disney, Marvel, Lucasfilm and Pixar.”

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.

Here’s my latest update on local media stuff:

• From Marty Forbes: “Bouquets to each and every Edmonton media outlet for the amazing Fort McMurray fire coverage.”
• Episode 70 of the Canadaland podcast features Vincent McDermott and Cullen Bird from Fort McMurray Today .
• The 2016 Canadian Music and Broadcast Industry Awards were handed out in Toronto recently. No local winners, but lots of local nominees: 100.3 The Bear’s Jessica Jackson and Sonic 102.9’s Brandy Taylor for Music Director Major Market, Sonic 102.9’s Garner Andrews and HOT 107’s Ryder in the Morning for On Air Talen Major Market, 100.3 The Bear’s Rob Vavrek for Program Director Major Market, and lots of station nominations.
• From Cam Tait, here’s a tribute to Jerry Forbes. “Mr. Forbes is synonymous to giving in Edmonton, now three decades after his death.H e passed away Sept. 26, 1981 — three months after he retired from CHED — at 58.”
• Episode 40 of the Seen and Heard in Edmonton podcast features Alyssa Lau, “the blogger who shares her unique and striking approach to style at Ordinary People.”
• Friday was Jason Halbauer’s last day at Dinner TV and City Television. Sounds like he is moving on to CTV Edmonton. Congrats Jason!
• Chris Coughlin is taking over as News Director at 93.1 The One in Leduc. Thomas William has been promoted to News Director at 88.1 The One in Parkland, Coughlin’s previous post.
• Edmonton Unplugged airs twice daily on Shaw TV and host Douglas Mitchell plays in a band called VERA that will be on an upcoming episode. Since he can’t interview himself, Edmonton Unplugged is looking for a guest host! You have until May 31 to submit your application.
• A Celebration of Life for Patrick Cardinal will take place on May 25 at MKT. It would have been Pat’s 55th birthday.
• Virgin Edmonton’s Chris Kelly emceed the #YEGsemicolon event over the weekend, and even got his own tattoo!
• Congratulations to Global Edmonton’s Carole Anne Devaney on the news that she is expecting her second child! “The belly certainly has become harder and harder to hide behind the news desk,” she wrote.
• CTV Edmonton is looking for a Reporter/Anchor. The deadline to apply is May 19.
• EEDC is currently recruiting for a Social Media Engagement Specialist. The deadline to apply is May 20.
• Wild TV “is Canada’s #1 Outdoor Lifestyle channel” and they’re looking for both a Programming Director and a Production Assistant.
• The Bonnyville Nouvelle and Lakeland Regional is looking for a general assignment Senior Reporter/Photographer.
• The next Edmonton Podcasting Meetup takes place on Sunday, May 29 at Variant Edition Comics and features Jeff Samsonow from Capital Ideas Edmonton.
• Speaking of Capital Ideas, the next event is Wednesday at the Edmonton Journal!
• See you on Thursday next week at the Journalist Interrupted panel taking place at MacEwan.
• The panel has of course been planned to coincide with the Canadian Association of Journalists’ annual conference, taking place at the Coast Edmonton Plaza Hotel from May 27-29.

Premier Rachel Notley meets with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on May 13, photo by Premier of Alberta

And here is some slightly less local media stuff:

• Linda points out in her latest social media notes that Twitter will soon stop counting photos and links in the 140 character limit for tweets.
• Postmedia CEO Paul Godfrey wants the federal government to subsidize the newspaper industry. Thomas Walkom argues that “Ottawa has been in the business of quietly helping Canadian publications for more than a century.”
• Sirius XM wants to take the Canadian business private, but the deal is facing opposition from minority shareholders. Also, fun fact, CBC currently owns 12.5% of Sirius XM Canada but would sell it under the proposal.
• Podcasting is surging lately, but it seems many podcasters are unhappy with Apple’s grip on the market.
• Does your smartphone have a dormant FM tuner? My old Windows Phone had FM radio functionality enabled, but I can’t say that I used it much.
• Here is some really interesting news from San Francisco: “Next month, media organizations in the Bay Area are planning to put aside their rivalries and competitive instincts for a day of coordinated coverage on the homeless crisis in the city.”

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.

Here’s my latest update on local media stuff:

• There has been a lot of love on Twitter for the media’s coverage of the Fort McMurray wildfires. Today journalists were given an escorted tour of the city along with Premier Rachel Notley.
• Here’s a behind-the-scenes on how CTV News is covering the Fort McMurray wildfires featuring Breanna Karstens-Smith and Bill Fortier.
• From CBC Edmonton, here are some of the stories behind the coverage with Briar Steward, Trevor Wilson, Rick Bremness, Terry Rieth, and Marion Warnica.
• Elise Stolte wrote about social media as “the unofficial emergency broadcast system of the Fort McMurray wildfire crisis.” Here’s another feature on the Municipality of Wood Buffalo’s Twitter account.
• If you haven’t aleady read it, don’t miss Theresa E Wells’ piece on the wildfires. She had just ended her local Fort McMurray blog called McMurray Musings a few days before the wildfires struck.
• Like many other organizations, plenty of media companies have stepped forward to offer assistance to those affected by the wildfires. For instance, Corus teamed up with the Edmonton Food Bank for #FeedTheFort and Shaw announced it will credit all Fort McMurray customers for one month of service.
• Congratulations to the winners of the 2016 ROSIE Awards. Tiny Plastic Men’s Mark Meer and Blackstone’s Jordyn White both won best performance awards.
• Here’s a Hall of Fame tribute to Patrick Cardinal presented by Rogers Imaging.
• Episode 39 of the Seen and Heard in Edmonton podcast features Nathan Terlesky, “one half of the soccer-loving duo that chats about FC Edmonton and other football-related matters on the Loyal Company of the River Valley podcast.”
• Apparently Edmontonians throw out 51,000 TVs every year. Is that because we’re all upgrading or because we’ve switched to mobile devices?
• Culinaire Magazine launched in Edmonton on Thursday evening. Liane has the scoop.
• Venture Publishing is looking for a Managing Editor “to support titles in its contract publishing division.”
• WHERE Edmonton has openings for both an editorial intern and a photography intern. May 13 is the deadline to apply for both opportunities.
• Here’s another friendly reminder to register for the Journalist Interrupted event taking place on May 26!

Premier Rachel Notley talks to reporters outside the Anzac evacuation centre, photo by Premier of Alberta

And here is some slightly less local media stuff:

• In her latest social media notes, Linda links to a great read on the importance of social media in times of crisis.
• BCE Inc. has agreed to buy Manitoba Telecom Services for $3.9 billion. MTS is the largest phone, internet, and wireless company in Manitoba. Critics say the deal will mean higher prices for consumers.
• Here is the Government of Canada’s pre-consultation questionnaire for the Strengthening Canadian Content Creation, Discovery and Export in a Digital World initiative. It will be available until May 20.
• To celebrate Canada’s 150th anniversary in 2017, CTV has ordered “the two-hour event broadcast CANADA IN A DAY, from Vancouver-based Screen Siren Pictures.” The show will be “comprised entirely of footage shot by Canadians across the nation on a single day later this year.” Follow @canadainaday on Twitter for updates.
• Google has announced the introduction of a new Local Source tag in Google News to help shine a light on local news reporting.
• From Gizmodo: Here’s what happened when Facebook hired some journalists.

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.

Here’s my latest update on local media stuff:

• After dozens of events, Social Media Breakfast Edmonton (SMBYEG) is shutting down due to changing personal circumstances for the organizers and a very different online world than when the meetup started five years ago. “It is possible that we may re-boot SMBYEG in a different format or transition it to new volunteers in the future, but for now this is the end.” A sign-off event will take place tomorrow at 5:30pm at Denizen Hall.
• Here’s the Edmonton Journal obituary for Patrick Cardinal. “Cardinal survived far longer than doctors expected and did his best to make that time count.”
• According to CBC Edmonton, the media was been banned from an Edmonton police disciplinary hearing. “A lawyer representing CBC and the Edmonton Journal will ask for a reconsideration of the decision to ban the public from the hearing.” They won that fight and the hearing was subsequently held in public!
• It turns out that Heather Boyd, the former Western Canadian bureau chief for Canadian Press who wrote a review for the Province on media access, now works for the Public Affairs Bureau. “Boyd started as director of media planning for the government on April 25,” CBC Edmonton reports. “Notley said Boyd was not a political hire, as her job is within the civil service. She said she was told that Boyd won an open competition among 100 applicants.”
• As mentioned previously, Global Edmonton’s Gord Steinke honored with the 2016 RTDNA Lifetime Achievement Award. Here’s a tribute from Global Edmonton.
• Trish Audette-Longo has more details on the Journalist Interrupted panel coming up later in the month. I’m really looking forward to it!
• Episode 38 of the Seen and Heard in Edmonton podcast features Trent Wilkie, blogger of The Undad.
• Here’s a preview of the May edition of Avenue Edmonton magazine on Global. The issue is out now of course, and features an article on sports broadcaster Jay Onrait as well as a look at Jana Pruden’s home.
• NAIT recently held a Radio/TV Advisory. Let them know if you have feedback!
• You have until May 13 to apply to Tanner Young Publishing’s part-time opportunity with WHERE Edmonton.
• Marty Forbes reports that 630 CHED Santas Anonymous will soon be moving into the new Jerry Forbes Centre for Community Spirit!
• From Raising Edmonton, here are five local blogs to follow. Solid list!
• David Ward, also known as Kiviaq, has died of cancer at the age of 80. A former lawyer, boxing champion, and city councillor, he was also the host of an open-line radio show on CJCA and a member of the Edmonton Broadcasters Club.
• I came across Third Verb recently which is a series of “intensive writing workshops…for those new to writing and for those well versed in the craft.” It is run by Jessica Kluthe and Jennifer Lavallee.
• From Seen and Heard in Edmonton, here are the latest podcast and blog roundups.
• As previously mentioned, Culinaire Magazine is coming to Edmonton with the first issue becoming available on May 5. A new letter from the editor says that “we have increased our print run by a third to 20,000 copies ten times a year.” Mike Chalut is the only Edmontonian featured in an article on media personalities’ favorite eats.
• Just a quick note for those who might have missed it: there will not be a Yeggies this year. “We’re planning to take a break this year, spend the spring and summer planning a fantastic event for 2017, and come back to you better than ever.”

Mayor Don Iveson took questions from #yegmedia, photo by Edmonton Chamber

And here is some slightly less local media stuff:

• Here are Linda’s latest social media notes. In the post she details her latest career move – Linda is now the new Digital Strategist at Edmonton communications/PR firm Calder Bateman. Congrats Linda!
• The Most Influential Brands Study from Ipsos has found that CBC is the most influential media brand in Canada.
• Need a laugh? This line from John Doyle’s piece on the Cancon review in the Globe and Mail is pretty comical: “It is a fact that while Canadian TV was ignoring the Internet, Canadian newspapers such as the one you’re reading were steaming ahead with online innovation.”
• According to the Wall Street Journal, “Hulu is developing a subscription service that would stream feeds of popular broadcast and cable TV channels…a move that would make the company a competitor to traditional pay-TV providers and other new digital entrants.”

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.

Wow, 200 updates on Edmonton’s media scene! I did my first weekly roundup back in February 2011:

“Like many others, I’m interested in the continual evolution of journalism and media. And given my passion for Edmonton, I’m particularly interested in that evolution at a local level. Where have we been, and where are we going? What’s next?”

“I’d like to start devoting an entry each Monday to this changing landscape (it’s all about experimentation, right?). Some weeks it’ll be a review of relevant news (like what you see below), other weeks it might be an opinion, or a critique, or an interview, or some statistics, or something I haven’t thought of yet.”

Obviously a lot has changed since that post. The media industry looks very different and I think the line between “traditional media” and “new media” has indeed blurred. Through my weekly updates I’ve chronicled most of the media moves, changes, and experiments that have happened in Edmonton over the last five years. I’ve learned a lot along the way, and I hope you’ve found this service useful and interesting. I appreciate all of the tips and suggestions from readers, and I encourage you to keep sending them in!

I plan to keep writing these weekly updates and I also plan to do more experimentation. More on that soon!

Here’s my latest update on local media stuff:

• Very sad to hear that Patrick Cardinal died Tuesday night at the age of 54 after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer two years ago. “During one of his last days alive, Cardinal found out he is going into the Canadian Broadcast Industry Hall of Fame, where he will be posthumously inducted May 5 in Toronto.” Here’s the obituary from Broadcaster Magazine and here’s a statement from Sony Music Entertainment Canada.
• Kimberly Wynn announced she is leaving CTV Edmonton to join the cast at CTV Vancouver. Her final show here will be May 20.
• Robbin Reay has left up! 99.3 FM after five and a half years. Her last day was April 15. Duncan Paterson has moved to the afternoon spot.
• Congratulations to Global Edmonton on winning four awards and to CBC Edmonton on winning seven awards at the RTDNA Prairie Regional Awards.
• Congratulations to Amber Bracken, David Bloom, and Ryan Jackson on your awards and recognition at the News Photographers Association of Canada’s 2015 picture-of-the-year awards.
• Episode 37 of the Seen and Heard in Edmonton podcast features Jeanshorts and Baggedmilk, two of the hockey fans behind OilersNation.
• Here’s a Meet the Media recap from Leila at Dynamite PR.
• Here’s a recap of the Edmonton Broadcasters Club spring luncheon by Marty Forbes.
• Tanner Young Publications, the group behind WHERE Edmonton Magazine and the Edmonton Travel Guide, is looking for a part-time photographer. The paid internship will run from mid-May to August 26.
• Here’s the latest Edmonton podcast roundup from Seen and Heard in Edmonton. Check out the Podcast Network here and support the many great local podcasts!
• The opening for a reporter at Postmedia closes on April 29.
• The winner of the VenturePrize TELUS ICT Award was Covet. The Edmonton-based startup offers “smart TV solutions allow the consumer to instantaneously buy a fashion product displayed on television, directly off the TV screen.” You can learn more in this Herald article.
• Save the date for an interesting panel coming up on May 26 at MacEwan University called Journalist Interrupted: Towards a blueprint for a new free press featuring Brandi Morin, Linda Solomon Wood, Kelly Toughill, and Karen Unland, moderated by Brian Gorman.

Councillor McKeen in front of the cameras and microphones

And here is some slightly less local media stuff:

• From the Globe and Mail: “Ottawa is ready to blow up the rules governing Canada’s $48-billion broadcasting, media and cultural industries, arguing that decades of technological changes and government inaction have left a broken system in need of a revolution.” Apparently everything is on the table for the $47.7 billion a year industry.
• CBC reporter Connie Walker announced on April 21 that “CBC will now capitalize the words Indigenous, Aboriginal & Native when referring to Indigenous people.”
• Gannett Co. has offered to buy Tribune Publishing for $815 million. Gannett publishes USA Today and more than 100 other properties, while Tribune owns the Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, and 9 other dailies.
• As a long-time reader of gadget blogs, I find this move by Vox Media really interesting: “Circuit Breaker will be, in the words of The Verge’s editor, Nilay Patel, a ‘classic gadget blog,’ one that publishes news and gossip about technology products at a frenetic pace.”
• Netflix’s content obligations “soared to $12.3 billion as of the end of the first quarter of 2016, up 26% from a year earlier” due to its global expansion earlier this 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!

You can see past Media Monday Edmonton entries here.

Here’s my latest update on local media stuff:

• After six and a half years at the Journal, Mariam Ibrahim is moving on to the AUPE. “It has been an honour and a privilege to share the stories that matter so much to #yeg and #ableg,” she tweeted. Her last day at Postmedia is Friday.
• Michael Hingston tweeted that he has “decided to step down as the Journal’s books columnist.” His last article will be posted next month. In follow-up tweets he confirmed he’ll remain a freelancer and said, “The Journal gave me a shot at a really early time in my career, and I’ll always be grateful to them.”
• In case you missed it, local startup SAM announced that the Associated Press has taken an equity stake in the company. “The AP’s investment, along with those from several additional investors, have made up a seed round that will allow us to grow our team and accelerate our growth.” Congrats to James and the team!
• Emma Graney has left the Regina Leader-Post to join the Journal/Sun here in Edmonton. Welcome!
• This is fantastic: Rev at Vintage Edmonton has acquired a reproduction of the Edmonton Bulletin’s first edition from December 6, 1880. The paper’s season ran from December 1 to May 1. A subscription for the season was $2.00 and ads for the season were $5.00 per inch. Fascinating!
• Vividata has released new data which shows that “Metro is in a virtual tie for second place for daily readers in Edmonton, with 159,000 weekday newspaper readers versus 160,000 for the Edmonton Sun.” Both trail the Journal which claims 254,000 daily readers. Across the country, things are looking up for Metro. “Metro is the most-read newspaper in Canada every Monday to Friday, according to the Vividata survey.”
• Congrats to 100.3 The Bear FM for winning “Best Promo” in the Medium Market category at the 26th Radio Production Awards.
• Episode 36 of the Seen and Heard in Edmonton podcast features Troy Pavlek of the Basket of YEGs podcast.
• The recording didn’t work unfortunately, but Karen has posted a transcript from the last Edmonton Podcasting Meetup which featured Justin Jackson.
• This is pretty funny. Last week, Global News has renamed its news programs and also introduced a new look and sound to go along with the name change. The team on “Global News Morning” had some fun with the changes.
• Mark Connolly and CBC’s Edmonton AM will be broadcasting live from the Strathcona County public library in Sherwood Park on Thursday morning.
• Marty Forbes writes about how the local media are stepping up to support the Alberta Motorcycle Safety Society.
• Marty also shared a few photos from the CFCW Salute at the recent Edmonton Broadcasters Club luncheon.
• AMPIA’s Rosie Awards will be handed out in Calgary on May 7 and it looks like Edmonton is well-represented. APTN’s Blackstone earned 13 nominations!
• Postmedia is looking for a full-time, permanent reporter to join the newsroom here in Edmonton. The closing date is April 29.
• Sonic 102.9 FM’s website is now sporting the new Rogers Media look.
• Calgary-based Culinaire Magazine is expanding Province-wide. Watch for it to appear in Edmonton on May 5. Global Calgary has an interview with Linda Garson, Editor-in-Chief/Publisher and Tom Firth, Beverage Editor.

Premier Rachel Notley and Minister of Finance Joe Ceci at CBC Edmonton, photo by Premier of Alberta

And here is some slightly less local media stuff:

• Here are Linda’s latest social media notes. She linked to an article I have bookmarked for the plane ride on my upcoming vacation: Instagram is ruining vacation.
• According to the CRTC, more than 66,000 Canadians have signed up for the new “skinny basic” TV packages over the last five weeks. To put that in perspective though, about 11.5 million Canadian households are subscribed to cable or satellite TV.
• Even online publications are now being forced to deal with major changes to the advertising industry. “In the first quarter of 2016, 85 cents of every new dollar spent in online advertising will go to Google or Facebook.”
• The full list of 2016 Pulitzer Prize winners is now available.

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.

Here’s my latest update on local media stuff:

• Congratulations to all the 2015 CAJ Awards finalists! CBC Edmonton’s Jennie Russell and Charles Rusnell are finalists for Smoked Out and the Edmonton Journal’s Larry Wong is a finalist in the photojournalism category.
• Congrats to the Journal’s Curtis Stock on winning his 11th Sovereign Award for this story.
• A couple of major anniversaries to note! Gordon Kent has been with the Journal for 30 years, and Su-Ling Goh has been with Global Edmonton for 10 years. Congrats to both!
• Alberta Street News may be forced to fold because the publication “no longer has any funding coming in to pay for the printing costs.” There’s more on the story here. A fundraising campaign has been setup to try to save the paper.
• Chad Huculak now has a book deal with new local publisher Monto Books for a collection of his popular End of the Earth comics. Looking forward to it!
• Yesterday was Kim Smith’s last day at CTV Edmonton. She is off to Global Calgary.
• Karen is back! Episode 35 of the Seen and Heard in Edmonton features Mayor Don Iveson. He talks about “how and why he started blogging, why he brings bloggers into his office once a year to talk about the budget, what he thinks about the shrinkage of local mainstream media, what it’s like to be a politician on social media, and what he thinks about the changes happening at The Gateway.”
• K97’s Todd James has been named an honorary board member of The Rock and Roll Society of Edmonton. He has also been nominated for the John Poole Award for Promotion of the Arts. Congrats!
• The print edition of The Gateway is no more, but Cameron Lewis argues that he’s not worried about the publication’s future.
• The business cards don’t lie! Dave Breakenridge is Deputy Editor for both the Journal and the Sun.
• Here are more details on the Edmonton Broadcasters Club luncheon taking place Wednesday that will chronicle the 60 year history of CFCW.
• Friday is the big day: Meet the Media Tweetup 6 takes place from 6-11pm at The Pint downtown.

Justin Jackson & Karen Unland at the Edmonton Podcasting Meetup

And here is some slightly less local media stuff:

• In her latest social media notes, Linda points to this article about the Snap Pack. “Even as they grasp that their postings can draw scorn, the Snap Pack seems unable to relinquish the habit of social media, and the illusion of image control it affords.”
• Postmedia has “struck a special board committee to oversee a review of its struggling business.” The news comes just after the company posted a Q2 loss of $225 million. “Faced with a continuing free-fall in print ad returns and an inability, so far, to offset those losses with digital revenue, Postmedia is pushing ahead with deep cost-cutting.”
• Jim Rutenberg argues in the New York Times that the Panama Papers signal a shift in mainstream journalism: “The official WikiLeaks-ization of mainstream journalism; the next step in the tentative merger between the Fourth Estate, with its relatively restrained conventional journalists, and the Fifth Estate, with the push-the-limits ethos of its blogger, hacker and journo-activist cohort, in the era of gargantuan data breaches.”
• A coalition of US newspapers including the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Washington Post are concerned about Brave, “a web browser launched this year by Brendan Eich, the co-founder and former chief executive of Mozilla.” The browser blocks ads and apparently a future update will “introduce a feature that will replace the ads it strips out with others from its own advertising network.”
• Forget apps, bots are the future. NBC-owned Breaking News is now available as a personalized Slack bot.

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.

Here’s my latest update on local media stuff:

• Jana Pruden has announced she is joining the Globe and Mail. She’ll remain here in Edmonton and will be writing about crime, policing, and more for the Globe’s Alberta bureau.
• I typically avoid April Fools’ Day jokes, but Dave Cournoyer’s was pretty funny. “Marking the first complete Blog-to-Paper jump, daveberta.ca is now available exclusively in paper form.” CBC’s Edmonton AM pranked that the magpie had been named Alberta’s official bird.
• Here’s why local media matters according to CFCW’s Stella Stevens.
• Paige Parsons is back in Edmonton as a reporter for the Journal/Sun. She worked for the Journal from May through December last year.
• Aaron Streck’s first story at Global Edmonton in front of the camera aired on the weekend! He was previously a cameraman with Global. Congrats!
• Adam Rozenhart, Todd Babiak, and Sarah Chan are hosting the Gateway Newsprint Celebration on Wednesday from 7-9pm. The event will feature notable Gateway alumni. “Join us in celebrating the end of The Gateway’s 106 year print era, and embracing the age of new media as we shift towards our magazine and online format.”
• Breanna Karstens-Smith is challenging everyone in the local media to make a Pop and Drop video in support of iHuman’s Power over Poverty campaign.
• Do you have a secret place in Edmonton that you’d like to share? Check out Secret Edmonton, a new project by Sam Brooks and Ryan Jackson.
• The Bonnyville Nouvelle is looking for a Senior Reporter/Photographer with a focus on sports reporting. The deadline to apply is April 25.
• Learn about making your podcast audience happy at the Edmonton Podcasting Meetup on Saturday at 1pm.
• Friday, April 15 is Meet the Media Tweetup 6 at The Pint downtown. More than 70 people have already registered.

Balloon Fluttering Upon City Scape, photo by IQRemix, from the Spring Instagram Meetup

And here is some slightly less local media stuff:

• In her latest social media notes, Linda highlights the big Snapchat update.
• The big story everyone is talking about today is the Panama Papers. Here’s how reporters pulled off the biggest leak in whistleblower history.
• Twitter tells me that today is National Hug a News Person Day, so hugs.
• Corus has completed its acquisition of Shaw Media and has launched a redesigned brand and updated senior leadership team as well.
• TELUS has announced it plans to invest $4.5 billion by 2019 in new “advanced communications infrastructure” across Alberta. That includes connecting Edmonton to the gigabit-enabled TELUS Fibre network later this year, as previously announced.
• Sportsnet NOW is a new streaming service available for $24.99 per month to all Canadians. Analysts expect TSN to follow suit with its own service.
• This is interesting: the New York Times has launched a podcast team to create several new shows this 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!

You can see past Media Monday Edmonton entries here.

Here’s my latest update on local media stuff:

• Congratulations to all of the RTDNA Canada nominees for the Prairie Region! CBC Edmonton, Global Edmonton, and CTV Edmonton all received numerous nominations.
• Global Edmonton’s Gord Steinke will be honored by RTDNA Canada with a lifetime achievement award. “Steinke, who has worked at Global Edmonton for 24 years, will take home the Prairie Region Lifetime Achievement Award at this year’s awards ceremony in Medicine Hat on April 23.” Global Edmonton earned a total of seven nominations.
• CBC Edmonton’s Mark Connolly will emcee the Canadian Association of Journalists banquet and awards gala on May 28. The CAJ conference will take place Friday, May 27 and Saturday, May 28 at the Coast Edmonton Plaza Hotel.
• Here’s a feature on Edmonton Journal reporter Otiena Ellwand. “To cover holes left by cuts, young journalists must define their own roles in the newsroom.”
• Episode 127 of The Press Gallery includes a discussion about Heather Boyd’s report on media access at the Alberta Legislature.
• Pamela Kirby has joined 100.3 The Bear. She was most recently with 100.5 CRUZ FM in Fort McMurray.
• Brayden Haydamack has been hired by Virgin Edmonton for late night and weekends. He was most recently with Q99 in Grand Prairie.
• “The way in which pedestrian collisions are reported in the media negatively affects public perception, says a pedestrian safety advocate.” If they’re even reported, that is. This is definitely a problem.
• Lincoln Ho got a neat look at the quality control room for Telus TV. So many screens!
• More than 50 people have already registered for Meet the Media Tweetup 6 taking place on Friday, April 15.
• The Local Good has launched a podcast!
• The Edmonton Woman’s Show is coming up in mid-April and will feature reality TV stars Joe Anglim from Survivor and Nick Viall from The Bachelorette.
• Here is the latest local podcast and blog roundups from Seen and Heard in Edmonton.

Mayor Don Iveson speaks at the Province’s pre-budget consultation

And here is some slightly less local media stuff:

• Here are Linda’s latest social media notes. The big news today seemed to be the changes to Instagram, which resulted in “an endless sea of meaningless posts asking you to turn on post notifications.” For the rest of us, algorithmic feeds will probably turn out to be a good thing.
• Periscope is now a year old and has been used for more than 200 million broadcasts.
• Jian Ghomeshi was acquitted on all counts this week, a verdict that many called disappointing.
• The CRTC has approved the sale of Shaw Media to Corus Entertainment for $2.65 billion. The transaction is slated to close April 1.
• Facebook has started shipping Oculus Rift VR headsets so the search for a killer app is on. Sounds like it won’t be news.

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.