Taproot Edmonton’s latest Media Roundup was published today. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox every Monday morning!

Local updates from the Media Roundup

Here are a few select updates from today’s Media Roundup:

• Friday, August 31 marked the end of Gordon Kent’s reporting days at the Edmonton Journal. “After 32 years, I’m retiring to travel, maybe look for contract work and mostly find the three hobbies my wife requires to keep me out of her hair,” he tweeted.
• Graham Thomson shared his farewell column on Friday.
• Friday was also Shawna Randolph’s last day on Alberta Primetime. Here’s her message to viewers.
• Mike Ross wrote about the recent changes in local radio, and particularly at K-97. “People in Edmonton radio get fired all the time – but the downsizing is escalating at an alarming rate.” He noted that Melissa Wright, recently fired from K-97, is “a broadcasting pioneer: the first female announcer on a rock station in Canada to host a show solo.”
• “The problem for governments is, when they make an announcement, social media turns it into a big debate.” Grant Ainsley tackles why politicians still need the news media.

Trans Mountain Pipeline : Premier Notley, photo by Premier of Alberta

Media-related updates from elsewhere

And here is some non-local media news that I found interesting this week:

• Here’s a long read from Alan Rusbridger, former editor-in-chief of the Guardian. “By early 2017 the world had woken up to a problem that, with a mixture of impotence, incomprehension and dread, journalists had seen coming for some time,” he wrote. “News, the thing that helped people understand their world, that oiled the wheels of society, that pollinated communities, that kept the powerful honest – news was broken.”
• From The Atlantic: Trump Has Changed How Teens View the News.
• “When the reading brain skims texts, we don’t have time to grasp complexity, to understand another’s feelings or to perceive beauty. We need a new literacy for the digital age.” Maryanne Wolf writing in the Guardian says skim reading is the new normal.
• According to a new WSJ report, Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey “overruled his staff on booting conspiracy theorist Alex Jones off the platform.”
• Here is the New York Times film critic A.O. Scott on the use of technology for reviewing movies.

Follow Edmonton media news using the hashtag #yegmedia and be sure to check out Mediagazer for the latest media news from elsewhere. You can see past Media Monday Edmonton entries here. If you have a tip or suggestion for future updates, let me know.

At Taproot Edmonton we’re working hard to ensure that local journalism has a future in our city. Join us to be part of the movement.

Taproot Edmonton’s latest Media Roundup was published today. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox every Monday morning!

Local updates from the Media Roundup

Here are a few select updates from today’s Media Roundup:

• Orville Chubb, best known as publisher of Avenue Magazine, died Sunday, August 19 at the age of 57.
• After a year and a half of operations, Edmonton Quotient founder Jeff Samsonow has announced the online magazine is going on hiatus.
• Newcap Radio has reportedly fired Shane Michaels from Capital FM and Michelle Wright from K-97. Also let go was Kelly Walter, who was the General Sales Manager at Newcap Radio in Edmonton since 2012.
• Shawna Randolph has announced she is moving on from Alberta Primetime after five years on the show to focus on her media relations training company. Her last day is August 31.
• “I think gone are the days of earned media as an effective strategy for notifying our public about what the city, where we’re trying to lead,” said Mayor Don Iveson last week when discussing a five-year, $1.5 million advocacy campaign on affordable housing that Council approved in concept. “We’re likely going to have to do this more often and the City of Edmonton is going to have to increasingly be its own production company to get our version of what we’re trying to do out.”

Orville Chubb, photo by Dave Cournoyer

Media-related updates from elsewhere

And here is some non-local media news that I found interesting this week:

• BuzzFeed News is working with the Google News Initiative to pilot a membership model similar to what The Guardian has done successfully. “The membership program is among a number of strategies that parent BuzzFeed is pursuing to diversify its revenue streams after missing its business targets last year.”
• Pittsburgh is now the largest city in the U.S. without a daily print newspaper after the Post-Gazette announced it will cut its production schedule to five days a week.
• Craigslist founder Craig Newmark is giving $1 million to Mother Jones “to boost the investigative outlet’s ability to combat disinformation campaigns against the American people.”

Follow Edmonton media news using the hashtag #yegmedia and be sure to check out Mediagazer for the latest media news from elsewhere. You can see past Media Monday Edmonton entries here. If you have a tip or suggestion for future updates, let me know.

At Taproot Edmonton we’re working hard to ensure that local journalism has a future in our city. Join us to be part of the movement.

Taproot Edmonton’s latest Media Roundup was published today. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox every Monday morning!

Local updates from the Media Roundup

Here are a few select updates from today’s Media Roundup:

• Dani Rohs is joining the morning team at CFWE Radio. “Very pumped!! Gonna be fun,” she tweeted. Until March of this year, she was a morning show host at 92.5 Fresh FM.
• Phil Darlington is joining Global Edmonton’s weather team and will be seen primarily on Global News at 11. He had been at CTV Regina since February 2016.
• Marty Forbes wrote about Katrina Ingram’s new podcast called Back to School Again. She “has a strong track record in media joining the CBC where she managed marketing and communications for CBC Radio One in Vancouver, as well as COO for CKUA Radio,” he said.
• Here is the latest Alberta Podcast Network Roundup.
• Local director Kyle Armstrong is releasing his debut feature film Until First Light later this year. Here’s the trailer.

Photo by Andrew Neel on Unsplash

Media-related updates from elsewhere

And here is some non-local media news that I found interesting this week:

• Canadaland reports on a growing list of people who have renewed ties with The Rebel. “A year since Charlottesville, mainstream media figures have begun returning to Ezra Levant’s far-right outlet.”
• iHeartRadio content will soon be available in Spotify thanks to a new deal between the company and Bell Media.
• Vice and Fremantle Media co-owned publisher Munchies has signed a brand licensing deal with Triple Five Group (the Edmonton company behind West Edmonton Mall) that puts it “in charge of a food hall at American Dream, a 3 million square-foot shopping and entertainment complex set to open in the Meadowlands, New Jersey, in the spring of 2019.”
• Writing about the Boston Globe-led publication of editorials across the United States defending press freedom last week, Margaret Sullivan says “the effort was mostly symbolic” and that “what’s really needed is a more practical kind of collaboration — and plenty of it.”
• Netflix has started testing video promotions between episodes and movies, which caused a bunch of people to freak out thinking that commercials are on the way. “A company spokesperson said that the videos are not ads or commercials, but personalized recommendations for other shows and movies that appear on Netflix.”

Follow Edmonton media news using the hashtag #yegmedia and be sure to check out Mediagazer for the latest media news from elsewhere. You can see past Media Monday Edmonton entries here. If you have a tip or suggestion for future updates, let me know.

At Taproot Edmonton we’re working hard to ensure that local journalism has a future in our city. Join us to be part of the movement.

Taproot Edmonton’s latest Media Roundup was published today. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox every Monday morning!

Local updates from the Media Roundup

Here are a few select updates from today’s Media Roundup:

• Sticks & Stones Communications has released a trailer for its first major documentary called Ha Ling Peak. Check it out on Vimeo. The film will air on CBC in Alberta and BC at 7pm on August 18.
• Shanelle Kaul is leaving CTV Edmonton for a new job at CP24 in Toronto. She has been here in Edmonton since February 2016 and served as a reporter and weekend anchor. “Edmonton will always be a special place,” she tweeted.
• Robert Makichuk tweeted about the Gretzky trade 30 years ago. He covered the news conference for CTV Edmonton. “What stands out in my memory is not so much #99’s tears, but the fact that one of the photographers from @edmontonjournal thanked him for the years of great pix. Applause from all the shooters.”
• According to the Edmonton Journal’s Jim Matheson, Louie DeBrusk and Drew Remenda will be switching spots for certain Oilers games. OilersNation has the details.
• Jason Redfern proposed on Twitter a group media bike ride day. “In order to have any credibility reporting on #yegbike stories you should ride the bike lanes and paths, ride in traffic and for extra credit ride on any road outside of town where you’re sure to be buzzed, threatened and/or possibly hit.” Marty Forbes pointed out there are a few long-term cyclists in the media.

Photo by Andrew Neel on Unsplash

Media-related updates from elsewhere

And here is some non-local media news that I found interesting this week:

• From NiemanLab: An analysis of 16,000 stories, across 100 U.S. communities, finds very little actual local news.
• The Boston Globe is leading a nationwide effort to write and publish editorials on August 16 denouncing Trump’s “dirty war against the free press.” As of Friday, about 70 outlets had committed to participate.
• This article on fake news written by Ryan Holmes back in May is worth a read. “For now and for the foreseeable future, solving this problem depends in large part on boosting our own media savvy.”
• Tweeting about the decision to allow Alex Jones and Infowars to remain on Twitter, Jack Dorsey said “it’s critical journalists document, validate, and refute such information directly so people can form their own opinions.” Techdirt’s Mike Masnick wrote about platforms banning accounts and referenced the tweet. “He’s not wrong, but what an awful way to put it. Lots of people read it to mean ‘we set up the problem that makes this giant mess, and we’ll leave it to journalists to come along and sort things out for free.'”
• Netflix CFO David Wells is leaving the company after 14 years. “As CFO, Wells has engineered a debt-fueled binge on content spending, with Netflix projecting programming costs of upwards of $8 billion in 2018 (on a P&L basis).”

Follow Edmonton media news using the hashtag #yegmedia and be sure to check out Mediagazer for the latest media news from elsewhere. You can see past Media Monday Edmonton entries here. If you have a tip or suggestion for future updates, let me know.

At Taproot Edmonton we’re working hard to ensure that local journalism has a future in our city. Join us to be part of the movement.

Taproot Edmonton’s latest Media Roundup was published today. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox every Monday morning!

Local updates from the Media Roundup

Here are a few select updates from today’s Media Roundup:

• Corus Entertainment’s CKNG-FM, broadcasting at 92.5 FM, has rebranded to 92.5 The ‘Chuck. “Buff up the Talus balls and grab a green onion cake,” reads the news release.
• Taproot Edmonton is launching a weekly municipal politics podcast called Speaking Municipally. Hosted by Troy Pavlek and myself, the podcast will feature 20-30 minute conversations about the context surrounding decisions made at City Hall. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.
• Sarolta Saskiw is joining CityNews Edmonton from Winnipeg. “I’ve had an amazing 2 years covering stories here in Winnipeg, and have met so many great people,” she tweeted.
• Digging in the Dirt is looking for your support on STORYHIVE. The 20-minute documentary builds on Omar Mouallem’s award-winning investigative feature for BuzzFeed News.
• Karen Unland will make podcast recommendations on CBC Radio on Tuesday afternoon. “Catch her chat about true crime podcasts at about 3:35 p.m. on CBC Calgary’s The Homestretch and at about 4:05 p.m. on CBC Edmonton’s Radio Active.”

Media-related updates from elsewhere

And here is some non-local media news that I found interesting this week:

• After 14 years, Postmedia’s arts & entertainment magazine Swerve Calgary has “been discontinued.” Listings will continue online and in the Herald, they say. It’s too bad the shutdown happened during the summer holidays, because it doesn’t sound like the editorial team will have a chance to put together a final issue.
• Margaret Sullivan writes in the Washington Post about the local-news crisis: “And to make matters worse, many are owned by hedge funds that couldn’t care less about journalism. They are only interested in bleeding the papers dry of whatever remaining profits they can produce with ever-shrinking staffs.” And later: “What’s more, as papers decline, there’s less reason to subscribe because coverage isn’t what it used to be.”
• “People will support local news and investigative reporting, they just need to see themselves in that coverage or see that it helps them identify solutions for everyday problems,” writes Tracie Powell in a piece on connecting audience to revenue.
• The New York Times has an update on Disney’s forthcoming streaming service that will compete with Netflix.
• Facebook, Apple, YouTube, and Spotify have finally done the right thing and have banned the American conspiracy theorist Alex Jones and his Infowars website from their platforms. “The lone major social network to still allow Jones unfettered access is Twitter, where the broadcaster has a “verified” account.”

Follow Edmonton media news using the hashtag #yegmedia and be sure to check out Mediagazer for the latest media news from elsewhere. You can see past Media Monday Edmonton entries here. If you have a tip or suggestion for future updates, let me know.

At Taproot Edmonton we’re working hard to ensure that local journalism has a future in our city. Join us to be part of the movement.

Taproot Edmonton’s second Media Roundup was published today. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox every Monday morning!

Local updates from the Media Roundup

Here are a few select updates from today’s Media Roundup:

• Cory Janssen’s Janalta Interactive has purchased the rights to the Alberta Venture brand and plans to relaunch the publication online with a greater focus on features.
• Graham Thomson has taken a voluntary buyout from Postmedia and will be leaving the Edmonton Journal at the end of August. “Then I will let you know what I plan to do next,” he tweeted. “I cannot imagine a life outside journalism,” he said. Looks like he has options with some suggesting he start a blog or podcast, and others like the National Observer pitching him to write for them.
• Evan Cooke is moving back to Alberta from Kelowna to be the News Director for The One in both Leduc and Stony Plain.
• Sunday was Zoe Todd’s last day at CBC Edmonton as she heads to New York City to start a masters degree in journalism at Columbia. “A bright spot that I’ll miss,” her colleague Janice Johnston tweeted.
• Tim Caufield’s show A User’s Guide to Cheating Death has been picked up by Netflix. “With researchers from the University of Alberta backing up the science, Caulfield travelled from Edmonton to other parts of the world to look into some of the most popular as well as obscure methods people are trying to ‘cheat death.'” Watch for season one this fall.

Media-related updates from elsewhere

And here is some non-local media news that I found interesting this week:

• Rob Lewis is stepping down from Techvibes.com after 11 years. “It’s been a blast and I look forward to keeping in touch with every startup, PR person, and HR professional that I’ve been lucky to cross paths with over the years,” he wrote. Until I did a big clean last year, I still had some Techvibes business cards from when I was a contributor. End of an era for sure!
• The Guardian now earns more money from its digital operations than from its print newspapers for the first time in its history.
• Non-profit organization The Signals Network is planning joint investigations with five interational media groups of the misuse of big data, along with coordination publication. There are 30 investigative journalists working on the initiative.
• From Vanity Fair: How The Daily’s Michael Barbaro Unexpectedly Became the Ira Glass of The New York Times. “During the past year, Barbaro has actually become kind of legitimately famous.” It’s a good read.
• “From 2008 to 2017, newsroom employment in the U.S. dropped by 23%,” reports Pew Research Center. “Newspaper newsroom employees dropped by 45% over the period, from about 71,000 workers in 2008 to 39,000 in 2017.”

Follow Edmonton media news using the hashtag #yegmedia and be sure to check out Mediagazer for the latest media news from elsewhere. You can see past Media Monday Edmonton entries here. If you have a tip or suggestion for future updates, let me know.

At Taproot Edmonton we’re working hard to ensure that local journalism has a future in our city. Join us to be part of the movement.

I’m excited to share that we’re launching the Media Roundup at Taproot Edmonton today. Sign up now to get the latest news, events, comings & goings, job opportunities, and other updates on media, public relations, and communications in Edmonton every Monday morning.

I started writing the Media Monday Edmonton series on my blog in February 2011. “Like many others, I’m interested in the continual evolution of journalism and media,” I wrote at the time. “I’d like to start devoting an entry each Monday to this changing landscape.” I’ve kept it up ever since, and have received a lot of great feedback about the series over the years. People tell me they find it useful, informative, and interesting.

Inspired in part by my experience with this series, we have recently launched a few roundups at Taproot, which are curated updates on local topics that our members are curious about. In support of that effort, I’m essentially transitioning Media Monday Edmonton to Taproot as the Media Roundup. It will become the primary place for my curated updates.

Here is the first edition, published this morning!

For now, I plan to continue publishing Media Monday Edmonton here with a selection of updates from the Media Roundup and my non-local media links of the week.

Local updates from the Media Roundup

Here are a few select updates from today’s Media Roundup:

• Elevating Edmonton is a new podcast about architecture in Edmonton. The first episode features Dan Rose, Dave Sutherland, Tim Schneider, Tim Querengesser, and Shafraaz Kaba.
• Brenden Ullrich is joining the Corus Entertainment sales team as an Account Manager for radio & television. For the last four years he has been a producer of and occasional fill-in host for Oilers Now on 630 CHED.
• Glass Buffalo is launching its summer issue on Wednesday evening at Yellowhead Brewery. Tickets are $10 or $5 for current subscribers.
• Jacquie DuVal of Plated Public Relations will be speaking about social media influencers within Alberta’s food industry on Thursday at lunchtime at the Food Central Cowork, located at 10578 113 Street.
• Servus Credit Union is looking for a Media and Story Consultant. “This position will research, develop, implement and evaluate external communications programs in support of corporate communication strategies.”

If you look closely, I’m in this photo (with Sharon and Emily) of the K-Days parade, standing next to the 840 CFCW tent. It was fun to listen to their running commentary!

K-Days Parade 2018 by jasonwoodhead23 on Flickr

Media-related updates from elsewhere

And here is some non-local media news that I found interesting this week:

• We need a new model for tech journalism, writes James Ball in the Columbia Journalism Review. “It’s easy to see why some readers would feel whiplashed by the current, critical coverage of Facebook and Google, which seems to come out of nowhere,” he says. “That’s our fault as journalists: We’ve been too slow to spot how things have changed and to cover the sector as the corporate behemoth it is.”
• Here’s a rebuttal to that idea from Danny Crichton at TechCrunch. “But here’s the challenge: The whole idea of a coherent “tech press” seems to miss that technology has completely taken over the world.”
• “Smart speakers are gaining adoption faster than any technology since the mobile phone,” which is why news publishers are stepping up their efforts to create content for platforms like Amazon Echo and Google Home.
• The ongoing trade war has resulted in new tariffs that increase the cost of newsprint by as much as 30 to 35 percent. Could this be the Black Swan event that speeds up the death of newspapers in the United States?
• The podcast In the Dark has attracted more than 250 people to a private Facebook group that requires a minimum donation of $50 to join.

Follow Edmonton media news using the hashtag #yegmedia and be sure to check out Mediagazer for the latest media news from elsewhere. You can see past Media Monday Edmonton entries here. If you have a tip or suggestion for future updates, let me know.

At Taproot Edmonton we’re working hard to ensure that local journalism has a future in our city. Join us to be part of the movement.

Here’s my latest update on local media stuff:

• Taproot Edmonton has launched the Music Roundup, a weekly compilation of the latest headlines, concert announcements, and other updates to help you stay up-to-date on what’s happening in Edmonton’s music community. The Music Roundup is being curated and written by Sandra Sperounes, who was the music writer for The Edmonton Journal for 18 years.
• “It’s road trip season, and what that means, in 2018, is time to download a few podcasts to take on the highway.” Karen Unland spoke with CBC’s The Homestretch about the Alberta Podcast Network. “Over the summer, Unland will appear periodically on The Homestretch with a variety of recommendations for listeners looking for some guidance through the world of podcasting, where each listener is also their own program director.”
• Catherine Griwkowsky has announced she is “no longer employed by StarMetro Edmonton.” She took the opportunity to share some great things about her colleagues in the Twitter thread. She isn’t sure what’s next, but let’s hope she is able to stay here in Edmonton!
• Here is the 33rd Alberta Podcast Network Roundup. The network has grown again, adding The UnDad Podcast created by Trent Wilkie.
• Speaking of Trent Wilkie, he recently answered 20 questions for the Edmonton Sun.
• Carly Robinson highlights the new faces on the CityNews Edmonton team: Dalia Ashry, Connor O’Donovan, and Jessica Storm.
• From Grant Ainsley: Why Mike’s News Was the Greatest Store Ever. “Mike’s News closed in the 80’s, after serving Edmonton for 70 years.”
• Congrats to Trevor Robb on marking seven years with Postmedia.
• The Athletic is looking for a beat writer or columnist covering the Edmonton Oilers. “We are now following through with plans to hire more staff, especially in Western Canada, to offer subscribers more quality coverage beginning with the 2018-19 season.”
• The City of Edmonton is looking for a Director, Integration & Relationships to join the Communications branch.
• PR Power: How to be a Media Worthy Brand, hosted by Publicity Room, takes place on Wednesday from 5-7pm at RAAS in West Edmonton Mall.
• The Alberta Media Fund is hosting information sessions on Tuesday & Wednesday this week to help prepare for the Screen-based Production Grant Application process.
• New Trail and Alumni Career Services at the University of Alberta have teamed up to answer career questions about working in magazines. The online session will take place on August 8.
• Podmap aims to map the world’s podcasts. Here’s Edmonton.

Premier Notley celebrates Canada Day in Millwoods, photo by Premier of Alberta

And here is some slightly less local media stuff:

• Instapaper is going independent and will be owned and operated “by the same people who’ve been working on Instapaper since it was sold to betaworks by Marco Arment in 2013.”
• Hyperlocal site EveryBlock is being shutdown – again. Comcast is closing the site it relaunched in 2014 and will direct users to rival Nextdoor, which it has invested in.
• The Emmy nominations are out. “Netflix led the way with 112 nominations when they were announced on Thursday, snapping HBO’s 17-year streak of being the most nominated network for TV’s most coveted prize.” Three years ago Netflix had just 34 nominations. Next up? HBO’s 16-year streak of winning the most Emmys.
• The Associated Press reports: “The estate of the man at the center of the popular “S-Town” podcast is suing the show’s creators, saying they exploited details of his private life for financial gain.”

Follow Edmonton media news using the hashtag #yegmedia and be sure to check out Mediagazer for the latest media news from elsewhere. You can see past Media Monday Edmonton entries here. If you have a tip or suggestion for future updates, let me know.

At Taproot Edmonton we’re working hard to ensure that local journalism has a future in our city. Join us to be part of the movement.

Thanks for reading! Want to support my blog? Buy me a coffee!

Here’s my latest update on local media stuff:

• “We love working in Edmonton, and the work we do costs money,” tweeted StarMetro Edmonton’s bureau chief Alex Boyd in reference to the new paywall.
• Four new podcasts have joined the Alberta Podcast Network! Here is the latest podcast roundup.
• The Edmonton Journal’s Dave Breakenridge had to defend the name of his new Postmedia podcast after it was highlighted that there’s already a data journalism website with the name 10 and 3. “In trying to offer a show highlighting stories of national interest, featuring work from across the country, we wanted to come up with a name that represented Canada,” he told Canadaland. “After brainstorming a list of names, the consensus among the group involved with the project was 10/3.”
• Cam Tait is taking his blog in a new direction and will be telling stories of people with disabilities. “For too many years, I think, there has been a mysterious silence from people with disabilities on issues, programs and services available,” he wrote.
• Glass Buffalo editor Matthew Stepanic has been making the rounds, talking about the summer 2018 issue on Global Edmonton and about his new book of poetry on CBC’s Edmonton AM and with StarMetro.
• The Family Matters podcast from Global Edmonton featuring Laurel Gregory has now posted 50 episodes. Nice work!
• Hockey Night in Canada broadcaster Harnarayan Singh was at the University of Alberta last week to talk about being “the first person to broadcast pro hockey in Punjabi.” Here’s a Q&A he did with StarMetro in which he shares his thoughts on the Oilers: “they can’t be as bad as they were last year.”
• The Narwhal, a non-profit focused on telling stories about Canada’s natural environment, is looking for an investigative journalist in Alberta for a one-year contract.
• PressProgress, an online publication from The Broadbent Institute, is looking for an Alberta-based writer to “develop story ideas as well as investigate and write stories as assigned.”
• Corus Entertainment is looking for a Creative Writer to join its Creative Services team in Edmonton. The deadline to apply is July 15.
• Friday is the deadline to apply for Avenue Edmonton’s Assistant Editor position.
• Publicity Room is hosting PR Power: How to be a Media Worthy Brand at RAAS Edmonton inside West Edmonton Mall on July 18. “If media outreach isn’t part of your current marketing strategy, it will be after this event!”
• A couple from Ottawa is visiting all 90 locations highlighted in Heritage Minutes, starting with Emily Murphy’s house here in Edmonton.

Photo by Andrew Neel on Unsplash

And here is some slightly less local media stuff:

• YouTube is investing $25 million in grants to news organizations looking to expand their video operations. “The goal is to identify authoritative news sources, bring those videos to the top of users’ feeds, and support quality journalism with tools and funding that will help news organizations more effectively reach their audiences.”
• Inside the Binge Factory: “Netflix is hiring everybody in and out of Hollywood to make more TV shows than any network ever has, and it already knows which ones you’ll like.”
• Here are 12 ideas for engaging young audiences from BBC News Labs’ recent industry hackathon.

Follow Edmonton media news using the hashtag #yegmedia and be sure to check out Mediagazer for the latest media news from elsewhere. You can see past Media Monday Edmonton entries here. If you have a tip or suggestion for future updates, let me know.

At Taproot Edmonton we’re working hard to ensure that local journalism has a future in our city. Join us to be part of the movement.

Thanks for reading! Want to support my blog? Buy me a coffee!

A small announcement to start this week’s edition: Media Monday Edmonton will soon become a roundup at Taproot Edmonton! I am still working out the details, but I will continue to post something media-related here each Monday night while directing you to Taproot for the full roundup. Thank you for reading!

Here’s my latest update on local media stuff:

• Tim Adams has announced he is “leaving CBC for a while” to work on Free Footie full-time for a year. The goal is to expand the free children’s soccer league to all host cities for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. “In his mind, now is the time to strike.” Congrats Tim and best of luck!
• A few weeks ago I mentioned that Gary Cunliffe was retiring from CBC Edmonton, making way for Stephanie Coombs. Now it’s Twitter official!
• Susan Reade, who worked as a realtor after being “restructured” out of Bell Media in 2016, is jumping back into media as the General Manager for Newcap here in Edmonton, which includes Capital FM, K-97, and CFCW.
• Well, that didn’t take long. StarMetro Edmonton now has a paywall (all the Torstar properties share the same website, so it applies across the board). No pricing information that I can see, but they are currently offering free registration for a limited time. “Later, your continued access will require a paid subscription.”
• City Council has approved nearly $4 million in funding for the new Edmonton Screen Media Fund. “The new fund will be used to make investments in, or loans to, Edmonton entrepreneurs and companies engaged in the development and production of screen media products such as films and television programs, as well as interactive digital games and mobile apps.”
• Looks like the media challenge at Southgate’s pop-up roller rink was fun! The event was emceed by Linda Hoang.
• Here is the latest Alberta Podcast Network Roundup.
• Have a podcast and want to join the Alberta Podcast Network? They have a form for that!
• The Canadian Taxpayers Federation is looking for a Communications Director for Alberta, to be based in either Edmonton or Calgary.
• Matt Smith of Doctor Who and The Crown fame is the first celebrity guest to be announced for the 7th annual Edmonton Comic & Entertainment Expo.
• Here’s a behind-the-scenes look at 630 CHED’s Bryan Hall doing a live Global Edmonton hit.
• Taproot Edmonton’s Tech Roundup has had a great first month so far! Sign up to get it delivered to your inbox every Tuesday morning.

And here is some slightly less local media stuff:

• A new independent news organization launched in Calgary in early June called LiveWire Calgary. “LiveWire Calgary believes there’s a large, under-represented group (maybe even a majority?) of Calgarians who have lost their connection to media because it’s not connecting them to their community,” wrote Darren Krause (formerly of Metro) in his introduction post. In addition to advertising and sponsored content, LiveWire Calgary has a Patreon page.
• Postmedia announced it will cut staff costs by another 10% by the end of August, in addition to closing six local newspapers. Here’s the email they sent.
• Torstar is also making cuts, laying off 11 full-time and 10 part-time staff in Toronto.
• Things aren’t much better in broadcast media, as Corus Entertainment announced a $936 million quarterly loss last week. “The key challenge for Corus and other traditional broadcasters is the decline in TV ad spending in Canada – a trend that shows no sign of reversing.”
• Politico is launching a new Canadian edition it describes as a “cross-border intelligence service for professionals with a stake in the Canada-U.S. relationship and the integrated border economy.”

Follow Edmonton media news using the hashtag #yegmedia and be sure to check out Mediagazer for the latest media news from elsewhere. You can see past Media Monday Edmonton entries here. If you have a tip or suggestion for future updates, let me know.

At Taproot Edmonton we’re working hard to ensure that local journalism has a future in our city. Join us to be part of the movement.

Thanks for reading! Want to support my blog? Buy me a coffee!