Here’s my latest update on local media stuff:

• Here is Seen & Heard’s blog roundup from last week. Remember under the new schedule blog roundups are published on Tuesday!
• Welcome back to Global Edmonton’s Laurel Gregory, who was away on maternity leave and returned to work on Wednesday last week. Michel Boyer, who was filling in, has now left Global.
• Remember the strange finger ads the Journal launched with its redesign back in September? Apparently they have gone national now and – surprise – no one likes them!
• A documentary produced by Edmonton’s Oromo community in partnership with local journalist Paula Kirman is attracting international attention. The documentary “aims to bring awareness to human rights abuses in Ethiopia.”
• Here is the second part of the Seen & Heard’s podcast on podcasting tech. And here is the latest podcast roundup.
• This is pretty neat: Sandra Sperounes found the letter and cheque she received for her first paid assignment with the Journal, which she did when she was 10!
• Congrats to Team Media who defeated the Oilers alumni 8-5 at Quikcard Minor Hockey Week.
• Metro Edmonton covered the end of The Unknown Studio.
• The iMEDIA Social Media Conference is taking place again this year, on March 11 & 12. You can check out the speaker lineup here and get your tickets here.
• Adam is back with a new episode of Just Adam Minute! Subscribe and help him reach his new year’s goal of 1000 in 2016.
• The Oilers Entertainment Group is looking for a Content Coordinator and “Reporter Oiler” to join the team. The deadline to apply is February 2.
• I’m very happy to see that #YEG Music Magazine has launched a weekly #yegmusic roundup!

Global Edmonton setup an ice living room at Deep Freeze on the weekend

And here is some slightly less local media stuff:

• Here are Linda’s latest social media notes. As long as it is treated as an attachment to the main tweet, like photos or videos currently are, I actually like the idea of Twitter launching support for up to 10,000 characters.
• Do you work for a media org grounded in print? You’ll like this. Chris Hughes, co-founder of Facebook, has put The New Republic up for sale four years after he bought it. “I underestimated the difficulty of transitioning an old and traditional institution into a digital media company in today’s quickly evolving climate,” he wrote.
• iHeartRadio, an audio streaming service popular south of the border, is coming to Canada thanks to a new partnership with Bell Media. The service’s parent company, iHeartMedia Inc., owns more than 850 radio stations in the US and was formerly known as Clear Channel Communications.
• Here’s a Q & A with Tyler Bleszinski, the co-founder of Vox Media who recently stepped down from the company. He shares some interesting insight on the fast growing company.
• The hot topic over the weekend was Sean Penn’s interview published in Rolling Stone with “Joaquín Guzmán Loera, the notorious drug kingpin known as El Chapo.” Questions are being asked about how the magazine handled the interview, apparently giving El Chapo pre-approval. Here’s more on the issues from Poynter.

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:

• Trent Wilkie wrote about the end of The Unknown Studio by interviewing Adam & Scott. Check it out to find out who their favorite guests were, most embarrassing moments, and more. And in case you missed it, here is the final episode of the podcast.
• I don’t know how she did it, but Elizabeth Withey wore the same black dress (called “Laverne”) throughout 2015. And she blogged about the experience, of course. “Laverne is now on sabbatical in the closet, nestled among the other wintry frocks.” I love that it seems to have helped open her up to other challenges!
• Danielle Paradis is the new Metro Edmonton columnist, replacing Omar Mouallem. Here is her first column.
• After 35 years behind the microphone, Mark Lewis announced he will retire as the Edmonton Oilers PA announcer at the end of the season.
• Andrea Ross is moving on from Metro Edmonton to join CBC Edmonton this month. Congrats!
• The Journal announced changes to its subscription rates recently. Effective February 1, 2016, rates are going up by $2 per month for 5 and 6-day home delivery, and $1 per month for 2-day home delivery. “While we haven’t had a subscription price adjustment in over 18 months, we, like many newspapers worldwide, are forced to keep pace with the increasing costs of producing and delivering a newspaper in the current economic environment,” the notice in the paper read. No where in the notice is the word “increase” used, only “adjustment” and “change”.
• Seen & Heard in Edmonton has announced a new schedule: podcast on Mondays, blog roundup on Tuesdays, podcast roundup on Wednesdays, and newsletter on Thursdays. You can now also like Seen & Heard on Facebook! And save the date for the next Podcasting Meetup, taking place on January 24.
• Episode 23 of the Seen & Heard in Edmonton podcast features myself, Adam Rozenhart, and Scott Francis Winder talking about the technology of podcasting. Thanks for including me Karen!
• The latest Life & Times features Tom Elsworthy, the former Edmonton Sun journalist who died on October 30, 2015.
• Here’s another feature on the reality TV show being filmed at the Edmonton International Airport. Apparently it’s similar to a National Geographic Channel show called Ultimate Airport Dubai.
• The Calgary Herald profiled Hugh Dempsey, who wrote for the Edmonton Bulletin early in his career and continues as editor for the Alberta Historical Review.

Thanks to Brittney for this photo of the last podcasting meetup

And here is some slightly less local media stuff:

• The rumor that Postmedia is going to close the Sun papers or merge them with the other dailies just won’t go away. I’ve already written about why I don’t think this is likely, but I do like the idea of the Ottawa Citizen and Ottawa Sun merging to become the Ottawa Citi-Sun.
• Here are 15 memorable stories in Alberta film and TV from 2015.
• In her latest social media notes, Linda links to the news that Politwoops is being revived.
• It sounds like 2015 was a mixed bag for traffic growth for digital publishers. “The sunny days of hot growth for digital publishers are fading into a memory as many now face a long, dark winter.”

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.

Small-ish update this week with the holidays fast approaching. Merry Christmas everyone! Here’s my latest update on local media stuff:

• It’s the end of an era. After more than six years, there’s just one more episode of The Unknown Studio to go. Adam and Scott experimented right to the end, broadcasting the final episode, which features Brittney Le Blanc, live on Mixlr. Watch for it in your feeds soon. And if you’re looking for a new podcast to listen to, check out The Expats.
• ICYMI: Here’s a list of Edmonton’s top social media influencers. The local media did well both in terms of people and organizations. After the City of Edmonton, the Edmonton Journal, CTV Edmonton, and Global Edmonton are the top organization account influencers.
• Speaking of influencers, Dave Cournoyer joined Ryan Jespersen on 630 CHED recently to talk about the past year in Alberta politics.
• Another radio station? Not sure I agree with the CRTC that Edmonton can sustain another station, even if it would be targeting ethnic communities. There are currently 19 stations in the region. There’s more on the news here.
• EIA is now the set of a reality TV show called Ultimate Airport, Edmonton. The Toront-based crew will be filming over the next three months to show the inner workings of the airport.
• Here’s an interview with Beverley Theresa, Top Draw’s Social Media Strategist.
• What do you think, did he pull it off successfully? Rob Christie in a Snuggie, that is.
• One week down in the new Dinner TV studios! What do you think of the new look?
• Congratulations to up! 99.3 FM on raising $427,411 during the radiothon in support of the Christmas Bureau.
• If you’re looking to do some good this week, there are still a few days left to support the Edmonton Sun’s Adopt-A-Teen campaign. They’re looking to provide gifts to more than 8,600 teens aged 13-17.
• As you know, I love the Shaw Fire Log. But I also love coffee. So yes, I am enjoying Transcend’s take on this!

And here is some slightly less local media stuff:

• In her latest social media notes, Linda links to 76 viral images from 2015 that were totally fake. But I thought everything on the Internet was true?!
• The Toronto Star is the latest newspaper to turn off comments on its website. As usual there’s a vague and specious promise to “engage with you in a more meaningful way” instead.
• Shaw Communications announced last week it is buying WIND Mobile for about $1.6 billion. This could get interesting!
• Here’s NYT Public Editor Margaret Sullivan on the Times’ coverage of the San Bernadino killers: “It involved a failure of sufficient skepticism at every level of the reporting and editing process — especially since the story in question relied on anonymous government sources, as too many Times articles do.”
• Mashable is apparently being shopped to potential buyers with a price tag as high as $350 million. That may prove to be a bit rich, but there’s no question the site has a lot of value.
• Sounds like things are going swimmingly for Jeff Bezos and the Washington Post. In October the newspaper (news website?) received more unique visitors than the Times for the first time ever, and it shows no signs of slowing down.

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:

• The latest radio ratings for Edmonton are now out, for the period of August 31 to November 29. Once again Now 102.3 FM is on top, but their lead has shrunk. In second place is 630 CHED, swapping places with CBC Radio 1. Still at the bottom but with a slight increase is iNews 880. You can see some demographic breakdowns here and there’s lots of additional discussion here.
• I mentioned this last week, but David Climenhaga has more on the four CTV Edmonton staffers that left recently. He also suggests the cuts have gone much deeper than that, with some mid-level managers losing their jobs and even Lloyd Lewis being shown the door after more than ten years (his LinkedIn says: “exited industry in October 2015 as part of large management restructuring at Bell Media”). David writes, “your Edmonton station will now be run out of Calgary, insiders say, sort of like the way the Edmonton Sun for years had a managing editor based in the former Cowtown.”
• As Tina noticed recently, the Journal is advertising website design services. Expect more of this experimentation as Postmedia tries to diversify its revenue sources. The risk of course is that they might dilute the brand equity the Journal has built up over the years (though cynics will likely point out they’re doing a good job of destroying that with or without new product offerings).
• Congrats to Global Edmonton’s Jen Crosby, named “Pretty Much the Greatest Gift Wrapper in Edmonton” in a recent competition at Kingsway Mall.
• Baillie Scheetz has left Capital Ideas as of Friday.
• Janet French has joined the Edmonton Journal. She was most recently in Saskatoon at the StarPhoenix. Welcome to Edmonton!
• Here’s Jim Matheson on Glen Sather: “Sather liked the media more than he ever let on. He liked the TV cameras. He liked the back-and-forth kibitzing between half a dozen media of folks on the topic of the day, an unlit stogie in his mouth and a Styrofoam cup of coffee in hand.”
• Here’s an interview with CBC Edmonton’s Min Dhariwal on Saskatchewan’s hiring of Chris Jones. “For years and years the locker room in Edmonton was open to media and that’s where you would go after practice to get your interviews and what-not and one of the things he did right away was he shut that down.”
• From Seen and Heard in Edmonton, here are the latest blog and podcast roundups, the final ones of 2015. Episode 22 of the podcast features Colin MacIntyre, creator of the Long John Index.
• The next Edmonton Podcasting Meetup is taking place on January 24, 2016. Save the date and RSVP here.
• What do the local media want for Christmas? Paula wants more Facebook follows. Chad wants to avoid relatives who have gone all digital. What do you want?
• Edmonton’s new writers-in-residence for 2016 are Wayne Arthurson and Marty Chan. Congrats!
• I know I always criticize the Goose Cam and other fun media feeds, so I can’t explain why I love the Shaw Fire Log. But I do. I had no idea it has been going for nearly 30 years though!

The now deserted CityTV studios at Enterprise Square, here’s a look at thew new digs

And here is some slightly less local media stuff:

• I’ve seen a bunch of the news blooper highlight reels for 2015 making the rounds lately. This one highlighted by Stacey Brotzel features her scaring the crap out of Jesse Beyer!
• Here are Linda’s latest social media notes. She notes the 2015 year-in-review posts are coming fast and furious now. Here’s Twitter’s microsite, and here is YouTube’s Rewind 2015. Ten years of YouTube!
• Another season of The Bachelor, another contestant from the Edmonton area, but not from Edmonton proper. “Jami” is a bartender from St. Albert, and is the only Canadian contestant on the upcoming season of the popular show. I think she has a good shot considering she’s going up against a “chicken enthusiast” and a “cowgirl”.
• Alibaba has purchased Hong Kong’s South China Morning Post for about $266 million USD. Will they take it slow like Jeff Bezos has with his purchase of the Washington Post?
• According to the latest breakdown from Sandvine, streaming audio and video account for 70% of broadband usage. YouTube and Netflix, primarily!
• Mark your calendars: digital ad spending is expected to overtake TV as the biggest advertising category by the end of 2017.

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:

• Four CTV Edmonton staffers took voluntary retirement packages and left the station this week: Kim Taylor, Serena Mah, Brian Fletcher, and Robin Cleator.
• This week marks the final broadcast for City TV from its studios in Enterprise Square as Rogers is consolidating all of its broadcast properties at the Gateway Boulevard location. “For almost 20 years, that little TV station has been a huge part of downtown’s renaissance,” wrote Paula Simons today. There are currently no tenants in mind for the old TV studios. Courtney Theriault called the move “a mix of joy and sadness”.
• Deb Zinck has been promoted to Executive Producer at Global Edmonton. Congrats!
• Leaving Global Edmonton today was Lisa Wolansky.
• Congratulations to Omar Mouallem and everyone involved for a successful first year of The Yards!
• The next Your Turn with Jenny Adams coming up on December 10 features Alberta Venture’s Ruth Kelly.
• Episode 21 of the Seen and Heard in Edmonton podcast features Linda Hoang! “Oh my goodness, did we ever laugh a lot in this interview,” Karen wrote. “Linda is irrepressibly happy and funny, and you are going to hear the evidence of that in spades.”
• Here are the latest blog and podcast roundups from Seen and Heard in Edmonton.
• MacEwan University is looking for an Assistant Professor in Communication Studies. The deadline to apply is January 15.
• Did you check out Global Edmonton’s pop-up photo booth at the Royal Alberta Museum’s closing party over the weekend? You can find your photo here.
• The Fall 2015 radio ratings have started to appear for Winnipeg, Red Deer, and other cities, so we should see Edmonton’s soon. Will Now 102.3 FM retain its big lead?

CFCW has found itself in the spotlight with the uproar over Bill 6

Since Christmas is fast-approaching, let’s take a look at what the local media are up to:

• Of course the 630 CHED Santas Anonymous campaign is well underway, with just 11 days to go until the delivery weekend. This is the charity’s 60th anniversary! Find a toy drop off location here.
• Global Edmonton and Shaw have launched the 12th annual Give Me Shelter campaign to collect and distribute unwrapped gifts to five local women’s shelters. Learn more and find out where to donate here. Global Edmonton is hosting a live drive during the Morning News on December 11 and there will be gifts for all donors who stop by!
• 95.7 CRUZ FM and HOT 107 FM have teamed up with the Edmonton Humane Society for Santa Paws – Stuff the Studio. You can drop off any unused, unwrapped pet items at the studio on Calgary Trail.
• CFCW’s A.J. is taking his show on the road each Tuesday in December to collect items for local food banks.
• 92.5 Fresh FM is hosting Tower of Toys in support of 630 CHED Santas Anonymous. Find them broadcasting live from the 630 CHED Santas Anonymous Depot (old Target at Bonnie Doon) on December 10, 11, and 12.
• CTV Edmonton has produced a holiday promotion called Letters to Santa: A Christmas Miracle. They asked kids from an inner-city school what they wanted for Christmas and did their best to help Santa out.
• up! 99.3 FM is hosting its 2015 Radiothon for the Christmas Bureau on December 19 at Kingsway Mall.
• CBC Edmonton has launched its 20th annual Turkey Drive which raises money for the Edmonton Food Bank. The goal this year is $500,000.
• Virgin Radio is hosting Break & Enter Christmas, which aims to give a family in need the Christmas they never thought they’d have.
• Shine FM’s 8th annual Christmas Miracles is on now with a goal of raising $50,000.
• K-97 is hosting its 19th annual Christmas Jam in support of the Edmonton Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation. The event takes place on December 13.
• Garner Andrews is challenging you to get into the Christmas spirit by writing and recording a 60 second Christmas Carol. The deadline is December 17. The best carols will be played on SONiC through the holiday season.

And here is some slightly less local media stuff:

• Here are Linda’s latest social media notes! Very interesting to see what Snapchat is up to lately, experimenting with breaking news.
• Standard & Poor’s has downgraded Postmedia Network Inc.’s credit rating to CCC+ from B-, the same grade given to Greece.
• Here are the Top 25 News Photos of 2015 curated by Alan Taylor at The Atlantic.
• Seems most organizations are quite happy to get rid of comments, but not the New York Times. They put comments on the top of their homepage. Good stuff!

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:

• Omar Mouallem is winding down his popular Footnotes column with Metro after three years. He plans to “give more attention to my magazine freelancing and another personal project” instead. Editor Tim Querengesser says the paper is “rolling out new voices in January.”
• The Ryan Jespersen Show picked up a 2016 Readers’ Choice Award for “Best Radio Talk Show in Edmonton”. I was honoured to be named Best Social Media Personality. Thanks Edmonton! Edmonton AM, CBC Edmonton, Stacey Brotzel, Gord Steinke, Kevin Karius, Global Edmonton, and Josh Classen also picked up awards. Congrats!
• 630 CHED has introduced a new website! It’s very sparse looking (and very Canadian red and white), but it’s responsive and much easier to read now that articles use a decent font and size. An improvement!
• CBC Edmonton has setup a temporary digital wall at Southgate where you can check out the news and social media feeds.
• It looks like Tamara will be organizing another Meet the Media event. Watch for it in 2016.
• Another week, another Kim Wynn video! In this one she raps the EPS winter driving post that was so popular recently.
• The Journal is seeking applications for its summer 2016 internship program which runs from mid-May to early September. The deadline to apply is December 9.
• The Yards is celebrating its first anniversary with the inaugural Best in the Core Awards. The awards will be in the winter edition which launches on Thursday.
• MacEwan University is looking for an Assistant Professor of Communication Studies. The deadline to apply is January 15, 2016.
• If you were hoping to hear CBC Edmonton’s Mark Connolly sing “Hello” by Adele, you’ll be disappointed to hear that it won’t be happening now that the Eskimos won the Grey Cup! “I have no problem making this bet because I know I’ll never have to do this,” said Connolly as he agreed to the terms of the bet.
• From Vickie, here are five reasons you should go fulltime as a blogger. I think #5 is pretty critical!
• Former APTN reporter Kenneth T. Williams spoke to the Journal about his latest play now on at the ATB Financial Arts Barns called Café Daughter.
• Here is Karen’s latest Edmonton blog roundup and podcast roundup. The latest episode of the Seen and Heard in Edmonton podcast features Lillian Tse, also known as Beyond Umami.
• Happy Birthday Dave!
• There are no stats mentioned to back this up, but the Examiner says Sherwood Park-based photographer Chrysta Rae “may be the most followed female photographer in Canada.”
• In case you missed it, the Shaw Fire Log is back! Check it out on 222 HD, 165 SD, or on the mobile app. I don’t know why but I love the fire log.

Media categories for the Journal’s 2016 Readers’ Choice Awards

And here is some slightly less local media stuff:

• An average of 4.3 million people watched the Grey Cup on TSN on Sunday, an increase of 6% over 2014. The peak was 5.4 million back in 2012 for the 100th Grey Cup.
• Here are Linda’s latest social media notes! Noting the new swipe left/swipe right feature that Vine is introducing, she wrote: “Vine is still relevant guys.” Can’t tell if serious…
• It sounds as though 15 people were let go across the country as part of last week’s NewCap cuts. It’s a bit of a surprise considering the company posted a 57% profit increase in Q3 just a couple of months ago.
• Sharon will be happy to hear this: “about 90% of overall viewing is still live” here in Canada. New services like video on demand are “steadily on the rise” however.
• There’s a new dress meme online. This time it’s not about what color you see, but rather whether or not your meteorologist has worn it!
• I haven’t been following it too closely but it seems the US media are pretty upset with Trump. Because he’s beating them. Jay Rosen attempts to break it all down.

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 26 years Cam Tait has found himself back at the Edmonton Journal building downtown. A lot has changed in that time obviously, but not Cam’s passion for telling stories.
• Puget Sound Radio is reporting on cuts across the board at Newcap Radio, with the Morning Show Operator position being eliminated at Capital FM.
• Here’s an interview with Marty Forbes on Engaging Humans, hosted by Daryl Hooke.
• In CANADALAND’s 47th episode, Omar Mouallem was a guest and spoke about “perceptions of disproportionate media coverage on the attacks in Paris and Beirut, the photoshopping of Veerender Jubbal, and mainstream media’s coverage of the attacks.”
• The latest episode of The Unknown Studio features Samantha Power talking about “journalism, where it’s going, what they teach you in J-school,” and of course, Star Trek.
• The late Harry Farmer, who was musical director at CTV Edmonton for 15 years, was recognized at tonight’s 2015 Salute to Excellence Performance and Citation Awards.
• Seven local filmmakers are getting $10,000 grants to make digital short films through the TELUS Storyhive program. Their films will be distributed on Optik TV after which you’ll be able to vote for the top two.
• Quinn Ohler is back with the weekend crew on Global Edmonton. Everyone is back to their usual timeslots now that Carole Anne Devaney is back! Looks like they’re all having fun.
• Episode 19 of the Seen and Heard in Edmonton podcast features Kat Griffiths, one of the hosts of the Verity! podcast.
• Terry David Mulligan’s show Mulligan Stew has now been on CKUA for 20 years!
• Edward Polanski died on October 7 at the age of 82. Here’s a Life and Times feature on Ed from the Journal.
• Uh oh, Santa says that CBC’s Edmonton AM host Mark Connolly is on the naughty list!
• Here is the latest Edmonton blog roundup and in case you missed it, here’s the latest Edmonton podcast roundup.
• If you haven’t already watched Kimberly Wynn’s latest promo for CTV Morning Live, check it out, it’s pretty funny!

And here is some slightly less local media stuff:

• Bell Media layoffs are taking place across the country, but so far there’s no word on cuts here in Edmonton. I have heard that Alberta Primetime could be affected, but that’s just a rumor, nothing has been confirmed.
• Speaking of Primetime, they interviewed Jay Onrait in a recent episode.
• Here are Linda’s latest social media notes. Link of the week has to be Belgium’s national outbreak of cat photos!
• This is pretty cool: former Citytv Edmonton journalist Sunny Lenarduzzi now has 10,000 subscribers on YouTube!
• I see that Jenny Adams has a new show on Shaw TV called Your Turn. Here’s the teaser for the first episode.
• I’ll admit I like flipping through to see which movies are playing on Movie Central or Encore Avenue, but I won’t be able to do that anymore. Those channels are going away as Corus is leaving the pay TV business, selling its rights to Bell. That means The Movie Network should be coming west.
• Zite is shutting down on December 7 and users are being asked to migrate to Flipboard.
• I’ll definitely check this out: Wired Magazine to debut show on Netflix next year.
• Journalists with the Donald Trump campaign are not happy about the way they’re being treated, and that has led to conference calls between several television networks to discuss a possible response. Look at Trump bringing people together!

Premier Rachel Notley unveils Alberta’s Climate Leadership Plan, photo by Premier of Alberta

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:

• Today at City Hall the Christmas Bureau launched its 2015 campaign with the annual Gingerbread House Decorating Challenge for the media. This year I was honored to be a judge for the contest, along with Andrea Chan and a member of Edmonton Fire Rescue Services (Bill, representing Chief Ken Block). It was not easy to pick the winners given all the creative houses that we saw! In the end, these were the winners:

  Best in Social – The Tiffin Box
  Best of Radio – 840 CFCW
  Best of TV – Dinner Television
  Shameless Self-Promotion Award – 95.7 CRUZ FM
  Best in Show – CTV Edmonton

Gingerbread House Decorating Challenge Awards

CTV Edmonton’s Tiki Bar

95.7 CRUZ FM was Ninja Turtle themed!

• You can see more photos here. There’s still one award up for grabs and that’s the #YEGchoice award which you can vote on! You’ve only got until midnight to cast your Twitter ballot though.
• No print media participated in the Christmas Bureau’s gingerbread decorating competition today. I guess the Sun folks were busy moving into the Journal building, but I’m not sure what happened to everyone else! Here’s some interesting history that Dave Breakenridge found while packing up his office. Thanks for sharing!
• Carole Anne Devaney is back to work at Global Edmonton starting tomorrow! That means Nancy Carlson moves back to her regular News Hour Final shift.
• Also belated happy birthday to Nancy Carlson and also Shaye Ganam!
• Here’s an Edmonton Woman magazine feature on CTV Edmonton’s Stacey Brotzel. “If I can use my talents to make a difference, I do,” she says.
• CFCW’s afternoon drive host AJ Keller has posted a video listing the top 5 reasons why you should be listening to 840 CFCW.
• From Quinn Ohler on Remembrance Day: Remembering our Fallen.
• After more than eight years, GreenEdmonton.ca is shutting down. Thankfully founder Conrad Nobert says the site “will remain here as a resource for googlers and green info seekers.”
• Here is the latest Edmotnon blog roundup from Seen and Heard in Edmonton. Episode 18 of the podcast features Phil Wilson, aka Baconhound. Here’s the latest Edmonton podcast roundup.
• The next Edmonton Podcasting Meetup is taking place on November 22. This time there’s going to be a panel discussion, with Adam Rozenhart, Scott Francis Winder, and myself all participating.
• 91.7 The Bounce is looking for a Weekend/Swing Announcer on a 12 month maternity leave contract. The closing date is December 8.
• Public Interest Alberta is looking for a Communications Officer.
• Does anyone know anything about Channel One Radio? Hadn’t heard of them until I noticed them jamming the #yegmedia tag on Twitter. They profess to be “Edmonton’s blues, roots, and country radio station” and say they’re broadcasting from Old Strathcona (via Live365 evidently).
• Actually while I’m on the subject, it looks like #yegmedia has been hijacked by other accounts too. It’s really annoying. I guess that’s the mark of an established hashtag?
• It’s that time of year I guess, time for Christmas music on the radio! Looks like Fresh FM and Capital FM are now both “all Christmas”. They flipped the switch on November 13, a little over a week earlier than last year.

And here is some slightly less local media stuff:

• Here are Linda’s latest Social Media Notes. It should be no surprise that Twitter users clicked “like” 6% more in the first week than they did with “favorite” – Twitter wouldn’t make that kind of change without some data in hand.
• How much screen time is too much for kids? As with most everything, it depends. Media Smarts, which promotes digital and media literacy, says the age of the child makes a difference. In the article, Edmontonian Jennifer Rollins says her daughter used the iPad “probably too much.” But I like that she is now trying to be a digital role model for her kids. That’s the most important thing, I think.
• Facebook recently launched a new app called Notify, which can send you notifications from publishers you care about, like BuzzFeed or CNN. Here’s a good review by Om Malik.
• Facebook is appearently getting some pushback on its other big news initiative, Instant Articles.
• I’m no longer a user, but I remember Rdio with fondness (I switched to Groove Music for the Microsoft ecosystem). Now they are filing for bankruptcy protection and selling assets to Pandora. Surely we’ll see more of these streaming music services merge or disappear.

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 an unsubstantiated report making the rounds that Postmedia plans to merge its major dailies, which in Edmonton would see the combination of the Journal and the Sun. While there’s a lot of wisdom in combining the sales and business teams from each paper (which has happened) and even sharing physical office space (which is happening) it makes much less sense to combine the editorial teams or otherwise merge the two papers. There’s little overlap between their audiences and a lot of lucrative ad inventory to lose by getting rid of one of the papers. Postmedia has made some surprising decisions in the past so I guess I wouldn’t be completely shocked if it happened, but I also wouldn’t put any money on it.
• The Fall 2015 issue of NAIT’s techlife magazine features a profile of Jay Downton, co-founder of OilersNation and the Nation Network.
• Congratulations to Amber Bracken on having her photo published as the cover of the latest issue of Maclean’s magazine!
• Here’s a piece by Marty Forbes on handing the keys over to the kids in radio. “I think most of us in the industry are waiting for the ‘next big thing’ – something exciting, new, innovative, fun, game changing – kinda like what Netflix did to Blockbuster – and some day somebody will make that breakthrough – I hope.”
• CTV Edmonton’s Brenna Rose is moving to Vancouver. Yesterday was her last show with Bill Fortier.
• CBC Edmonton’s Tim Adams continues his behind the scenes series with the secrets of pitching a story to producers.
• The City and Baby blog is still inactive, but Jenifer Schaefer is back on Twitter as @cityandjen.
• Cam Tait has the scoop on a new feature film from former CTV Edmonton Creative Director Ben Babchishin that is competing in the Telus Storyhive competition.
• Here is the latest roundup of local blog posts from Seen and Heard in Edmonton. And Episode 17 of the podcast features Ryan Batty, managing editor of The Copper & Blue.
• The Spruce Grove Examiner/Stony Plain Reporter has an opening for a full-time multimedia news reporter. The deadline to apply is November 20.
• Avenue Edmonton is looking for a web editor to join the team. The deadline to apply is November 20.

Premier Rachel Notley in front of the cameras

And here is some slightly less local media stuff:

• Connor McDavid is out with a broken clavicle, much to the sports media’s dismay. Good thing you can always count on Don Cherry to stir the pot.
• The final episode of War Junk, a four-part television documentary that airs on the History channel, has an Edmonton connection.
• For a look at everything happening in the world of social media this week, don’t miss Linda’s latest social media notes.
• Ok this one isn’t local at all, but is kind of funny. TSN’s Bob McKenzie accepted the 2015 Elmer Ferguson Award at the NHL Media Awards Luncheon. But is he the real Hockey Insider? See also, five minutes with Bob McKenzie.
• Magazines Canada is running a new campaign called Share Your Love of Magazines that “encourages Canadians to buy a Canadian magazine and discover their new love, whether in print or through connections made with other magazine readers.”
• Speaking of magazines, Flare will disappear from newsstands in the new year. “Flare is currently averaging 1,800 copies sold on newsstands, which is less than 2.5 per cent of its total circulation, says Melissa Ahlstrand, group publisher for fashion and beauty at Rogers Communications Inc.”
• Bell Media is slashing 270 jobs in Toronto and 110 in Montreal by the end of November.
• Telus is also looking to cut 1,500 jobs over the next several quarters in an effort to save $125 million in annual costs.
• If you’re into podcasts lately (as it seems to many are) you’ll want to check out NPR’s new podcast recommendation site called Earbud.fm.
• Mélanie Joly, Canada’s newly-minted minister of Canadian heritage, says the Liberals will re-invest $150 million for CBC and Radio-Canada.

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 winners in the ATCO Edmonton Sun Christmas Charity Auction! Cam Tait reports that $151,944.86 was raised. Looks like the top media dinner was $3,300 to hang out with 100.3 The Bear’s Paul Brown and Motley Crue, followed by $2,700 to join 630 CHED’s Ryan Jespersen on a “magical mountain getaway”. Fun stuff!
• Both 630 CHED’s Santas Anonymous and the Christmas Bureau of Edmonton are celebrating milestone anniversaries this year, and they’ve setup a new website to say thank you.
• Ever wonder where CBC’s Edmonton AM gets its story ideas? Here’s show director Tim Adams on that very topic.
• The November issue of Avenue Edmonton features the Global Edmonton Weather Team. Here’s the extended interview with Kevin O’Connell, Mike Sobel, Margeaux Morin, and Chief Meteorologist Jesse Beyer.
• Global Edmonton is running a series of commercials this fall “celebrating life in Our City” which was inspired by “a viewer perspective of how Global News fits in to your day”. The spots feature the song “Home to You” by The Mowgli’s.
• The Journal has made a video featuring Otiena Ellwand talking about “the demands of being a breaking news reporter.” The focus is really on crime, though. The video seems to be in support of the newly upgraded EJ smartphone app which features the local news stream called EJ Now.
• The fifth and final season of locally produced Blackstone kicks off tomorrow night on APTN West. Executive Producer Ron E. Scott is looking ahead with optimism to new opportunities.
• Check out Crash & Mars on Q99 Radio in Grand Prairie – pre-Now! 102.3 FM obviously!
• Here is the latest Edmonton blog roundup from Seen and Heard in Edmonton. Karen points to another blogging tips entry from Vickie, this time on developing an editorial calendar.
• Speaking of reflections on blogging, Beverley writes about the struggle she has with old content. I definitely find myself cringing at some old posts, which is why I tend to avoid delving into the archives!
• Here is the latest Edmonton podcast roundup. And just today I noticed that OilersNation has launched a podcast called North By NorthGretz. Awesome!
• Edmonton-based Starlight Music Chronicles has launched the first issue of its new digital magazine.
• Here’s an update from local YouTuber Adelle on how much she makes on YouTube.
• Edmonton-born photographer Paul Swanson is one of 35 Canadian winners of the annual Flash Forward awards for emerging photographers. Congrats!
• Metro News is looking for a part-time magazine merchandiser for Edmonton.
• CBC Edmonton has a couple of job postings up: Associate Producer for its evening television program and Web Writer.
• Lots of Global Edmonton news this week! Move for Movember Mondays started today and features John Sexsmith, Quinn Ohler, and Margeaux Morin raising money in support of men’s health.

Photo courtesy of Global Edmonton

And here is some slightly less local media stuff:

• Linda is back! Here is her latest Social Media Notes.
• The Alberta Home Education Association has cancelled speeches by Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar saying they “would not be in the best interests of home educators.”
• Everyone’s still talking about the importance of mobile, and for good reason: “Today, 68% of U.S. adults have a smartphone, up from 35% in 2011…according to newly released survey data from the Pew Research Center.”
• ESPN has shutdown Grantland, its boutique sports & pop culture site, and that has led to a lot of analysis about why. I like this take from Chris Cillizza on why the shutdown matters: “Because Grantland represented an ambitious leap into the future of journalism on at least two fronts.” It’s a good read for anyone interested in “future of media” ideas.
• While I definitely appreciate the greater attention given to code-driven content on sites like the New York Times, I still enjoy the long form article. I think they can co-exist and even complement one another.
• Here’s an interesting piece on how closed networks like WhatsApp can make verification of eyewitness content a challenge.

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.