Is journalism really dying? No, it’s just evolving
A recent spate of bad news for the news business has triggered yet another round of lamentation that journalism is dying, which is kind of funny when you think about…
Marc Edge
Liberal studies students subjected to decidedly illiberal guest speaker
Jen Gerson. freelance writer and co-founder of The Line. Photo from LinkedIn. What kind of Institute for Liberal Studies funds a Calgary-based conservative commentator to spread right-wing conspiracy theories to…
Black Press sale would increase American ownership of Canada’s news media
Yet another Canadian community newspaper chain is going to court under our bankruptcy laws, but again it has nothing to do with it going out of business. This time it…
The National Post should be the last to lecture anyone about media bias
There is something profoundly ironic about the National Post lecturing anyone about media bias, as it did on Saturday in a package complete with a distorted front-page picture of Conservative…
Bogeyman of federal interference in election coverage explodes on websites, social media
We live in a dangerous age of misinformation and disinformation which can quickly grow into conspiracy theories fueled by partisan online echo chambers. One story that hit the Internet late…
Progressive journalism outlets come together to form Unrigged
In response to the Online News Act, 20 local, regional and national media outlets, including Canadian Dimension, banded together to launch their own news aggregator, Unrigged. Image courtesy NB Media…
CTV News brings in a propagandist to spin the Online News Act
Consultants Mohit Rajhans (L) and Andrew Perez (R) debate the details of how Google’s $100 million commitment to Canadian media will be divided among news organizations. Still image courtesy CTV…
Google’s promised $100 million a year brings hope for Canadian news
Photo by Sebastian Hillig/Flickr Google has proved that it’s not evil after all by coming through with $100 million a year for Canadian news, but history is starting to again…
Sim-sub now being used by Bell to promote sports betting
Bell, which owns CTV and TSN, partnered with US bookmaker FanDuel last year on its FanDuel Sundays segments “to give fans a glimpse of what goes on behind the scenes…
Ottawa extends, doubles news media bailout
You really have to hand it to the suits at News Media Canada, who have pulled yet another lucrative rabbit out their hat by persuading Ottawa to not only extend…
Trudeau interview reveals uncomfortable truth
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau sits down for a one-on-one interview with Village Media Editor Michael Friscolanti in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. Photo courtesy Timmins Today. It’s not often that the…
Canadian media’s promotion of sports betting should have limits
Sports betting activities have proliferated in recent years due to increased visibility through pervasive advertising campaigns. Photo courtesy Play Canada. Rick Dhaliwal was just about to launch into his show-opening…
Closure of weeklies leaves communities without a print newspaper
Photo by Ryan Berry/Flickr KAMLOOPS, BC – The final edition of Kamloops This Week was emblazoned with a giant “-30-” on its front page when it appeared last Wednesday as…
Forestry for the Future campaign reveals the corruption of Canadian news media
A 2018 study by Montréal-based Union des Consommateurs found “serious ethical problems” with native advertising in Canada, including “the erosion of the impenetrable wall that, in the news media, must…
Press freedom is slipping away in Canada
Photo by Himanshu Pandey/Unsplash Press freedom is increasingly under assault worldwide by governments that are finding the Internet much easier to control than the press ever was. While dictators everywhere…
Predatory owners suck the marrow from bones of Canada’s news media
The Toronto Star building is shown in Toronto, March 16, 2019. Photo by A Great Capture/Flickr. Can’t anyone see what’s going on here? We’ve been had. We are being made…
Metroland bankruptcy smells to high heaven
The chain of 70 Ontario community newspapers and a half-dozen dailies, including the historic Hamilton Spectator, filed last week for court protection from its creditors. File photo by John Rennison/Hamilton…
Ding, dong the efficiencies defence is dead
Most of Canada’s major industries, such as banking, oil and gas, media and retail, have long ago become dominated by oligopolies of a few dominant firms which exert inordinate market…
Twist in Online News Act regulations could see news media owe millions to Google, Facebook
Photo from iStock Canadian news media could ironically owe millions to Google and Meta instead of the other way around under the Online News Act regulations proposed by Ottawa late…
Postmedia uses junk science to make its case for digital millions
Image from Pixabay Non-scholars tend to be impressed by studies that are seemingly scientific but on closer inspection simply don’t hold water. They are often offered by our news media…