Category Uncategorized
5 Dec

Covering Peter MacKay, Rob Ford and the Toronto Star: The ‘tabloidization of politics’

<p><em>Tabloid news is a real threat to journalism and the freedom of the press, argues <strong>John Miller</strong> in this post. Drawing upon last week's headlines about the </em>Toronto Star<em> vs. Rob Ford and defence minister Peter MacKay's helicopter ride, he urges the media: Keep the news in proportion.</em></p><p>Let last week stand as the one in which the media in Canada completed the "tabloidization" of politics.</p>

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5 Dec

2012 preview: Digital revenue all-important for newspapers

<p>Digital ad revenue is the only area in which newspapers expect to see revenue growth in 2012, according to KubasPrimedia’s annual preview report.  </p><p>As MarketingMag.ca <a href="http://www.marketingmag.ca/news/media-news/no-turnaround-for-newspaper-revenues-in-2012-kubasprimedia-41398" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reports</a>, 53 per cent of newspaper executives said ad revenues were worse than expected this year. With digital revenue being the only saving grace, newspapers plan on improving their online presence, content and digital advertising platforms.</p>

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5 Dec

Wot means journalistic independence? One answer, in the form of a sonnet

<p><em>It's become a familiar, yet unresolved, question: what, if anything, distinguishes an act of journalism from other stuff? <strong>Ivor Shapiro</strong> has a thought on that, with a little help from the Bard of Avon.</em></p><p> </p><p>I have been urged by some colleagues and students to post here a sonnet I wrote last week.</p><p>WTF?</p><p>True, this is not a poetry site, and true, I don't  know diddly about writing sonnets. And true, the work is not especially original (though I'm pretty sure the original author won't be sue me).</p>

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3 Dec

Many Occupy Toronto protestors gave media fake names, one claims to Star’s Kathy English

<p>The Star's Public Editor, Kathy English, <a href="http://www.thestar.com/opinion/public_editor/2011/12/02/english_so_who_is_this_guy.html">tries to track down</a> whether one Occupy Toronto protestor used a pseudonym to the newspaper's reporters, without it being revealed to readers.  Then, he tells her that many of his fellow protestors did the same.  Were Toronto reporters duped or did they knowingly use pseudonyms - but perhaps duping readers?</p>

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3 Dec

New CBC Ottawa Morning host, Robyn Bresnahan, starts Monday

<p>After 10 years of working abroad for the <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/worldhaveyoursay/2011/05/meet_the_team_robyn_bresnahan.html">BBC World Service </a>and CBC Radio in London, U.K., Robyn Bresnahan will be setting her alarm early Monday morning to host CBC Radio 1's Ottawa Morning.  Originally from Calgary, Carleton University School of Journalism grad first worked at CBC in <a href="http://carletonnow.carleton.ca/december-2011/carleton-journalism-grad-new-host-of-ottawa-morning/">Ottawa as a student intern.</a></p>

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2 Dec

The public media’s quest for integrity in the digital age

<p><em>Where will trust come from in the future of public media? News organizations are beginning to create new, integrated ethical guidelines as they move into the digital age. It is in this age that we need an understanding of public journalism that goes beyond traditional forms, such as radio and television. <strong>Stephen Ward</strong> takes a look at this issue, and tells us why it is important that public media has the trust of the people it serves. </em></p><p> </p>

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2 Dec

Todd van der Heyden joins CTV News Channel

<p>CTV News Channel has announced that Todd van der Heyden will be joining them full-time and leaving CTV Montreal, where he currently anchors the noon and 6 p.m. broadcasts.</p><p>According to a <a href="http://www.newswire.ca/en/story/889131/ctv-montreal-s-todd-van-der-heyden-moves-to-ctv-news-channel" target="_blank" rel="noopener">news release</a>, beginning on Jan. 16, 2012, van der Heyden will be co-anchoring with Amanda Blitz weekdays from 1-4 p.m. on CTV News Channel.</p><p>His last newscast for CTV Montreal will be Dec. 30, 2011. His successor will be announced in the coming weeks. </p>

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2 Dec

Rob Ford’s relations (or lack thereof) with the Toronto Star and today’s front page

<p><em><strong>Rhiannon Russell</strong> explains how the Rob Ford vs. </em>Toronto Star<em> battle began and how it got to today's "Drop dead" headline on the front page of the</em> Star. </p><p> </p><p>According to Rob Ford’s brother Doug, the mayor is adamant he won’t talk to the <em>Toronto Star</em> until it issues a front-page apology for a <a href="http://www.thestar.com/news/city_hall/2010/07/13/rob_ford_told_he_was_unwelcome_as_a_football_coach_at_toronto_high_school.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><u>story he maintains is false</u></a>.</p>

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2 Dec

La pige en Italie: 5 questions à Ariel Dumont

<p>Par Geneviève Gagné, collaboratrice en Italie</p><p>La crise économique aura eu raison de Silvio Berlusconi, mais l’Italie n’a pas fini de rapiécer ses poches. Sous l’égide du nouveau Premier ministre, Mario Monti, le conseil des ministres approuvera lundi un nouveau plan de rigueur, de quoi alimenter sans relâche les journalistes. Ariel Dumont, journaliste indépendante en Italie en sait quelque chose.</p>

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2 Dec

Publisher of one of Canada’s last independently-owned dailies, The Chronicle Herald, dies at 84

<p>Graham Dennis, owner of The Halifax Herald Ltd. and publisher of <em>The</em> <em>Chronicle Herald</em>, died at home in Halifax last night at the age of 84. The “fiercely proud” Nova Scotian had been performing those roles at the Atlantic Canadian paper for almost 60 years – from the “days of typewriters and telegraphs” into the Internet age, as an <a href="http://thechronicleherald.ca/novascotia/38519-chronicle-herald-publisher-dies-84" target="_blank" rel="noopener">obituary posted on the Herald’s website</a> says.</p>

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