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April 28, 2009 • 11:27 am 0

Ex-BBC editor Rachel Nixon is new head of digital media at CBC News

Rachel NixonCBC has appointed the former BBC News online editor Rachel Nixon as its new director of Digital Media for CBC News.

Rachel Nixon is an award-winning journalist, having spend nine years with the internationally acclaimed BBCNews.com in a number of increasingly senior positions. In 2007, Rachel was named BBC World Service Editor of the Year for cross-platform editorial leadership.

Currently, Nixon is the global news director of Vancouver-based NowPublic.com, the world’s largest participatory news network.

In a note to staff,  Jennifer McGuire, Interim Publisher, CBC News and Executive Director, News Programming said:

Rachel will have the responsibility for charting the overall strategic direction for CBC News’ digital media unit-setting the right priorities, and overseeing the successful execution of the strategy.Her background in strategic planning, development, and delivery of editorial content makes her the ideal candidate for this role. She will be an excellent addition to the CBC News management team.

McGuire said Nixon will be responsible for the overall strategic direction of CBC News’ digital media unit, stressing that:

The renewal and expansion of high quality digital news content is critical to our continuing success in a financially challenging and increasingly competitive media environment.

Co-founder of NowPublic.com Michael Tippett described Nixon’s appointment as “a testament to her talents, hard work and experience”, adding that it was also:

a validation of the relevance of participatory news.  I hope that Rachel can carry with her the values and lessons of her experience here at NowPublic as she takes on this ambitious new project.

Nixon is due to take on the role on June 1.

(Full disclosure: I am married to Rachel and very proud of her).

Cross-post from Newslab.ca

Filed under: CBC, Canada, internet, journalism , ,

April 1, 2009 • 12:08 pm 0

CBC president positions broadcaster as a ‘content company’

The C.B.C.Image via Wikipedia

An internal briefing note by CBC President Hubert Lacroix on the broadcaster’s financial crisis provides some insights into its future.

The note aims to answer some of the questions raised by CBC staff following the announcement of sweeping job and programming cuts.

One area that was spared was CBC.ca as it is part of CBC’s digital strategy heading forward and its transformation from a broadcaster into a content provider. In the words of Lacroix:

All funds would (and should!) be directed toward things that push our strategic direction forward: in things that enable us to become a content company, to become the most important creator and distributor of Canadian content across all platforms, and to be deeply rooted in the regions.

This is a significant shift in strategy for what has been a traditional broadcaster, and Lacroix stressed how these principles would guide future investments.

If staffers were hoping that canceled programs would return, they were disappointed:

So, would we invest and re-invest, for example, in our regional roots, presence and visibility? Absolutely. Would we necessarily reinstate a particular program or position in a particular place? Not so much.

There was some good news, though, with Lacroix telling staff that:

Our Minister has now confirmed that CBC/Radio-Canada would in 2009-2010 be receiving the $60 million in non-recurring funding for programming initiatives that it has received each year since 2001. This amount was already included in our 2009-2010 budget. This confirmation doesn’t improve our current situation but not having received it would have been catastrophic.

These are clearly tough times at the CBC. In the words of Lacroix, “Hang tough. We will get through this.”

(Via Newslab.ca)

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Filed under: CBC, Canada, broadcast, journalism , , ,

February 2, 2009 • 4:22 pm 0

Thinking beyond print to support investigative journalism

Nicolas Sarkozy, a watermark was present that ...
Image via Wikipedia

With traditional news funding models under siege, the former publisher of The Toronto Star John Honderich has taken a look at five potential options.

His main focus is how to ensure that quality, investigative journalism contines to receive the funding it needs.  The piece is well thought out and argued, aside from one underlying assumption – that this is about saving a media format, the newspaper.

From the start, Honderich asks: “Whither serious print journalism?”

He goes on to talk about various ideas to revive newspapers, including French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s plan to pay for newspaper subscriptions for all 18-year-olds.

There is no denying that newspapers have been the vehicles for powerful, investigating journalism.  But it is time to stop equating a form of journalism with a format for delivering that journalism.

There is no reason to assume that print is the only or even the best vehicle for investigative journalism.

The newspaper is a delivery vehicle for news.  For a younger generation, that delivery vehicle is the internet.

As one of the comments on the story says:

My son is well educated but will not read a hardcopy newspaper. He is well read and takes in many different news sources but it’s all via the net. That’s the way that generation is. You need to capture and keep their interest ’cause we hard copy guys are leaving this earth!!

Let’s stop rehearsing tired arguments about journalism that are linked to a means of distribution.

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Filed under: Canada, internet, journalism, newspapers ,

November 20, 2008 • 11:00 am 0

Setback to Canadian campaign for network neutrality

Supporters of network neutrality have suffered a setback with the CRTC ruling in the case against Bell over Internet throttling.

The communications regulator denied the Canadian Association of Internet Providers’ (CAIP) request that Bell Canada cease the traffic-shaping practices it has adopted for its wholesale services.

However, this is turning out to be just the first round in the battle over network neutrality. The CRTC chairman Konrad von Finckenstein acknowledged that:

The broader issue of Internet traffic management raises a number of questions that affect both end-users and service providers. We have decided to hold a separate proceeding to consider both wholesale and retail issues. Its main purpose will be to address the extent to which Internet service providers can manage the traffic on their networks in accordance with the Telecommunications Act.

As part of this process, the CRTC is holding a public hearing next year to look at how service providers manage traffic on their networks. As Michael Geist notes about today’s CRTC ruling:

The decision is not a total loss for net neutrality supporters as the Commission made a clear commitment to addressing the issue of net neutrality and network management in a formal proceeding in July 2009.  Indeed, it is important not to lose sight of how much has changed in the past year.

The question of network neutrality could become one of the big technology issues of 2009. In the US, president-elect Barack Obama has expressed his support for the idea of the net as a neutral platform.

In Canada, the SaveOurNet coalition has already launched a campaign to lobby the CRTC over its decision.

(Via Newslab.ca)

Filed under: Canada, innovation, internet, new media , , , ,

September 24, 2008 • 10:17 am 1

How the net is changing Canadian media habits

A comprehensive survey of what Canadians do online challenges some assumptions the web and news.

The Canadian Internet Project report, Canada Online! The Internet, Media and Emerging Technologies: Uses, Attitudes, Trends and International Comparisons (PDF), looked at Internet habits based on a 2007 survey of more than 3,100 Canadians.

It found that new media is not displacing traditional media, saying that online newspapers do not seem to be replacing printed versions.

As Charles Zamaria, the project’s principal investigator and a professor at Ryerson University explained:

Conventional wisdom would suggest that Internet use has increased at the expense of traditional media. But the amount of time spent attending to conventional media by Internet users and non-users is virtually identical. In general, we found that Internet users are not finding time to be online by taking away from their traditional media diet. In many ways, media activity just begets more media activity.

One of the reasons for this multi-tasking. The study found that 75% of Canadians are doing something else while online. It is particularly prevalent among the young, with 91% of 18-29 year-olds multitasking. Talking on the phone is the most popular activity while surfing the we, followed by listening to music or the ratio.

In the words of Fred Fletcher, co-investigator and professor emeritus at York University:

The Internet does not demand our attention in the same way television or other media do. Canadians seem to use the Internet casually or share time online with someone
physically beside them. So it is becoming more difficult to isolate and measure specific media use for individuals as Canadians. More and more, Canadians are using many media simultaneously.

The Internet is firmly entrenched in Canadian life, with 78 percent of the country connected, spending an average of 17 hours per week online. Moreover, Canadian net users are typically very experienced, having been online for an average of nine years.

The CIP study found that news continues, along with communication, to be among the most predominant uses of the net. It sheds some light on how Canadians get their news online:

  • More than half use a search engine every day
  • The three most popular home pages are Google, MSN and Yahoo
  • 79% regularly go online to look for local, national or international news
  • 78% feel offline printed newspapers are still a trusted source of news
  • The youth spend less time than do older users reading traditional printed newspapers, but more frequently visit news sites online

CBC.ca emerged as the most popular Canadian news site, followed by CTV.ca and GlobeandMail.com. And surprisingly, the news sites favoured by young people were not significantly different from those preferred by adults.

Perhaps the most surprising finding was how social networks such as Facebook and Hi5 are transforming the online experience. 40% of Canadians have used a community or social networking site and almost a quarter do so at least weekly.

This is changing what people use the net for, particularly among young for whom going online is as much about exploring, socializing and experiencing new forms of interaction as it is about seeking or sending information.

As Professor Zamaria explains:

Our study demonstrates is that the Internet is becoming a destination or a place in itself, where many visit not only for information or to be entertained, but just to be there, and to be connected and share with others. Our finding hat almost three quarters of all Internet users surf online without a specific reason or destination,and more than half do so on a regular basis, supports our contention that the Internet, for many, as as much an experience, as it is a valuable source of information and entertainment.

This marks a significant evolution in online behaviour, with the Internet becoming part of our social and cultural fabric. The emergence of tools that allow us to connect and socialise are turning the Internet into a third place in cyberspace.

(Via Newslab.ca)

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Filed under: Canada, internet, new media , , ,

September 8, 2008 • 2:57 pm 7

J-school tracks social media buzz on Canada’s elections

NetPrimeMinister logoCanada is in the throes of a general election, with just a few weeks of campaigning before voting on October 14th.

Here at the UBC School of Journalism, we spent some time discussing what we could contribute to the media coverage.

The big national papers, The Globe and Mail and The National Post both have extensive in-depth sections online, as does CBC News.

We decided to take  different tack and instead created NetPrimeMinister.ca. The site scours social media to provide continual updates on the online buzz about the election.

It shows how the candidates vying to be Canada’s next prime minister are being talked about in social media from blogs to Twitter, YouTube and Flickr.

The idea was partly inspired by the US site techPresident and its Politickr site that combines official blog posts, news feeds, photo streams, and video posts from 2008 presidential candidates.

Vancouver-based NowPublic.com incorporates some of these features in its Canada election channel, pulling together citizen content on the vote. (Disclosure: My wife is NowPublic’s news director).

Both Politickr and NowPublic, as well as our j-school’s humble offering, NetPrimeMinister.ca, show some of the ways that information can be accessed and aggregated using new digital tools and platforms.

(Via Newslab.ca)

Filed under: Canada, journalism, social media , , , , , , , ,

August 28, 2008 • 10:14 am 0

Hit TV shows finally come to the web in Canada

Knight RiderImage via Wikipedia Canwest’s decision to ramp up the number of TV shows it offers online might prove to be the right strategy.

It is going to stream more than 50 top series – including Knight Rider, 90210, House, Heroes, The Office and Deal or No Deal -  on the web.

Comments by Canwest executive Barbara Williams suggest the media giant has realised that the way people consume TV is changing:

We understand that our viewers aren’t always able to watch their favourite show at the designated time and our role as a broadcaster today is to offer hit TV in more places and at more times than just a traditional schedule.

More...The announcement has met with a positive reception from advertisers. Media in Canada quotes Rodney Perry, managing partner, director at Toronto’s MEC Interactive, as saying:

The Canwest broadband offering is a great way for us to potentially capture some lost TV ratings due to fragmentation, [as] we continue to struggle with the cost structure of broadband vs. TV and other digital media.

The news from Canwest comes as a report by Forrester Research argues that the future of TV will be a web-like experience, called  “personal TV.” It will be delivered on-demand with targeted advertising based on location and behavior.

Canwest’s decision to stream more of its shows on the web is a move towards providing this viewing experience.
It makes sense to do this in a country like Canada, where almost 9 million Canadians have broadband, ranking the country in 10th position among the 30 developed countries that make up the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development.

The next step is to take this beyond the computer screen and offer a similar service via the TV screen. Forrester anticipates systems make TV work like the web won’t come along until 2010,with the big industry-wide shift taking place from 2012-18.

(Via Newslab.ca)

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Filed under: Canada, broadcast, television , ,

July 30, 2008 • 10:05 am 0

Jobs at UBC School of Journalism

We have some positions open at my J-school at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. If you are looking for a position and this is a good fit for you, I hope that you will apply. If not, please help us let others know about the opportunities. I would be happy to talk with anyone who is curious about the positions, the school, the university, and the city.

UBC School of Journalism logo
Assistant/Associate Professor of Journalism
School of Journalism, University of British Columbia
Vancouver, British Columbia

The UBC School of Journalism invites applications for one or more tenure-track positions at the rank of Assistant or Associate Professor in media ethics, with research experience/expertise in the areas of global media ethics, media history, new media theory, science and technology studies, or ethnic media and diversity. We are seeking applications from those who would complement the Department’s core strengths as listed on our website: www.journalism.ubc.ca

Candidates must have a PhD. (or be near completion) and are expected to demonstrate potential for high quality research and teaching at the graduate level. The successful candidate will be expected to maintain an active program of research, teaching and service. Candidates with previous experience as journalists will be prioritized.

The position(s) is subject to final budgetary approval. Salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience. Application inquiries should be addressed to:

Dr. Mary Lynn Young
Director and Associate Professor
University of British Columbia, School of Journalism
6388 Crescent Road
Vancouver, BC
V6T 1Z2

Application deadline: September 30, 2008.

Applications must include: letter of application, CV, evidence of teaching effectiveness, three confidential letters of reference, or the names and addresses of four referees.

The University of British Columbia hires on the basis of merit and is committed to employment equity. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadian citizens and permanent residents of Canada will be given priority.

The anticipated start date is July 1, 2009.

Filed under: Canada, education, journalism , , , , , ,

July 28, 2008 • 1:30 pm 0

Newspapers on a laptop

Is this the Canadian Newpaper Association’s idea of online journalism?

Filed under: Canada, journalism, newspapers

July 25, 2008 • 11:08 am 0

CBC seeks to draw in ethnic audiences

CBC BC Chinese-language website
CBC is reaching out to the Chinese community in British Columbia with the launch of a Chinese-language news service.

The website is fairly basic at this stage, with a list of headlines leading to local, national and international stories in simplified and traditional Chinese characters.

The stories are picked by staff in the Vancouver newsroom and translated by journalists at Canada’s international broadcaster, Radio Canada International.

Read the rest of this entry »

Filed under: CBC, Canada, broadcast, journalism , , ,

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Alfred Hermida
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