Here’s my latest update on local media stuff:

• The 23rd annual ATCO Edmonton Sun Christmas Charity Auction raised over $163,000 in support of four local charities: the Stollery Children’s Hospital, United Way, Christmas Bureau, and Catholic Social Services Sign of Hope. Lunch with Mayor Iveson sold for over $1000!
• Cam Tait says that although media folks are “ultra competitive”, the charity auction is way to bring media folks together who are “eager to share the goodness of the same story: Edmontonians, who need help the most right now, are going to get it.”
• Changes are underway at Global Edmonton to deal with the baby boom! Starting tonight, Quinn Ohler is anchoring News Hour Final, and Nancy Carlson is now officially co-hosting the News Hour with Gord Steinke.
• Here’s a feature on TSN’s Ryan Rishaug. He’s an Edmontonian, but he got his start at CFJC-TV in Kamloops back in 1998.
• CBC’s Mark Connolly says that “Edmonton AM is now #1 in the Edmonton radio ratings.” The last PPM ratings were released in September, so I’m not sure which ratings he is referring to.
• Here’s a feature on CISN’s Clayton Bellamy, who along with Chelsea Bird hosts the “Drive Home” slot from 2-7pm. “They’ve put a recording artist with no broadcasting experience on the air in prime time drive time. It’s never been done in this market before.”
• The Rotary Club of Edmonton is hosting a Roast of Bryan Hall on November 12 at the River Cree!
• The Edmonton Journal has an immediate opening for a “visual storyteller to play a leading role in developing content for the Journal’s forthcoming tablet app.” Ability to code is an asset.
• Want to intern at the Edmonton Journal? They are hiring three interns for the summer.
• Heads up if you’re a Shaw Internet customer (as I am): rates are going up effective January 1, 2015. They’ll notify customers of their new rate 30 days in advance of any charges.
• Take a look at what local bloggers have written in the last week!
• I guess Edmonton Sun readers like pie? A new promotion will give you a $25 Fifendekel gift card if you subscribe to the Sun.
• The next Capital Ideas Edmonton event is coming up on November 19. The topic this time will be how to hire well.
• A reminder that Edmontonians Matthew Garrett and Simon Underwood will appear on Food Network’s Donut Showdown on November 24 at 7pm.
• A new study on working as a journalist in the digital age found that journalists “faced increased workloads, declining pay, increased unpaid work, and job insecurity.”
• I guess paywalls aren’t for everyone: the Toronto Star is scrapping its paywall next year and is launching a free tablet edition instead.
• I’ve seen a bunch of things about comments lately. Reuters has decided to turn comments on news stories off, saying that “much of the well-informed and articulate discussion around news…has moved to social media and online forums.” Hacker News has run a number of experiments attempting to increase the quality of discussion and promises “to do more of them.” And Jeff Atwood, founder of Discourse, wrote an interesting post about online communities and empathy.
• Arif Noorani, The long-time executive producer of CBC’s radio program Q, has decided to leave the show.
• Has anyone checked out Shomi yet? It’s the new streaming service from Rogers and Shaw. Looks like it isn’t worth switching from Netflix, at least not yet.
• As of January 23, 2015, you’ll no longer have to give 30 days notice to cancel your television, phone, or Internet service. It’s the first change coming out of the CRTC’s “Let’s Talk TV” sessions. Let’s hope pick and pay is next.
• Take a trip down memory lane with the 60th Anniversary of CFCW:

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 Edmonton Sun’s annual Christmas Charity Auction runs November 4-6! There are 11 “Fun with The Media” items up for auction. This is the 23rd year that the auction has been held. Proceeds support the Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation, Sign of Hope, the United Way of Alberta, and the Christmas Bureau of Edmonton.
• Danny Hooper marks the 60th anniversary of CFCW: the station first went on the air on November 2, 1954.
• Marty Forbes notes in his latest column that Daryl Hooke is leaving Corus and as I mentioned last week, that Bryn Griffiths is back on the airwaves at Newcap.
• Here’s the official list of Top 40 Under 40 for 2014 profiles. Congrats to Mosaic Entertainment’s Camille Beaudoin and Shannon Blanchet, former Global Edmonton troubleshooter Julie Matthews, writer Omar Mouallem, World FM 101.7’s Naz Sohni Uppal, and all the other amazing Edmontonians featured!
• Kathleen Smith (aka @KikkiPlanet) has filed a defence that states the lawsuit brought by AUPE is an attack on her freedom of speech.
• The next Art of Conversation, co-hosted by Graham Hicks, takes place tomorrow evening at The Bothy on 124 Street.
• CTV News at Five with Erin Isfeld and Joel Gotlib launched tonight! Here’s a promo video:

• Also starting today, Mosaic Entertainment’s Tiny Plastic Men is launching online first via YouTube. It’ll come to pay TV via Super Channel in a few months.
• I’m not sure if this is new exactly, but the Journal’s printed letter page on Friday included comments made online.
• Happy belated birthday to CTV Edmonton’s Daryl McIntyre!
• Congratulations to Global Edmonton’s Jennifer Crosby who reports, “baby girl is doing well”.
• The deadline to apply for the Edmonton Journal’s open Media Journalist position is Wednesday!
• Have you seen the new CTV Morning Live commercials? They are pretty funny, and encourage you to “wake up to some real personalities!” Here’s one featuring Stacey Brotzel.
• Here is Karen’s latest roundup of all the great stuff local bloggers are sharing!
• Here is Linda’s latest social media notes. One of the things she mentions is that ads on Instagram have come to Canada – I haven’t seen one yet!
• What do you think about the idea of charging people for access to the comments section of news articles? Trent Wilkie discusses this novel way to save print media.
• Rogers & Shaw are set to launch their new on-demand service called Shomi tomorrow. The service will offer access to more than 12,000 hours of content.
• If you’d rather not watch the Grey Cup this year, you can listen to the Grey Cup Radio Network, which six TSN Radio stations along with 13 others across the country are participating in.
• I’m sure you’re sick of reading about Jian Ghomeshi by now, but I really enjoyed this piece by Paula Simons. Her take on the magic of radio is definitely worth a read.
• Here are a couple of “future of news” posts for you to digest. Gavin Sheridan says the future of news is software, while SAM’s James Neufeld says the future of news is storytelling.
• And while we’re thinking about tech, here’s a good piece on the changing face of technology journalism.

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.

I saved a few media-related links while I was away, things I really wanted to link to, so you’ll see a few older items in the list below. Here’s my latest update on local media stuff:

• I guess I need to begin this week with CBC. They’ve been all over the media news lately, for good and bad reasons. It seems like all anyone can talk about today is the news that Jian Ghomeshi was fired by the CBC, apparently for allegations of abuse stemming from his habit of engaging in BDSM. In a Facebook post, Ghomeshi attempted to frame the story in his favor, and said he would be suing the CBC for $50 million. In his post he mentioned a Canadian media publication that did due diligence but never printed a story, which turned out to be the Toronto Star (he also mentioned a short story written by Edmonton author Lynn Coady). Lots has been written about this story already, but here are a couple of long, thoughtful posts: Jian Versus the CBC, and poor persecuted pervert?. I’m sure we’ll hear much more about this in the weeks ahead.
• There was also the news recently that another 400 CBC employees will lose their jobs by March 2015. If that wasn’t bad enough, it seems yet another 400 jobs could be cut in 2016, with layoffs happening all through 2020.
• On the other end of the spectrum, Peter Mansbridge received wide acclaim for his thoughtful, respectful coverage of the Ottawa shooting. Canadian coverage tends to be less dramatic than American coverage as a general rule, but even in Canada last week, what CBC did stood out. While Global was blaring the “Attack on Canada” headline, Mansbridge and CBC were much more measured and calm.
• Of course, the big story while I was away was Postmedia’s $316 million deal to purchase 175 newspapers and digital publications from Quebecor, bringing previously competitive newspapers like the Edmonton Journal and the Edmonton Sun under the same umbrella. The deal and other moves by Postmedia are fueling the image of Paul Godfrey as a media mogul, but with widening losses it remains to be seen if his strategy will pan out.
• Turning back to local news, I was sad to read that the City and Dale blog will be ending after five years. Kendall and Gillian have moved on to other projects (like Poppy Barley and The Noteworthy) so I completely understand their decision. “Unlike most goodbyes, this one is not sad. This project has run its course,” they wrote. It looks like they’ll keep the site up though, which is great because their archives contain a ton of great information!
• Fashion blogger Janis Galloway who writes the popular Dress Me Dearly has been named Simons’ first Fashion Ambassador. She says the role will enable her to “help Edmontonians live their style in a fun new campaign.” The collaboration includes blog posts, private shopping appointments in store, and a regular monthly appearance on BT Edmonton, with more “up our stylish sleeves.” Congrats Janis!

• Erin Isfeld returned to CTV from maternity leave on October 6. Starting November 3, she and Joel Gotlib will anchor a full hour news broadcast from 5-6pm.
• Marty Forbes has setup a new Twitter account to talk about local media news called @MediaInYeg. So far it seems light on media stuff.
• The 64th annual Western Association of Broadcast Engineers convention wraps up here in Edmonton tomorrow. The convention aims to “highlight the best of radio and television technologies and provides a venue for engineers to share information and their experiences.”
• Check out Karen’s latest blog roundup here. I love that she has kept this up! And yes, I have a bunch of improvements to ShareEdmonton in the works.
• Bryn Griffiths will be joining the morning shows of CFCW, K97, and Capital FM starting November 3. “My new gig will be to present news and sports on all three stations,” he writes.
• The St. Albert Gazette is hiring for the position of editor. The deadline to apply is November 3. In mid-September, the Gazette brought Chris Puglia on-board as the new assistant editor.
• The Edmonton Journal is looking for a media journalist. The deadline to apply for the 13-month contract position is November 5.
• The Unknown Studio are back with their sixth season! The first episode was posted on October 15.
• From October 17: “legendary assignment editor Randy McDonald retires”, courtesy of Ryan Jespersen.
• This story broke just before I left: AUPE sues tweeter, blogger in $500,000 defamation suit. Kathleen Smith (@KikkiPlanet) was the tweeter in question. I haven’t yet seen an update on the story.
• A very belated congratulations to Karen Kleiss on receiving the Robert C. Clark award for her work on the Fatal Care series published late last year.
• I’m still looking forward to the launch of The Yards Magazine in December. They have been ramping up their communications on Twitter it seems.
• The title is a bit grander than the story, but I still enjoyed the New York Times’ look at How Facebook is Changing the Way Its Users Consume Journalism.

I wanted to share this video by Alex Scuccato, called “Outpost – This is Edmonton”. It was pretty popular on social media networks recently. His description is pretty simple: “A journey with my friends through some of my favourite places, restaurants, festivals, and attractions in my hometown, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada over summer.”

How’s that for some Edmonton storytelling? Nice work Alex! Now, maybe make one for winter too?

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:

• I haven’t yet seen an official statement from the team, but Ryan Jespersen has confirmed on Twitter that he’s the new in-game host for the Edmonton Oilers. Here’s a photo of him in action. Ryan previously performed the in-game host duties as a substitute back in April, so it seems like he left them wanting more. Congrats Ryan!
• CTV Edmonton celebrates its 60th anniversary on October 17 this year. Leading up to the milestone, watch for retrospectives on the station’s history. “CTV Edmonton’s look back at its long and storied history also features special online and social media content including never before seen and behind-the-scenes footage of the station through the years.” Here’s a look back at CFRN-TV’s history from Marty Forbes.
• Pioneer Press celebrated its 120th birthday last week. The company’s press was originally used to print a newspaper called Plaindealer (which began in 1896 I believe). Today the company focuses on commercial printing, like business cards.
• Blackgold Broadcasting is taking its “The One” format from Leduc to both Parkland County, serving Stony Plain and Spruce Grove, and also Ponoka. The Parkland County station has been approved and will launch as 88.1 THE ONE next spring.
• You may have heard today that the emergency department was closed at the Royal Alexandra Hospital because of an apparent Ebola scare. Jonathan captured what I’m sure many were thinking this morning:

• Are you enjoying the City and Dale blog? Great! Meet their latest contributors.
• Linda Hoang is the new celebrity chef at Delux! She is hosting a series of tweetups throughout October to promote her burger, called The ‘Om Nom Nom’ Burger. Also, don’t miss her latest social media notes.
• Here is the latest collection of local blog treasures from Karen! Lots of great reading there.
• This would have been fun: Global Edmonton recently received some training from Poynter.
• Alberta Venture magazine is looking for an assistant editor to join the team.
• Thinking of switching sides? The Citadel Theatre is looking for a media relations manager.
• The news of Dan Tencer being let go from 630 CHED continues to be discussed. The PSR thread is up to more than 100 comments now.
• Looking to apply to the Radio & Television program at NAIT? The next application deadline is October 31.
• Shaw Media has announced plans to create a new 24-hour news channel. It would be different than other channels because it would “feature distinct local feeds in all 12 markets where Global currently operates conventional television stations” plus they are promising to add local newsrooms to eight more communities. The blending of local and national news “promises to be a logistical challenge”, says The Globe and Mail. If approved, the station would launch in 2016.
• Netflix is refusing to handover data to the CRTC, as expected. There’s no way the CRTC is going to win this battle – the public and the government are both against them.
• Submissions are now being accepted for the next round of funding through the Super Channel Development Fund. Since November 2013, the fund has invested $1.5 million in 54 Canadian feature films, documentaries, and TV series.

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 are out, and once again Now! 102.3 FM is on top, in every demographic. In fact, they’ve increased their lead over second place 630 CHED. 91.7 FM The Bounce was the biggest loser in this book, while Capital FM improved the most.
• Central Edmonton is getting its own magazine in December called The Yards. It’ll be published four times per year by the Oliver and Downtown community leagues. The magazine’s editor is Omar Mouallem (here’s his letter to readers), while Vikki Wiercinski will lead art direction. Follow them on Twitter for updates.
• One of the big stories this week was that 630 CHED has let Dan Tencer go. No reason was officially given, but the slipping ratings are one potential reason. Tencer tweeted “nothing but gratitude towards 630 CHED and Corus” and said he’ll miss it. He added that he is proud of his work there.
• Congratulations to Mel Priestley on becoming the new Dish editor for Vue Weekly!
• Congrats also to Cory Haller who is the new associate editor at Avenue Edmonton.
• Edmonton’s 105.9 Shine FM recently celebrated its 10th anniversary. Congrats!
• Social Media Breakfast Edmonton’s SMBFieldtrip 2014 is fast approaching! The event takes place at Rundle Park on Sunday, September 28. Tickets are $25 and include a picnic brunch, a geocaching challenge, and other activities. Learn more here.
• The finalists for the 2014 Canadian Online Publishing Awards have been posted. The Journal is up for Best Infographic for its feature on the Gretzky trade and for Best Use of Social Media for YEGQUEST. Postmedia Labs was also nominated for Best Use of Social Media for Gastropost and Capital Ideas, and Gastropost itself was nominated for Best Email Newsletter Design and Engagement. Alberta Construction Magazine was nominated for Best Infographic for its feature on the southern Alberta floods.
• From Vintage Edmonton, here are some great vintage radio ads. There’s even a very young Bryan Hall in those photos!
• This is pretty neat: side-by-side bylines in the National Post for Annalise and Cailynn Klingbeil.
• The next Capital Ideas Edmonton event takes place on Wednesday at the Edmonton Journal. The lineup looks pretty good: Cameron Gertz from YEG Live, Justine Barber from Poppy Barley, and Sue Heuman from Focus Communications.
• Venture Publishing is looking for an associate editor for Alberta Oil, in either Calgary or Edmonton.
• Dan Taylor has been named Edmonton’s topic comic by Sirius XM satellite radio.
• Extra Life is coming up on October 25, organized by Edmonton Sun reporter Matt Dykstra. The video gaming marathon raises money for the Stollery Children’s Hospital.
• A recent editorial from The Journal tackled the future of television and the decisions being considered by the CRTC right now. The editorial argues for pick and pay but also mandatory inclusions for community public access channels and Canadian stations. It also says “there is no reason online enterprises such as Netflix or Google should be required to pay into accounts that help fund Cancon.”
• While we’re on the subject of TV, Apple CEO Tim Cook says TV is “stuck back in the 70s.” It’s a hard nut to crack, evidently.
• Could the “glance” be a new subatomic unit of news? Wearables like the new Apple Watch could make it so.
• Neiman Reports argues for more female newsroom leaders.

You can expect to see new Minister of Health Stephen Mandel back in the news more frequently

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.