Archive
7 Nov

The delicate art of negotiating for data

<p> </p><p><em>It’s easier than you think, says <strong>Glen McGregor</strong>. In this piece for Media magazine, McGregor explains how to make effective access to information and freedom of information requests, the steps to successfully negotiating with coordinators, and why IT people may be your saving grace when asking for data from governments. </em></p><p> </p>

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31 Oct

How they got the story: Steve Buist on The Spec’s BORN: A Code Red Project

<p><em>The</em> <em>Hamilton Spectator</em>'s Steve Buist won the Canadian Association of Journalists 2012 overall prize for the second year in a row with his groundbreaking series that drew links between income level and health. Using social science and data journalism techniques and good old-fashioned shoe leather, Steve and his team told stories that forced the city of Hamilton to take action.

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24 Oct

Media magazine to celebrate 2012 award winners

<p><em>The challenge of pitching and telling the investigative, enterprise or explanatory story will always remain and even intensify, despite what news managers say about being committed to original content. In the upcoming issue of Media magazine, editor <strong>David McKie</strong> sought to tell the story behind the 2012 award-winning stories, highlighting the challenges facing journalists in getting these important stories told.</em></p><p> </p>

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12 Sep

Pouring gasoline on the debate over Quebec separation

<p> </p><p><em>The mainstream media's reaction to the <a href="http://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CCcQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpq.org%2F&ei=pJxQUODMGcbJyAH7k4CQDA&usg=AFQjCNF2fz82R4EQywulSI9ApD5dOqt3cg&sig2=scR1E9qCQ_M1y_Qwzlxj7Q" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Parti Québécois</a> victory may have been predictable, but <strong>Justin Ling</strong> says it risks fanning the flames of intolerance.</em></p><p><strong>By Justin Ling</strong></p>

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11 Jul

Celebrating the 30th anniversary of the federal Access to Information Act

<p><em>On the 30<sup>th</sup> anniversary of Access to Information, <strong>David McKie</strong> sees reason for positivity: If we’re capable of doing stories with a weak law that gives the government too many ways to withhold information, and the information commissioner too few powers to force institutions to hand over records, then think of the stories we could do with an even stronger law.</em></p><p> </p><p><strong>By David McKie</strong></p>

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17 Apr

Using data to tell stories — on deadline

<p><strong>By David McKie</strong></p><p>Normally, I dislike leads that contain questions.</p><p>But stories that use data to drive the narrative usually begin with the journalist asking a question. So here are a few.</p>

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1 Feb

Embracing the deadbeat: The final word on a life lived

<p><em>When it comes to writing obituaries, your story is the last word on a person’s life. <strong>Don Gibb</strong> gives advice on how to write these sensitive stories in a way that gets everything right while humanizing, remembering and celebrating a person's life the way they deserve. With an introduction from <a href="http://caj.ca/wp-content/uploads/2010/mediamag/Winter%202012/MEDIA%20MAGAZINE%20Winter%202012_final.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Media magazine</a> editor <strong>Dave McKie</strong>.</em></p><p> </p>

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11 Jan

Web scraping: How journalists get their own data

<p><em>Don't rely on others to get you the information you need. <strong>Glen McGregor</strong> explains in the latest issue of </em><a href="http://j-source.ca/node/add/article" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Media</a><em><a href="http://j-source.ca/node/add/article" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> magazine</a> that the ability to program a basic script can allow you the freedom to no longer rely solely on Access to Information laws and give you the liberty to analyze data in new ways. And a foreword by <strong>David McKie</strong>, J-Source's Ideas editor, explains why this

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21 Dec

Fighting for the soul of journalism amid imposters

<p><em>As journalists, we ask tough questions of our sources. But it turns out we may need to ask such questions of fellow journalists as well. <strong>Stephen Ward</strong> writes about an alarming trend he is seeing south of the border: partisan groups passing off their work as journalism. Partisan journalism simply can’t provide the value that public journalism ideally does. The U.S. cases should serve as a warning to Canadians. Foreword by J-Source Ideas editor and </em>Media<em> magazine editor <strong>David McKie</strong>.</em></p><p> </p>

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10 Nov

Participatory Journalism: an interview with Alfred Hermida

<p><em><strong>Lisa Lynch</strong> chats with Participatory Journalism co-author and UBC associate professor <strong>Alfred Hermida</strong> about citizen involvement in the news, comment policies, and newsroom innovation</em>.</p>

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