' ~FJJA , THE CANADIAN ASSOCIATION ' OF JOURNALISTS

L'ASSOCIATION CANADIENNE DES JOURNALISTES

VOL 3 • NO.4 WINTER 1997 ~ $3.95 TABLE OF CONTENTS THE FIRST WORD THC CANADIAN ASSOCIATION OF JOURNALISTS t:ASSOCIATION CANADIEt\~E DES JOURNALISTES

F1KST WORD ...... 3 1HE LOf OF COWMNISIS WHAT MAKES THEM TICK? NEW ON 1HE NET Arts\ve ting this question could piUvide valuable insight MEDIA LISTEN! G TO THE RADIO WITH THE CLICK into the views they express. The business of journalism VOLUME 3 • ;-.!UMBER 4 • WINTER 1997 OF A MOUSE By Mich:1Cl Cdxlen ...... 18 The lntemet isn't just a repositoty for lots of text and Publisher: Wendy Mcl ellan photographs. Many mdio stations, including public JOBS ON-LINE Editor: David McKie broodcastets sud1 as the CBC and BBC, can be hea~d in jOBS IN Ti lE NEW MEDIA is deaf to pleas for the preservation of a nation­ ers who question his motives and paint him as The Books Editor: Lynne Van Luven real Lin1e on the Net. impcmant thing is that there rue jobs out thete in al culture." the ,~Jiain . He has said that hes buying news­ By julian Sher ...... 4 new media, and they sotcly need joumalists with new Copy Editor: Laurel Hyau skills. And even funher afield, the Australian papers to save them He has asked his c1itics to "hat a year it was. For many jour­ wait and see what hes able to do with newspa­ Layout and design: Chris Barnett 1HE WRII1NG TOOLBOX By Mindy McAt.iams ...... 19 Bmadcasting Corporation is also facing the Legal Advisor: Peter M. jacobsen, THERE'S NOTlliNG TABOO ABOUT USING nalists, 1996 was a nightmare. For same fate. Phillip Adams, a prominent pers such as the Ottawa Citizen before rushing HOOK CORNER others it was merely a bad dream. to snap judgments. We will be watching him. (Paterson MacDougall) THE FIRST PERSON CORPORATE GREED AND THE BOTTOM LINE W journalist in Australia, says that country's Printer: Bonanza Printing & Print repmters must shed their reluctance to share their After taking in a debate about whether unpopular For a few, it was a year of some optimism. government would love to see the corporation Indeed, it was quite a year. And 1997 First, the nightmare. They knew it was Copying Centre lnc. own obset,'Canada, journalists are free to write critical stories. expenditure on anything. They are quite happy er, and better looking, we hope our re-designed When jolll11aiists in COLmtries sum as Cameroon, especially paid for by tax dollars, are under Bob Roth MARSHALL MCLUHAN REVlSITED pages will help bting future stmies about the Algetia, and Chechn}'en mote job I~ and Investigative jOllmalist, he tries to explain why he's so pmgram slashing, what kind of a futute will Canada's angty Reviewed by Allison Markin The address is: publlc broadcaster really have? ...... 23 do The Canadian Association of joumalists By Lionel Lumb ...... 10 St. Patrick's Building- 316B THE HISTORY OF COWGIRLS In CoHgiris, author Candace Sa\'UJMBIA WHERE DID ICE HOCKEY ORIGINATE, ANYWM? We're available when you want facts, photos forbidden. THE OTHER GUY NAMED BLACK Author Garth Vaughan persuasively argues that Over the rast 20 yerus, David Black has pieoed together his home town, Windsor, 1 ova Scotia, is intetviews, background, or whatever, Subscription rates: $14.98 (.98 G.S.T.) the largest independent cr.ain of community hockey's binhplace. Re\1ewed by Ben Rayner per year, payable in advance. newspapets in Canada. Now he's poised to invade ...... 24 on the auto industry in general and Ford Conmd Black's tLUf on B.Cs l...cM'er Mainland. Indexed in the Canadian Periodical Index OBDUARY By Midwl McCull~_,gt ...... 15 A GOOD REPORTER REMEMBERED ...... 25 in particular. Canada Post Canadian Publications Mail HKOADCASilNG LASfWORD Sales Product Agreement No. 182796 REDEMPTION TIME AT THE CRTC TEACHINGJOURJ'JALISM IN THE '90s Ford Motor Company of Canada, Limited, News SeNice, The Canadian Road, Oakville, Ontario L6J 5E4 ln ea~iy 1995, the counny's broodcast regulator lioenced lSSN 1198-2209 \klncouver lirelanc-er Mark Leiren-Young suggests some cable d1a1111els of limited appeal. Fast:forvvarcl to late pmctical courses for the Univetsity of British Columbia$ Tony Freda, Jim Hartford, John Arnone. Chris Banks Richard Deziel 1996. Can the CRrC nxlcem itself with this new batch new school of joumalism, inclucling gtooming tips for Telephone (905)845-25 11 After business hours (416)622- I82 6 7800 S. Service Road, Pointe Claire, P.Q. (5 14)697-8220 of 22 lic:enc:es? would-be TV anchors . By Paul Att£1llah ...... 16 ...... ,...... ,...... 26

MEDIA WINTER 1997 3 2 MEDIA WINTER 1997 NEW ON THE NET ITHE WRITING TOOLBox! Listening to the news on the Net Using the first person By J ulian Sher to tell an interesting story

account will likely be more complete and So the report fro m th e scene of the f you were cove1ing the recent crisis of and the more predictable kind (at program your own daily briefing. I select some more factual than the li ve TV report. Happy Valley shooting would likely Canadian Airlines from eastern Canada http://abcradio.ccabc.com/main.httn). public broadcasting, some computer news and Still, the print version of the crime story appear in a newspaper as "Police are I·-~ and you wanted to get a sense how ordi­ some book talk. The site also gives you a cal­ won't have the immediacy or the emo­ investigating 'a seemingly random act' nary people in Vancouver were reacting to the Audio archives endar of upcoming live events (http: tion of on-the-scene with Candace. by a gunman Friday in a drive-by shoot­ story, you could have clicked on your comput­ I /www. timecast.com/live/live.now.hunl) and Newspapers reach subscribers only ing that wounded six residents of a er and listened to talk shows on CKNW radio Live news is only one feature of audio on will even e-mail you when the game or concen once a day and even the best photo-story west-end neighborhood and horrified live on the Internet (at http: the net. j ournalists can also find a treasure or speech is about to stan ! package has a tough time competing bystanders." A horrible lead, n o doubt. //www.clmw.com). throve of archived audio material. (Check the with live television. So what's the print It's complex, overloaded and a real listings under "audio archives" on my home What do you need? Or if some troops from your hometown By Janet Vlieg-Paquette re porter to do? Readers don't demand turn-off to readers. Bu t it's not too fa r page.) are heading to Zaire, maybe you'd like to tune that every story be a breathless "I was out as a sample of what often appears in My favorite is the National Press Club How good is the sound quality7 At times, in to United Nations Radio (http://www. there . .. " report. But why should they daily newspapers. (http ://town. hall. orglArc hives/radio!IMS/ it can be quite good - the best radio stations elevision and radio journalists wrn.orglstations/un.html). Or better still, go , keep buying the paper if they're being Who would disagree that there's a Club/) in Washington. It has catalogued half­ even offer stereo. Still, most Net sites offer are regularly called upon to straight to the source and listen to Channel feel ro utine, dry coverage of events that more appealing way to write that intro7 Africa (http://www.wrn .orglstations/africa. hour speeches from the famous speakers at its uneven broadcasts that sound like old transis­ ,. ,.,, report live from the scene. As T television news makes so riveting7 Writing it from a personal point of view html). luncheons over the years, including the Dalai tor radios. bloodied victims are caned off to hospi­ Good editors support risk-taking may not be the only way. Stil l, it's worth Or are you simply curious to hear what Lama, Yitzak Rabin and Margaret Thatcher. I Sound files pack a lot more in formation tal , reporters offer audiences on-the­ and unusual approaches by their writ­ a try. One reporter's successful run with Aunt Mabel in Sydney; Australia, is listening to? particularly liked listening to the non-politi­ than simple texts so the speed of your com­ spot observations. ers. Longstanding rules and traditions an unusu al tech n ique gives other All of these and more can be enjoyed cians such as anthropologist Richard Leakey or puter and your modem will have a big impact Newscast anchor: Here's Candace, are sidelined in the imerests of making reporters courage to step away from the through one of the most quickly ell.'panding 60 Minutes creator Don Hewitt. A real treat to on the quality of sound you hear. Its a good reponing li ve from the scene of the readers feel more connected to their listen to while you're typing out some bming formula. Tradition-bound views of news but still little-known news features for journal­ excuse to upgrade to a 28.8 modem if you shooting. So, Candace, tell our viewers, daily newspaper. So we're seeing more text on the computer! haven't already writing only ensure predictable stories. ists on the Web: live audio. what seems to have led to this blood­ personal journalism, despite the tradi ­ NPR, the American public broadcaster, You'll obviously need a sound card, and a bath7 What do print reporters say about tional reluctance of many print What's available? and various CBC shows also offer some useful decent pair of speakers can be had for $50 - personal point of view in storytelling7 "I Candace (dark trenchcoat, red reporters to write in t;he fi rst person. archives. $90. shawl, looking grim): As you can see, don't think reporters should inj ect themselves into the story. They're here Some of the worlds best public broad­ Don't be shy You don't just have to listen There are several software tools you Larry, shock and horror are written on to cover the news and impart that news casters are available on the Net. They are to straight news radio. You can try some great can download for free to listen to the audio the faces of everyone here tonight. I Why should people keep buying a listed on the World Radio Network home counny stations in the States, or Rock on the on the net. Real Audio (http://www.realau­ talked to many of the victims' neigh­ to the readers ." paper if they're being fed routine, dry "l just don't think we're here to page (at http://www.wrn.orglaudio.html). Rock - with OZFM in Newfoundland. dio.com) is by fa r the most vviclely - and bors. They're obviously upset. I kept cover ourselves." My favorites are the AustralianBroadcasting You can catch your favori te basketball or easiest - to use, though some Canadian hearing from them, over and over, "I coverage of events that television Corporation (http://www.wrn.orglstations football team on ESPN (http:// and other radio stations also use just can't believe this happened in news makes so riveting? Good editors "It seems to me to be more honest /abc. html) which offers a daily one hour ES P N ET. S p ortsZon e. com / e ditors/ Streamworks (http://www.xingtech.com/). Happy Valley." support risk- taking and unusual to use the 'first person sometimes, than show of news and current affairs, and RTE liveaudio/index.html). Rea\Audio also offe rs a $40 fancier piece to infer it, as in by using 'this reponer. "' As Candace shares her thoughts with approaches by their w1iters. Dublin (http://www.wrn.orglstations/rte. of software called Rea\AudioPlus which gives viewers fro m the scene of the crime, "It gives the story an instant point html). Where to find live audio you a sort-of car radio push button dial that newspaper reporters are driving back to of view. You 're sharing your own point For two world bodies, you can listen to allows you to pre-select six of your favorite their newsrooms. W,hen they arrive, they of view and what can be more strai ght­ United Nations Radio as mentioned above for Radio stations offering live radio give you stations and listen to them vvith a click of the might grab a coffee, talk to their editor Of course, effective news writing forward than that7 But it doesn't always weekly updates. And you can also listen to an easy icon to click on and listen - plus button. and, if deadline's still hours away, answer relies on a variety of techniques to grab work well. Some people are so unfamil­ Vatican Radio (httpJ/www.wrn.orglstations/ download the needed software if you don't All the links mentioned in this article are a few phone messages. Then they sit readers' interest. The primary tools iar with using it that it sounds kind of vatican.html) in English, French, German and have it. (We'll get to that in a moment.) hot-linked on my home page under Teach down to write about the shooting. They include clear, clean, simple sentences, stil ted." Spanish vvith daily 15 minute bulletins. Hey, Click on "How to listen to Radio on the Yourself the Net. You can also go back and flip through notebooks, clicking their active verbs, precise qualifiers and con­ Tarring up a story with "So l put the even the Pope has a homepage! Net" on my home page fo r a listing of various read all the previous columns. If you have computers into a workable hum, and crete terms, storytelling in a conversa­ question to him" is simply self-indul­ There are only about a dozen Canadian sites. any questions or suggestions for future finally tapping out a story that quotes tional style. None of this is news to pro­ gent and annoying. Yo u have to pick stations on-line so far, including CBC Radio One of the best lists of on-line broadcast­ columns, drop me an e-mail at police, neighbors, relatives of victims and fessional journalists. It's just not that your spots carefull y and sparingly. ers is at BRSRadio (http://www.brsradiodirec­ and CBC Stereo (http://www.radio.cbc.ca/) sher@vir:com.IJ a voice from the anti-gun lobby. easy to do on a daily basis. Guidelines? You can check out style tory.com/stations/index.shtml). You can 24 hours a day The typical police-beat reporter You 'd think that writing a 12-inch, guides and books on writing. But the best search by country and call letters. Excellent American news comes julian Sher is a prodL1 cer with CBC-TV's "the would see no need to use the first-person police-beat story in a fresh, relaxed resource is your own sense of how to turn out of National Public Radio (http://www.npr. The Timecast page (http://www.time­ fifth estate" and a di rector of the CA)'s Computer pronoun, as in "I saw shock and horror fashion would be a snap and easier any­ ordinary words into great writing. IJ orglnews/) and the Christian Science Monitor cast.com/) is probably your best starting point. Assisted Reporting Caucus. His home page - change the face of Happy Valley." In most way than the more traditional fo rmat. radio network (http://www.csmonitor.com/ You can search by topic or count!)~ and by the Investigative journalism on the Net - is at newsrooms, that would be over-the-top, Not so. Following the formula is faster. janet Vlieg-Paqueue is the monitor_radio/monitor_radio.html). ABC kind of radio you want: news or spons or http://www.vir.com/-sher/julian.htm. cheap m elodrama. The newspaper Edmonton journal's wliting coach . radio news also provides shon news bulletins entertainment. Timecast even allows you to And the formula is dull.

4 MEDIA WINTER 1997 MEDIA WINTER 1997 5 JOURNALISTS AROUND THE WORLD line of duty in Chechnya from the time Russian eel the masses to erase t.he Tutsi minority with to be a defender of RnM is equally repugnant. troops invaded Grozny in December 1994. macabre calls to violence, like "the grave is only It is WToronto. For more information june by two men on a motorcycle as she stood how heinous its message, is to set the precedent or to become a member of CCP], wlite to CCP], outside a hoteL Guetin had recemly obtained an that the rulers of Cameroon, Tonga, and Croatia 490 Adelaide St. W. Suite 205, Toron to, ON · }elcoming delegates of a media letter by the Canadian Committee to Protect Against Tonga," she said the 30-clay prison exclusive interview with "Mad Dog", the leading >vill refer to time and time again when they MSV 1T2. E-mail: [email protected] Tel. 416-703- / conference to his countty last journalists, the communications minister of term was not draconian, adding that "a jour­ j Mafia chief in Dublin. No one has been charged inlpose their will on the press. And yet, to be seen :; October, Malawi President Bakili Cameroon asked, "Should we now conclude nalist is subject to the same laws as any citizen." 1638 Fax 416-703-7034. for her murder. Muluzi confided that, as president, media crit­ that those who can aliorcl to pay fines and This is a familiar refrain. icism was something he had come to accept as damages can freely trade insults and walk One bright note among the scores of roughshod over the dignity of others/" He con­ questionable legal battles in 1996 was the case part of the job. "lt goes with the territory," he Freedom of expression groups contin­ said. cluded: "We believe there is no price tag to a of the Feral Tribune newspaper in Croatia. After What Muluzi failed to mention was that mans honorability" adding "ctimes of the media" to the counuys ue to grapple with the disturbing case just two months ptior he had sued Malawis penal code in March, the govemment of of Radio-Television Libre des Milles The Tribute newspaper for defamation, and Croatian President Franjo Tudjman brought Collines (RTLM), a Hutu- operated applied for a High Court injunction preventing criminal charges against Feral Tribune editor-in­ radio station that incited the masses chief Viktor Ivancic and reporter Marinko the newspaper from publishing "defamatory to erase the Tutsi minority with Culic for "rudely and falsely slancleting" the statements". His wife sued another newspaper macabre calls to violence. a month earlier for a satitical column. president. The oliencling article was titled It was that kind of a year for press freedom "Bones in the Mixer" and was ctitical of around the world - grand proclamations of a Tucljmans plan to tum a Second World War Thun Bun l y of Cambodia was the unfor­ free press that turned out to be nothing more concentration camp, where thousands of Serbs tunate victim of both legislated and physical than lip setvice. 1996 will be remembered as a were killed by Croatian Fascists, into a memo­ attack ly was com~ctecl in 1995 in two cases of year in which journalists found themselves rial that would also honour Croats killed under clisi.nformation and defamation for publishing increasingly under legislated attack While Communist rule in the former Yugoslavia. articles and cattoons in his newspaper that were scores of journalists are murdered evety year The joumalists, who faced three-year ctitical of the two mling prime ministers. While for their work, the more common threat for prison tetms for the article, were acquitted. ly was awaiting his chance to take his appeal of journalists is the courtroom, and the enem)~ The presiding judge ruled the offending mate­ the convictions to coutt, he was gunned clown in more often than not, is their own government. rial was "obviously absurd and merely intend­ WITNESS AND VICTIM: While covering eel to pass judgment on political activity." The the street in broad daylight last May Clearly rioting in Indonesia last july, 20 journalists acquittal, a significant victoty for press freedom someone was determined to silence Tht.m Bun Criminal libel Lisa Priest Andre Picard were beaten. Three japanese and a DLttch in Croatia, has since been appealed by the state l y, one way or another. The favourite weapon used against jour­ journalist were detained for Jour days in cen­ prosecutor. Award-winning journalists, Andre Picard of The Globe and Mail and Lisa Governments tackle the Internet nalists in the coumoom is "ctiminal libel", a tral java Priest of The Toronto Star have been awarded the 1996 Atkinson charge that carries with it not only a fine, but The killing continued Fellowship in Public Policy. l ooking ahead to 1997, proponents of prison time. Criminal charges for the printed In Tonga, an archipelago of islands in Established in 1988, the Fellowship is named after The Star's early press freedom are facing the beginnings of a or broadcast word are unconscionable by inter­ western Polynesia, two journalists with the The killing of joumalists continued at an publisher, Joseph E. Atkinson, and is designed to further Atkinson's worldwide attack against the "altemative" media, national standards of law and human tights, Times of Tonga newspaper and a member of alatming rate in 1996, with 33 deaths, accord­ tradition of liberal journalism in Canada. the Internet. China, Singapore, Indonesia, but in Cameroon, Tonga, Croatia and countless parliament were found in comempt of parlia­ ing to reports received by the Intemational Under the terms of the Fellowship, Picard and Priest will spend a year Ethiopia, Zambia, and, with its much-maligned doing research and then prepare a series of in-depth articles which will be other countries, journalists fight for the basic ment and sentenced to 30 clays in Jail. The Freedom of Expression Exchange (IFEX) Communications Decency Act, the United made available to all Canadian newspapers next year. freedom of expression that we in Canada take decision was handed clown because the paper Cleating House as of Dec. l. In Algeria, seven States, are among the nations that i.ntroducecl Picard will study philanthropy in the age of cutbacks and Priest, the for granted. published a notice to impeach a high-ranking joumalists were murdered in a nation where restrictions on access to information and freedom lack of accountability in Canada's health system. In Cameroon, one of the fevv countries minister that had not yet been presented to 56 joumalists have been assassinated since of speech on the internet in 1996. The last truly Under the terms of the Fellowship, Picard and Priest will each receive a where pre-publication censorship still officially parliament. May 1993. journalists are the ptime targets of free medium may not be free much longer as stipend of $65,000 plus an expense budget of up to $25,000. exists, Pius Njawe, editor-in-chief of the week­ While declaring that press freedom had the Islamic Salvation Front in a concerted cam­ govenunents catch up with the technology. The Fellowship, sponsored by The Atkinson Charitable Foundation, ly newspaper L.e Messager and the cartoon sup­ always been a reality in Tonga, a govemment paign to assassinate secular intellectuals and And just as central Aftica continues to strug­ The T oronto Star and The Beland Honderich Family, is open to all plement L.e Messager Popoli , was arrested and representative justi fied the ptison term by say­ professionals in its conflict with the rul ing mi l­ gle with the after effects of the genocide in Canadian print and broadcast journalists. detained in October for publishing an editorial ing "this is not an issue of press freedom; it is itaty government. We congratulate the winners and wish them success in the months to Rwanda in 1994, freedom of e;-..'Pression groups and two cartoons critical of President Paul Biya. [the reporters! illegal use of the freedom of the In Chechnya, the war was finally conced­ come. continue to grapple with the disturbing case of He was later released from ptison but is still press." Reacting to a fiuny of international ed by Moscow, but not before another four Radio-Television Libre des Milles Collines Application fonns for 1997 will be available after January 20, 1997. under threat of imprisonment pending his protest from freedom of e>qxession groups, journalists lost their lives last year. By conserv­ (RTLM), a Hutu-operatecl radio station that incit- The closing date for entries is March 14, 1997. Telephone iiUjuiries: (4 16) 869-4034. appeal of the charges. In a response to a protest which the official labelled "Media TetTotism ative estimates, 10 joumalists were killed in----.. the 6 MEDIA WINTER 1997 MEDIA WI NTER 1997 7 COVER CBC announced it was cutting Radio-Canada industry caused \videspread fear and loathing future at Southam has yet to unfold and the International, Copps blamed Foreign Affairs \vithin and without the company The baule actions have yet to be fu lly felt, despite some Minister Lloyd Axworthy, who then later remains alive to get the federal competition high-profile resignations in Ottawa and came to the rescue. Can the position of watchdog to consider the editmial implica­ Montreal. 1996 may be a year that Deputy Prime Minister be so vvithout influ­ tions of media concentration. And, as Black has been at pains to point ence? Yet Black, for all the aspersions cast out, Hollinger is the only corporation with journalists will never forget The biggest effect on CBC Radio and against him and his colleagues, has repeated any desire or faith to invest in the future of Television is yet to be felt but even now, the constantly dwing the past six months that Canadian daily newspapers. Even~ the The headlines told the stories: job losses, takeovers, media concentration, new local and regional journalism is looking and their aim is to improve the quality of new Council of Canadians, Blacks arch enemy, has sounding shabby. Blended newscasts, where '·properties" under their control. Yes, there no stomach for foreign owners coming in to speciality channels, and the emergence of new community newspapers most of the items are of limited or no interest will be budget tightening, they say, but noth­ the country By Chris Cobb to the audience, will alienate rather than cre­ ing that will impede the overall search for Blacks takeover of Southam seems to ate interest in public broadcasting. quality have been the savior of Canadian Press - at ts been a tumultuous, shocking year for Govt. won't probe concentration of has been made out to be. That sad, destruc­ How long will it be before politicians of least in some form or another. CP, meanwhile, Canadian journalism, a year of corporate newspaper ownership tive feeling is evident wherever journalists all colors realize that when the CBC loses its has drastically reduced staff through buyouts congregate, be it at a Canadian Association of I upheaval, job cuts, reduced resources and Council of Canadians seeks injunction local and regional voice, so the politicians lose Competition in Saskatchewan has and the agency faces more change early in the chronic uncertainty against Hollinger journalists convention, in the corporate cafe­ theirs? It is not a void that will be filled by new year with the release of yet another study teria or the local bar. There is depression and meant more jobs and keener There has been closure and clarity for Sun management group wins control of commercial enterprises either in radio or tele­ into its future. doubt abroad. There is rebuilding to be clone some, but others in and around journalism go company vision. Without the need to compete in the attitude at the Hollinger newspapers. The year that was 1996 has been long into 1997 unsure of whether the new eco­ and quality to maintain. arena of quality journalism, private broad­ A dreadful situation at the beginning one in the life of Canadian journalism - a Layoffs at Sun newspapers In that list of "headlines", there are a cou­ nomic reality will even allow them to keep casters will coast on reduced resources. Good of the year is lool~ing year when the news business was big news. their jobs. Two new newspapers start in Saskatchewan ple of odd-men out-new specialty channels news-gathering is expensive. Who can blame The magnitude of change could not have and new newspapers. The word new- as in a lot brighter. lL is a grim scenario for many individuals CBC to pull plug on Radio Canada the commercial stations for not spending on been envisioned 12 months ago and we can new technology, new newspapers, and new and, in some areas of the craft, equally as grim International journalism if they don't have to. only imagine what$ in store during the next for journalism itself. Look, and listen, no fur­ specialty channels - will mean new jobs. If cuts at the CBC was the saddest story, 12. I'll save RCI says foreign affairs minister ther than the CBC for how things are chang­ The journalistic paradigm is shifting, if ever so Conrad Blacks takeover of Southam newspa­ Among many other things, Black said at But let's be optimistic. Cautiously, of ing and will change. Or the venerable slightly, and with it the reliance on traditional pers and its ripple effect on Canadian Press the Hollinger annual meeting in the spring course. Em Canadian Press which, as of this writing, was employees. Heading inLo a new year, it seems was the biggest. Blacks sudden emergence as that the company's actions in the future must Chris Cobb 1vlites about the media for the appropriate to accentuate the positive. still waiting to hear the lMPst vf'rsion of its the major player in Canada$ newspaper be allowed to speak for themselves. The Ottawa Citizen. fate. For both those institutions, the insecuri­ Follm.ving the gloomy reminiscences in ty has been chronic and the effect on staff this piece is a magazine packed with positive, morale devastating. and hopefully realistic, prospects for the The stories of 1996 are familiar, although future. like many crammed retrospectives on an old From the Hollinger daily newspaper year, some of the events and headlines seem monopoly in Saskatchewan, has emerged two more distant than they actually are. twice-weekly newspapers - in Regina and Saskatoon - headed by former Kingston Conrad Blacks Hollinger Corp. buys slew Vlhig Standard publisher, Bill Peterson. He The Atkinson Fellowship in Public Policy, now entering its ofThomson dailies has modelled his newspapers on the signifi­ tenth year, is an award designed to further the tradition of liberal Hollinger fires 170 in Saskatchewan cant community newspaper empire of the journalism in Canada begun by The Star's early publisher, More budget cuts at the CBC. One third other Black (David) in British Columbia. Joseph E. Atkinson. of jobs will go Blacks main ingredient is quality journalism It will be awarded to a full-time journalist for a one-year research on the community level. ln most other parts project on a topical public policy issue, culm inating in the publication CRTC licences 22 new specialty of the country, community journalism and of results in a series of articles w hich th e journalist is then free to channels There many more vanat10ns on the quality is an oxymoron. Black has proven that THE ATKINSON develop into a book. Southam to pull out of CP, will start com­ same theme. In total they amount to two quality pays greater dividends. The Peterson T he Fellowship includes a stipend of $65,000; a budget for researc h peting agency industries, print and broadcast, in the midst competition in Saskatchewan has meant more expenses of up to $25,000 will also be considered. The research begins Southam move will likely kill CP of massive upheaval and radical re-defini­ jobs and keener attitude at the Hollinger FELLOWSHIP IN September 1, 1997. tion. Similar fates have already visited work­ newspapers. A dreadfu l situation at the begin­ Application forms will be available after January 20, 1997. Hollinger takes control of Southam ers in dozens of other industries. It was only ning of the year is looking a lot brighter. The closing date for entries is March 14, 1997. Black vows to keep CP alive a matter of time before journalism was faced PUBLIC POLICY The saddest stmy of the year is the CBC, with the realities of the New Economic Spon sored by T h e Atkinson Charitable Foundation, The T oron to CP employee buyout oversubscribed O rder. which is the victim of a broken political Star and The Beland Honderich Family. Black promises quality at Southam Still, journalism is different isn't it? It promise and a ministerial boss, Sheila Copps, papers isn't widget producing. It does play some who blames evetyone around the cabinet For application forms: significant role in a democratic society table but herself. At the Women in the Media Editor quits GazeLLe, cites differences Adele ]ushka, Secretary, Atkinson Fellowship Committee, As we emerge, punch drunk from 1996, Conference held at Ouawa last October, with Hollinger One Yonge Street, Toronto, Ontario M5E IE6 many Canadian journalists are questioning Copps said the cuts at the CBC were the fault Telephone inquiries: (41 6) 869-4034 Editor quits Citizen, cites differences whether journalism really is the Gods work it of Finance Minister Paul Martin. When the with Hollinger ---.. 8 MEDIA WINTER I 997 MEDIA WINTER 1997 9 OPINION institution," the words the BB C's direc­ broadcasters. tor-general used to describe Britain's The BB C's Foreign Affairs Editor, public broadcaster. john Bin was pitch­ John Simpson , writing in The Daily One step away from oblivion ing for a "modest" funding' increase. Teleg raph in November, says the BBC The BBC budget - financed by a ·cannot remain as it is unless it wants to That may sound like an apocalyptic assessment of the CBC's future, li cence fee on TV sets per household - "go into decline like Canada's CBC or stands at 1.8 bi llion pounds, or about Australia's ABC." but it's one many people share $3.8 billion doll ars. It makes another If that happens, Simpson writes, By Lionel Lumb $800 m illion from worldwide sales of "the BBC would become a small and programs, videos, audio-tapes, books pleasant ghetto. . Soon it would lose and magazines. Birt wants the budget the licence fee. . After that, like PBS in t was the season to be gloomy. out of Halifax and Toronto. Radio But when a CBC regional TV sta­ , to go up by about $8 a household a America, the BB C would be reduced to There was no Christmas cheer at "drive-home" shows from 4-6 p.m. are tion goes from, say, nine reporters to still in limbo while managemenL toys four, with a similar cut in camera avail ­ year, pointing out that the BB C fee is broadcasting a humiliating series of c •• the CBC after yet another "black I lower than most in Europe. Next April phonathons to raise an ever-dwindling December" of cuts. There is real pain , with two models, one with a local and ability, while the local private broad­ 1, the CBC will get less than a quarter supply of cash." for managers forced to let people go in the other a network "spine." caster continues with staffing levels at of the BB C's budget, even after adding That's strangely prophetic for the spite of talent and skills; and for those Local TV seems to have fa red least twice as high, the coverage spread in revenue from commercials. laid off because of government fa ilure worse. In Newfoundland, fo r in stance, between the two is going to be visible CBC. Perrin Beatty has floated the idea The BBC, too, has to deal with a to recognize the importance of cultural where the CBC has stronger audience on air. of the CBC trying to raise additional deficit-obsessed government, but not one institutions. It's time to say it in plain loyalty than anywhere else, four region­ Network radio is going to see radi­ money through phonathons. Next step We won't that is deaf to pleas for the preservation language: the Liberals have tolled the al TV shows are to disappear. All cal change in two major programs, the ghetto, then oblivion. Em of a national culture. There is wide sup­ death knell of the CBC. The victim may regional TV stations must now concen­ Morni ngside and Sunday Morning. Peter port for the notion that, in this age of Lionel Lwnb teaches jou malism at Carleton linger, but if the government doesn't trate on their 60-minute news at sup­ Gzowski's departure has made restruc­ leave you invasion by satellite and mega-channels, University. He has worked for Reuters, the relent, th e end is certain. pertime and a half-hour at 11 p.m. The turing inevitable at Morningside, and it there is even greater need for public BBC, Global, CTV and the CBC Next spring CBC Radio won't supper-hours' new emphasis is on cur­ will apparently be blended into one sound too much like the quality service rem affairs, for which read mostly six-clay program with Sunday Mo rning. on hold. so many Canadians enjoy now; and radio-style interviews with far fewer Efficiency is the name of the game, and As a company that generated over CBC Television, never quite as distinc­ fi eld reports or documentaries to por­ listeners of these two excellent pro­ $8 billion in re venues last year, tive, will stan to look like a poor tray the ri ch social scene of their areas. grams can only hope that quality won't I masco is pretty busy. suffer. Every day we cater to millions cousin of private television, especially Asia Pacific Fondation in the regions. Ratings will fall even On the television side, the irony is Foundation Asie Pacifique of se lective :--Jorth American con­ lower, and there will be less and less that the CBC's Canadian programming of Canada du Canada su mers, meeting needs that range reason to spend tax-doll ars on a public has rarely looked better. Air Farce, This from tobacco products to personal broadcaster. Hour has 22 Minutes, North of 60, On the financi al services, from quick meals to health care products. \Ve Then , awash in the deluge of spe­ Roacl Again, and successful newcomers can even come up with a site for a cialty channels and American program­ like The Newsroom, Black Harbour and ASEAN ASSIGNMENT 1997 "d ream home." ming, Canadians may wish they had Wind at My Bach are giving the corpora­ But bu sy as we are, we'll a!lvays spoken up earlier - the Liberals clear­ tion a truly successful entertainment make time to ta lk. If you need ly don't think Canadians care, and season . In news and current affairs, For Canadian Business, Economics Canadian viewers have world-choice time ly, accu rate information about seem intent on finishing the bloody job The Liberals have tolled the death hnell of the who l masco is, or what we've been the Tories began. programs such as The Nature of Thin gs, CBC. Going bach to 1984, when the To1y and Technology writers doing lately, we'll be right here. December ll saw the beginning of Ma rhet Place, Ven ture, the fifth estate and lmives first came out, the CBC has wt more Give us a ca ll. We believe that a process to eliminate 1, 700 jobs by documentary series like Witness, round­ A competitive award offering two Canadian writers a two-week than 5,000 jobs. ge tting out quality, first-hand April l, 1997 996 through lay-offs and ing out the excellent coverage provided expenses-paid assignment to Southeast Asia to research stories of j inforrnation is just as important to 703 through voluntary separation, by The National and CBC Newsworld. their own choice. ou r customers as it is Lo you rs. early retirement packages, or surren­ With about half the budget and But when government forces the dering vacant positions. Another 800 programming staff of 1984, how can loss of a generation of experience and For more information on the Assignment and an application form, Peter McBride jobs m ust be cut during the course of quality not suffer? Inte rnally, the CBC skills, when management must cut the please contact: Vi ce-President Communications and the next fiscal year. Going back to has tried to compensate with inten sive heart out of its creative force , the soul Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada I nvestor Relations 1984, when the Tory knives first came training programs for those who of public broadcasting has to suffer. (514)9829111 out, that amounts to a total of more remain: quick-h it newshounds are Many of those who are left will 666-999 Canada Place than 5,000 jobs. learning ho'N to think issues like cur­ inevitably find it ha rd to muster the old Vancouver, BC V6C 3EI The impact o f these severe cuts on rent affairs producers; multi-skilling is spirit- the dedication to craft and the Tel: (604) 684-5986 Fax: (604) 681-1370 ~~ lmasco programming will sink home fi rst in helping reporters learn how to shoot belief in reflecting a nation to itself - the regions, where local stations have and edit their own video reports, and that inspired so many for so long. Closing Date: January 31, 1997 IMPERIAL TOBACCO CANADA TRUST taken the heaviest hits of around 50%. technicians to acquire editorial skills. To understand the appalling HARDEE'S FOOD SYSTEMS, INC. Local radio has dropped its sports Managers who once had one or two wrong-headedness of Liberal policy SHOPPERS DRUG MART I PHARMAPRIX GENSTAR DEVELO PMENT COMPANY reporters, replacing their regionally deputies now handle all the roles them­ towards the CBC, consider the case of selves. "the world 's most successful cultural textured segments with generic reports ...... 10 MEDIA WINTER 1997 MEDIA WINTER 1997 1 1 BUSINESS investors across the country, including thou­ tiona! newsroom staff. (In Regina, these were "hot" news. Thats three papers in one day. sands in Saskatchewan," he boasts. the first hires in six years.) And the L-P has Maybe save the Regina Sun for Sunday? Or it's How much money? ln November, suddenly emulated its Saskatoon sister and back to the bottom of the bird-cage with Th e The new kid on the block Peterson, publisher of both patJers, was still gone to a morning edition. (How suddenly? Sun, this time with regret. cautious about revealing the depths of his , My carrier-boy said he didn't know about it But it's sure nice to have choices. Two new publications are taking a run backers' pockets, but some rumors have . until he read it in the paper.) Thank you, Bill Peterson. Thank you, been in the region of $3-million, and others After all the hype (billboards boasting Da\ricl and Conrad Black' Em at the Regina Leader-Post"and the Sas katoon StarPhoenix: say the papers have backing for three years. "Saskatchewan's lnclepenclent Newspaper" Peterson also found a chairman of the board and "Your First [Real] Choice"), the first Nick Russell teaches joll rnalism at the dailies that have had the market all to themselves for over 65 years in Paul Martin, former publisher of issues of The Free Press (separate editions for University of Regina. By Nick Russell Saskatchewan Business magazine. the two cities) were pretty tentative. They Certainly, they're no pikers. The new needed to get clown to some serious coverage offices are substantial and comfortable, and of community news. But that will take a A bit of <.hank you, Conrad Black' 1930. Thats not a typo: 1930. The same was "When l heard a community paper was com­ the new staffs are of good size. Before launch­ while. This is a new staff, wit ~ many On Saturday, four newspapers thump true in Saskatoon- monopoly since 1928. ing, l wasn't too impressed. But when I saw Saskatchewan elate, in late November, each paper had hired reporters newly-arrived in the city. . onto my front porch. - But when Conrad Black's Hollinger Inc. it, I had whiplash. The Prince George Free T 20 people. (After the blood-bath last March Meantime, the papers are boasting commu­ To media-surfeited Toronto, that won't bought the complacent Leader-Post this Press is one of the best. .. Any David Black news history when Armadale was sold to Hollinger and nity involvement, a local "editmial board" seem like such a big deal, but to modest­ spring, something snapped. Bill Peterson, to paper you pick up has good, solid eclit01ial in 173 people were cut from the two dailies, 40 with citizens writing editorials, and they are sized towns such as Regina, it is nirvana. be specific. it. And hes known for treating his staff welL" new jobs in Saskatchewan media are not to urging readers to phone and write with story Before the First World War, there were We're not talking junky little flyers here: Peterson's career has been a lesson in Though Peterson has never actually met be sniffed at. A number of the new hires are ideas and feedback. Its all very novel, and three dailies in Regina: The Leader (Liberal), We're talking real -life newspapers. Never, in focused energy. At 34, he was made editor of David Black, hes grown to like and respect people laid off back then.) none of its bad .. And guess what: The Leader­ The Standard (independent), and The Regina's 113-year history, have our citizens the Saskatoon StarPhoenix, in 1988. He him. He sees a solid business sense there, Post is suddenly inviting readers to con­ been treated to four newspapers arriving became publisher in 1993. And a very good laced with good human relations. And above Province (Conservative). There was also a tribute op-ed pieces, and phone with ideas simultaneously. (Okay, in 1913 there were one, too. all, the David Black papers are community German weekly and feedback three dailies, but they all had different politi­ papers. The Province went bankrupt during the Against the bachdrop of more If Hollinger had not burst into cal slants, so very few people would have 'Tel seen community papers before, of First World War, and The Post was created competition, The Leader-Post and Saskatchewan and bought everything in bought all three. And even fewer would have course," he says, "but they were rural papers. from its ashes. The StarPhoenix have revamped sight, citizens might just have continued to also bought the weekly German paper. ) Blacks were urban community papers. . I By 1923, the same group of business­ tolerate the monopolies, cheered somewhat The fi rst to arrive, before dawn, is the had just never seen the concept in an urban their weehend tabloids and hired by the addition several years ago of The Globe men owned all four dailies in the two major national (;lni?e and Mail , familiar t>noueh setting." more reporters. This, despite laying and Mail. Bill Peterson might not have been cities - The Star and The Phoenix in across the country. off 173 reporters last March. tempted back to the province to start two Saskatoon and The Leader and The Post in The second is the daily Regina Leade r~ What's the difference? new papers. The existing papers would not Regina. They were sold to the Sifton family Post, a competent mid-sized local daily, "They are closer to home, more neigh­ have had to face co~pe tition , so likely in 1928. Thereafter, the papers were unwa­ recently converted to morning publication. borhood news ... a step closer to the person The Regina office - and Peterson wouldn't have hired new staff nor would they A third carrier brings the tabloid Regina in their home," Peterson explains. 'That's just vering Liberal supporters until 1965, and swears this is a coincidence, but he's enjoying likely have been inspired to soup up the Stm, which until recently was a puppy-train­ not v-ri thin the daily's mandate." changeable since. it- is in the old Armadale corporate head­ "Sunday" papers into genuine newspapers. ing paper, published by the Leader-Post sim­ In the middle of 1995, Peterson was The monopoly was perceived as anti­ quarters, across the road from The Leader­ So it's more than Win, Win. Its Win, Win, ply to soak up any spare Sunday ad revenue, moved to the Kingston Whig-Standard, a lot Tory, so R.B. Bennett, soon-to-be-PM, Pos t. The modern, carpeted space is Win, Win. and to pre-empt Sun Publishing Corp. from nearer Southam headquarters, and it seemed founded The Star in 1928. But he lost so equipped with the latest Mac computers, starting up a Regina edition. (I don't mean his corporate Southam career was golden. much money that his plan to start a sister "I was intrigued by the combination of the using a software package designed for the Where to start? this unkindly. The paper was simply bereft of But within a year he was getting phone oppo rtwtity provided by (urban) community papers, and completely integrated. (The edi­ The problem - for those of us unused paper in Saskatoon - to be called The Free any funding support: The poor editor had to calls from back home in Saskatchewan. The newspapers and the fact that my home tor's chair looks like something from Star to having choices in our newspaper reading Press - was shelved. fill it with whatever he could scavenge or re­ community was angry: four dailies owned by province doesn't ha ve them. " Trek. lt has more controls than my car.) - is where to start. If all four papers (two The Star folded in 1940. cycle.) But suddenly, dramatically, The Stm two companies was one thing, but all four - Bill Peterson (Across the road ,

12 MEDIA WINTER I 997 MEDIA WINTER 1997 13 BUSINESS Feel like you're Newspaperdom' s other Black David · Black is poised to do battle getting into a rut By Michael McCullough

? at work? orking out of an office in a lovingly hin1 to help run the Williams Lnhe Iiibune in the your competitive position, Black argues. "After restored heritage home set back early 1970s. David quit his job in the acquisitions buying a paper, if you go in and gut the editorial W. , from the shores of Victorias Oak Bay, team of the Toronto Star and within a year bought department you're kidding yourself. You're just Why not hoof it to Edmonton you'll find Canadas other media baron named his fatl1er out of the weekly. The younger Black set going to be vulnerable to a good operator who Black Shy and not given to ostentation, David about refitting tl1e Ttibunes presses and getting comes over the hill," he says. 'We put everything for the CAJ annual convention, Black, 50, at first has little in common with rival newspapers amund the Catiboo region to we can into wages, specifically in editorial, because ~t print there. Most of the other publishers, he we're Dying to run the business for the long tem1 May 23-25, 1997 Comad Black '97 Dont be fooled by the lack of fanfare, however. found, were owner-opemtors approaching retire­ and we think if you're really going to be successful Over the past 20 years, David Black has ment, only too pleased to sell out. in our business in the long term you'd better put pieced together the largest independent chain of out as good an edit01ial product as you can afford community newspapers in Canada, vvith more in that corrununity Of course, that vaties." For the first time, Canada's top news anchors, than 55 titles and 1995 revenues of $65 million. That said, its less and less meaningful to talk Peter Mansbridge and Lloyd Robertson, Poised to invade the turf of Lower Mainland about editotial versus any other depattment, Black Publishing - itself 49% owned by Southam - believes. "There has been a change in the industry will be on the same stage to talk he5 about to take on Com-ad Black directly. in general. It wasn't very long ago it was essential­ about the future of Canadian journalism. The spat statted when Lower Mainland ly a craft and there were divisions between depart­ launched a weekly in Vemon, where David BlackS ments in a newspaper, and that has rapidly Also ... from the Alberta leg islatu re to Parliament Hill Black Press opemted the Vernon Moming Star. In changed away from that now Some of the tradi­ to Jeru salem, CBC's Television's Anna Maria Tremonti retaliation, Black announced last summer he tional departments like composition are diminish­ will talk about life as one of would law1eh a competitor to Lower Mainlands ing and their power continues to be flowing into Ca nada's prem iere foreign correspondents. flagship title, the North Shore No.vs. The thtice­ the editotial and advertising clepa!Unents." weekl.y News is Canadas larges~ and arguably most Community newspapers in B.C. generally successful corrununity newspaper, setving the are more pmfitable and have higher editotial stan­ ,._. TANGLED IN THE WEB? aflluent suburbs of Notth and West Vancouver. dards than their counterparts elsewhere in English Don't kn ow your megabyte from a Big Mac? With the convention 's special But David Blacks larger plans only unfolded Canada, according to Alan Trelevan, executive this fall , when he entered into negotiations with "After buying a pape1; if you go in and gut the director of the BC Community Newspapers emphasis on h a ~ ds-o n trai.nin g, writin g and comp uters will be at th e top of the 1iinity Intemational Holdings ofUverpool to pur­ editorial de partment you're kiddi ng Association and a fanner Alberta newspaperman. age nda. Th ere w.111 be sess1o ns on th e l.nternet, compute r-assisted repo rtin g and chase its Meo·oValley Newspapers division, which yourself You're just goi ng to be vulnerable to a By and large, community papers have pulled the the top-50 webs 1tes, as we ll as a drop-m Internet centre that wi ll operate all week­ publishes 16 titles in greater Vancouver and the good operator who comes over the hill." bulk of retail advertising out from under the met­ end. Fraser Valley. MetroVa lley competes head-to-head -David Black ropolitan dailies. ln terms of journalism, "[they] in almost all the same markets as Lower have to do a good job to compete." Mainland, hitting 850,000 doorsteps to Lower So Black began buying other titles and print­ Sound publisher Elio Agostini, who served as ,._. DON'T WRITE THIS OFF Mainlands 600,000. ing them on a single, regional press, a practise publisher of the Edmonton Sun and the I

16 MEDIA WI NTER 1997 MEDIA WINTER 1997 17 OPINION JOBS ONLINE

What emotions drive columnists to take Job skills for the new media the positions they commit to paper? What you'll need to know to survive online Figuring out that question may provide the key by Mindy McAdams to understanding what they write .a n y o f the skills required the most creat ive work is bein g In spite of the similarit ies to to work in new electronic clone. editorial wo rk, the differences are From teading BlackS autobiogmphy and some ves Rick Salutin to attack others as he does, including, media a re skills you You ca n't push the envelope if significan t. Many o f the skills t hat other thing; he has wtitten (including his account of vety delibemtely and delJancly, the paper that runs his M a lready have. Online publications you have no experience to p ush will be in d emand include those his years at Upper Canada College), I suspect that his colwnn, The Cldx and Mail. What happened to him from . important to research librarian s and views of jownalists and the tclendess way he has set that made him regatd so much of the rest of the world and CD-ROM reference works need wri ters a n d New media publishers seek out the writers of abstracts. A sampling about newspaper owne.tship are determined as much as-to use his image - sewage? And StLtpid? edito rs. Bu t jou rnalists s t udents and recent graduates t o of tasks to accom plish in a Web by the emotional boost. he gets out of being big and SalutinS column is the best media criticism I've do need to learn a few new tricks befo re they can s uccessfully cross work long hours in low-paid, entry­ document : bold and frightening as by journalistic or bLISiness seen in Canada. When I read it, however, I often find level jobs coding HT ML and Summarize a 5,000-word article considemtions. myself wanting to comfon him His anger so pervades over. tweaking graphics. These young Let me add quicldy - I'd be afraid not to! - his writing that it often makes him sound self-right­ As a content developer at Digital in 500 words and embed links (a employees come in wit h technica l j umping-off point to connect to By Michael Cobden that Coru'ad Blaclvhat to think and do user. Lea rn w ha t you like, what news stor y, but it makes the online Editorial decision s : what's im­ answer some of the tTitl and n~asonable concerns mind. And like Black, >vhen Salutin bring; his brilliant - ever wonder what chives them to think >vhat they ma kes you wan t to stay online. Try reading experience very active and portant , what's peripheral , what about his comj:My5 powet{ul position in CanaclaS mind to bear on a subject, he also bting; a volcano of thinl

20 MEDIA WINTER 1997 MEDIA WINTER I 997 2 1 sism , he says, in which anything is accept­ able as long as it is legal and makes money The mirror looks forward - "The primary enablers of the culture of nar­ u.s. lawyer clarifies copyright cautions cissism are the business media, which have done more than their share of perpetuating and sees disjunction The Writer Got Screwed your life and soul. though, the two systems appear to opet-ate the myth that human welfare and social Forward Through the From the advance publicity, I had been under similar principles. values have no place in a profit-driven busi­ self as the modern-day Mcluhan. Neil (But Didn't Have To) hoping this book would be more relevant for 1f you are truly interested in entettainment ness," Downs writes. "Most business news Rearview Mirror: Postman reminisces about sitting at the feet of By Brooke A. Wharton journalists, especially for those who think they writing - knowing that an uncredited staff articles regarding corporate restructuring or Reflections On and By his teacher, watching Mcluhan smoke a cigar HarperCollins rnight have a book in them. This isn't the tool writer on a sitcom earns $2,209 (US) a week has layoffs either imply or state directly that and "play out the tape he had in his mind" Marshall McLuhan 276 pages, $31 you need. Whanon limits herself to wt1ttng for made me a little more curious than I used to be these are good for the company Polite until three in the morning. Edited by Paul Benedetti and fi lm, television and, oddly enough, mulumedia. - Whattons book \viii be helpful. There are phrases like 'trimming down' or 'slimming' Reading such ubertheorists as Postman Nancy DeHart Nonetheless, much of her advice would suggestions on how to get the attention of an are often used to describe what is in reality and Derrick de Kerckhove describe their gen­ Reviewed by John Oushue seem to apply to other fields. After all, a lot of it agent, and comparative infmmation on whether newly unemployed workers walking to Prentice Hall Canada uine awe of the man puts Mcl uhans influence is common sense - something wtiters tend to you reaUy need a lawyer or a manager instead. their cars, pink slips in hand. W hen the 2 08 p ages, $29.95 into proper perspective. But the book, like the n the opening of Robert Altn1ans viciously ignore when the promise of a contract, no Wharton pads out the book with company performing the layoff is profitable man, is not without flaws. It evolved from the funny 1992 fllm The Player, a career­ matter how many strings are attached, ts anecdotally interesting intetviews with seasoned and in no danger, words like 'preemptive Reviewed by Chris Taylor editors' work on the CD-ROM Understanding I minded executive scolds her assistant for temptingly laid on the table. McLuhan, and it is that medium which is bet­ making a fundamental faux pas - not for any professionals in various fields. All have advice on strike' and 'preventative medicine' roll off Her most persuasive argument is to the press. When it comes to describing the ter suited for such an exploration. like cyber­ job-related problem, but for stooping so low as breaking into the business, and a common f you Like your books to be literary smor­ negotiate your tights carefully and full)~ and to executives who are all too willing to cut the gum Nicholas Negroponte, who only pub­ to date a writer. theme seems to be this: Do anything you can to gasbords, Forward T~rough the Rearview think ahead: retain the rights for future works, lished his bestseller Being Digital gmdgingly­ Writers generally have a hard time in the get a foot in the door. Except, one would jobs, the press labels them as 'tough-mind­ Min-or is for you. Whtle provtdmg plenty spin-o!fs, ancillary projects, and even the I preferring ether to the quaintness of hard copy world, but nothing can compete \vith the ed' and 'agents of change."' to chew on, there$ little rhyme or reason to the characters themselves. (This is how conu-acts assume, signing an unread contract, and - Benedetti and DeHans point is better entertainment industry for humiliating a writer An antidote to these depressing looks at meal. can become books in their own, um, tight.) accepting what the indusuy calls "defm ed made in cyberspace. CO-ROMs commingle at the outset, and proceeding downhill from the business world is Aiming High e1; also Edited by Paul Benedetti and Nancy Whanon devotes a fair amount of the book compensation" - a polite way to say you'll text and images in ways books like this one, there. Lawyer Brooke A Wharton tries to Bx published by Amacom, which is an organ of to the mles and myths of copyright protection never get a dime.II DeHart, the book compiles reflections on and while dating, can only hint at. some of these problems in The 'Miter Got the American Management Association. lt is by Marshall Mcluhan, the sixties media theo­ - mailing yourself a script, for instance, won't As for the books claim that it "encourages Screwed (But Didn't Have To), a book that takes a collection of 25 stories by David Bollier rist who coined the tetm "global village" and prove your copytight claim at all - although john GLIShue is a dowmentary researcher with . understanding of the man," its debatable. By some of the mystique out of contracts, and the Business Enterprise Trust on compa­ who is posthumously enjoying a triumphant Canadians should bear in mind that all her CBC Television in St. John's, Newfou ndland, and IS relying on Mcluhans aphorisms- profound, negotiations, management agreements a~d nies and individuals prospering by combin­ return to the pop-culture spotlight. references are to American laws. Generally, obviOLISiy lookingfor new opportunities. yet elusive - we're still no closer to the per­ other things that can either protect you or rum ing sound management and social vision. Though the editors are journalists by son behind the pronouncements. Perhaps There is something to cheer about, trade, don't expect a hard-hitting take on the that$ the goal; part reactionary Catholic, part apparently. Rosenbluth International, for Canadian legend. This is a homage, tight media soothsayer, Mcluhan managed to Reporter's ego gets in way of story example, dares to put the customer second, down to Mcluhans words, set apart in blue, remain enigmatic even while revelling in the insisting that employees are like family and just as Bibles prim the words of Christ in red. • · 0 f decades in the business• And, yes, he did over- was "more pissed olf than ever." . public spotlight. Mcluhans son, for instance, Gut lnstmct: The Making h hildhood d a few hard knocks It seems everyone is pissed off, accordmg must come first, with management actively Even the structure, a collection of photos and • 1• t come a toug c an · f · h refers to dear old dad as "Mcluhan.·· Even an Investigative Journa IS h h . od to Malarek. Indeed, the number o umes e trying to p romote happiness. Vermont observations, is a nod to the "part book, part Mcluhan spoke of himself as "Mcluhan." to get w ere e IS t ay d h h h 1 rid National Bank d rew up a successful lending magazine, part storyboard" motif of By Victor Malarek But I'm su!feting some serious jet-lag from uses that phrase in icates t at t e w o ~ wlo And there were reasons, justified or not, fund that directs private capital to sound Mcluhans 1967 work The Medium is the Macmillan the ego-uip Malarek took me on. . was in a perpetual state of ptssy-ness [OJ a ong why he was ostracized by some academics: his ventures that have social value. Caught up Message. aversion to research, his loonier tangents. 300 pages, $29.95 The trip starts in Montreal wtth the time.Btttlet's not dwell on languaae. Thats not with the plight of AIDS su ffe rers, Ron As a sampler of Mcluhans still-stunning authors stint as a gopher at Weekend magazme o Modern youth, for instance, are pithily Barbaro turned the insurance world upside prescience, this book is an invaluable Reviewed by Allison Markin while waiting to get into the police force. the books biggest fault. down when he started paying off death ben­ grouped as the "lumpen-proletariat of Marxist Obvious!)~ this job was far below Malarek. As The biggest problem is Malarek. The first resource. "We may be approaching the time violence." efits at the Canadian atm of Prudential when political and executive figures may have o. You wanna be an investigative jour­ was the next _ a stint at the Montrea l Star as a half of the book establishes his motivation for Insurance to people who were already living. But the book doesn't give much of a voice police reporter, where he broke his first big becoming an investigative journalist- l wish to be recmited on the same basis ... as movie nalist, traipsin~ through the muck _and to those who critique his "Mcluhanacy." Even story, uncovering conuption at youth detent ton he'd left well enough alone - in the second And Barbara Roberts revitalized a stock pic­ stars," he said in 1974, well before Ronald mire of Canadas poliucal machme ot the Wired, the influential magazine that claims S centres. The story resulted in a fu ll scale gov- half which delves into his overseas explo- ture agency, FPG International, by introduc­ Reagan found himself in executive office. And soil of a "war-torn" foreign countty You're going Mcluhan as its patron saint, has tempered its ing diversity to the work force and pioneer­ consider this 1970 projection: "The computer, to change the world, fight the powerful, talk emment investigation. rati~ns , his "war stoties," and uncovering deep- ing a special catalogue of modern images, worship with pointed articles on the genius' A pit stop with the dregs of society follows. seated corruption. At evety tum, that sense of literall y, could mn the world from a cottage." back to "the man." Editors will make your hfe such as sports-loving elderly people, gay shortcomings. Malarek worked as a (shudder) spin doctor 111 cockiness still drips from each page. 1 want to In this way, the book is also a kind of histori­ hell , but secretly respect you for your gut couples, and interracial dating, that have Unsure of whether it wants to be biogra­ Ottawa for three years before coming to the hear about the stories, not Malarek. cal record. instinct. Throw in a few hean-breaking "I come become highly popular. phy, compilation, or otiginal creation, Fonvard conclusion that he doesn't "do" press releases. What would have greatly improved Gut Mcluhans legend, as Robert Fulford Through tile RearvieiV Mirror makes for an from the \vtnng side of the tracks" stories, and Together, the books point to a variety of points out, !s largely oral, and Fmward Through Where to go from the bottom? Wh)~ to Instinct is a little less Malarek, and a lot more interesting posunodem comment. Its either you've got Victor Malareks latest book, Gut Canada$ national newspaper, The Globe and If b h complicated issues surrounding corpora­ the Rea1view Minvr attempts to give it fom1, unfocused, or a clever deconstruction of clas­ Instinct: The Mal?ing of an Investigative journaltst. Mail, of course, where Malarek was preceded by humanity But hell, I was pretty pissed o y t e tions that journalists should keep on the plucking gems from the obscutity of old radio front burner. sical forms. Either way, stick vvith the CD­ Sounds like a hardcover version of the his reputation as an "angt.y young man. " l ets· time 1 got to the last page. Perhaps thats what m broadcasts and television interviews. We also ROM. II mo\~e Top Gun, doesn't it? not forget the talk about his long hair and he wanted. II leam as much about the commentators as Harvey Schachter is a freelance writer and Cenainly, Victor Malarek is one of Canadas Cossack moustache either. And how did he media instructor. about the commented upon. Camille Paglia, Clllis Taylor is completing a master's degree in most-respected journalists, and he has broken land a senior repotters job at The Globe? By Allison Marl1in is completing her master's degree for instance, takes the occasion to anoint her- journalism at Ca rleton Un iversity in Ottawa. some big stOJies eluting his almost three telling Clark Davey that the angty young man i11 journalism at Ca rleton University

22 MEDIA WINTER 1997 MEDIA WINTER I 997 23 anecdotes and musty team photos. OBITUARY The history of cowgirls in real life That's a compliment but also a criticism. If anything, the book is too and on celluloid cluttered. Far too often, it swerves away Reporter who switched from the ice hockey's history and Cowgirls biz existence of the cowgirl. Cowboy histo­ the date much earlier, but either way it's spends pages meticulously detailing By Candace Savage rians tend to lament the passing of the tOO bad. careers at 38 ''epitomized 1 the development of skati ng rinks, Douglas and Mcintyre good old days before Hopalong Cassidy Still, she offers a hopeful postscript, telling us how to build a pair of stock 134 pages, $2 4.95 and Roy Rogers wrecked the true spirit of reminding readers that there are real-life skates or running through endless team the best of journalism'' cowboyness. But Savage argues that the cowgirls working on ranches and rodeos rosters. rhinestone cowgirls of the last half of the today. With all this trivial flotsam and Reviewed by Karen Unland inda Shutt "epitomized the best "Lives Lived" column (published on 20th century had enough of their prede­ Li ke most cowboy histories, Cowgirls jetsam to navigate, Vaughan misses of j ournalism. She was fair, she Nov. 2 7), recalls her as "the most cessors' spirit to give little girls a transgres­ has a tendency to be a bit too American. some great opportunities. Hockey's had spunk, she had flair, she argumen tative person" in The ere's a book you can judge by its sive role model. Savage says Dale Evans You can't ignore the American West when gradual loss of in nocence at the hands L Standard's newsroom, as well as the cover. made a cowgirl and a fe minist out of her. worked hard and demanded her you're talking about cowgirls or cowboys, of "professionalism" and increasingly most exacting. The front features three pistol­ Even though it's an interesting argu­ colleagues keep up. She was not afraid H but it would have been nice to hear a lit­ violent inter-city fan rivalries are "I probably argued with her more to ask the tough questions that have packing misses, decked out in crisp, co­ ment, those who didn't grow up on Dale tle more about the Canadian experience glossed over. Nova Scotia's Mi'kmaq to be asked in the sordid world of than anyone else, but everyone ordinated cowgirl duds from shiny boots Evans and the Annie Oakley TV series and to see whether there was a difference community receives its due fo r fibsters and fabricators, nor did she respected her," he recalls. to rakishly tilted Stetsons. The back cover ("perhaps the best programming for girls between the Canadian cowgirl and her supplying most of the first hockey ever shy from repeating questions her According to Shutt's husband, shows three "real cowboy girls" - bronc that has yet been produced," Savage raves) American counterpart. Savage does well to sticks used in Canada, but little is made interviewees Maurice Desnoyer, a senior vice-president at riders from before the First World War, might find it hard to buy Evans's fringed introduce us to many Canadian cowgirls, of its exploitation at the hands of the dodged ." Scotia-bank, her sporting wrinkly skirts or bloomers, boots skirts as syn1bols of li berati on. but it would have been even better to hear companies who peddled those sticks So wrote a b i I i t y that have kicked more than a few horse Savage tries to avoid writing a chroni­ more about them and a little less about across the country at 25 cents apiece. columnist john to ask tough turds in their time, and big, ugly, ten-gal­ cle of victimhood, but it's hard to see how Annie Oakley. "O ne is left wondering what the master Nicol about his questions came lon hats. the history of the cowgirl could have a This is an attractive book whose text is carvers were paid fo r their efforts in colleague at from her up­ Ca ndace Savage's text and the pictures happy ending. As cowgirls were getting much more than filler around the pretty supplying the hockey sticks with which The Standard of bringing in a she has chosen for this great-looking book into the movies, they were being pushed pictures. Its heroines might even do for our national sport was shaped in those St. Catharines, no - n onsense tell the story of both kinds of cowgirls: out of the rough-stock rodeo events and some li ttle gi rl what Dale Evans did for times," Vaughan writes, and leaves us Ont., where Shutt m i litary those who rode horses and ro ped steers on re legated to rodeo-queen contests and bar­ wondering still. Savage. 1m worked at the f a m i l y ranches and in rodeos, and those who rel-racing. Savage says the cowgirl was Li kewise, potential! y revealing time of her Acquaintances donned fancy duds to play the role in the tamed fo r good wi th the 1969 cancellation Karen Un land, whose grandpa has kept the looks at the first black and first women's death on Nov. say she was movies and on TV of The Big Valley, starring Barbara tiny cowboy boots she wore when she was hockey leagues in Nova Scotia are 2, 1996. She always chal­ But unlike many chroniclers of cow­ Stanwyck as the "tough old broad" in two, is a reporter for The Globe and Mail's relegated to a few token pages at the was only 44. lenging her­ boy li fe, Savage doesn't dismiss the show- charge of a cattle ranch. I would have put Montreal bureau. back of the book. The discussion of Those who knew self. Prior to women's hockey doesn't go much Shutt best were her career in beyond a few photos and a description shocked by her j ournalism, of the players' outfits. car accident, Shutt compet­ Hockey history burdened with detail Those quibbles aside, The Puck but not sur­ ed in the 1984 Starts Here is successful in establishing She was not afraid to ask the tough questions that prised that she Windsor as the li kely source of Canada's have to be asked. Canad ian The Puck Starts Here Therefore, it's only fitting that retired died working boys at King's College playing "hurley chronic hockey fever. The local Olympic trials s urgeon a nd occasional hockey on a weekend By Garth Va ughan on the long pond on the ice" around chamber of commerce could not find a and became historian Ga rth Va ughan has labored to - en route to London, Ont., to set up Goose Lane Editions/ Four 1800 as a sta rting poin t, Vaughan beuer spokesman than Vaughan, who New York State cycling champion dur­ produce a defi nitive Boo k of Genesis for a journalism conference. Bast Publications convincingly traces the sport's gradual never misses a chance to remind the ing residence there. Those w ho knew the sport. Born in England, Shutt had spread from Windsor to other points in reader where he believes ice hockey her say she was driven by her contempt 2 0 6 pages, $24.95 Th e Puck Sta rts Here is a heartfelt, pursued careers in banking and Canada and eventually to the Un ited originated and why. W hat emerges from for stereotyping, especially the pigeon­ well-illustrated and o ften maddeningly competitive cycling before deciding, States over the next 100 years. Along the book is less a history of Canada's holing of women. One of her last sto­ Revi ewed by Ben Rayn er detailed chronicle of ice hockey's at age 38, to try journalism. Despite the way, he refutes two of the most favo rite sport than an endearing ries was a front-page fea ture on the late beginnings in Vaughan's home town of being initially mistaken for th e common hockey "creation theories" portrait of Windsor's love affair with the Laura Sabia, who made a career of fur­ Windsor, Nova Scotia. Where the sport mother of other students, Shutt t's probably not much of an crediting Montreal and Kingston with game. thering women's issues. originated has long been a source of distinguished herself in her classes at exaggeration to suggest that ice inventing the game in 1875 and 1888 Whether ice hockey began there or Those wishing to remember Linda debate, but Vaughan argues - almost what is now Ryerson Polytechnic I hockey long ago supplanted respectively by linking early organized not, one gets the impression kids will Shutt may make a donation in her irrefutably - that what we have come University. She won nine awards and Christianity as the most widely games in those cities with transplanted be whacking a puck around on Long name to the scholarship fu nd at practised religion in Canada. to know as ice hockey evolved in hockey-savvy Nova Scotians. had the h ighest average in each of her Pond for a good many years to come. Em Ryerson Polytechnic University in As thousands of NHL widows, Windsor from a similar Irish fie ld game Vaughan's research has obviously three years there. She worked for a Toronto. lm minor- league ri nk ra ts and armchair call ed hurley. been a tireless labor of love and he year at a weekly paper in Haliburton, Ben Rayner is a freelan ce writer who has referees ac ross the nation will no doubt Using Nova Scotian writer Thomas crams The Puch Starts Here with an Ont. , then moved to The Standard. been successfully inow/ated aga inst hockey Written with tl1e assistance o.f john Nicol a n est , hockey is bigger than j esus . Chand le r Hali burton's mention of the impressive parade of facts, whimsical john Nicol, who wrote a moving ...... fever t ribute to her in The Globe and Mail's and Globe excerpts. 24 MEDIA WINTER I 997 MEDIA WINTER 1997 25 . THE LAST WORD The Michener UBC' s new journalism school Award 1996

Sp eling and Langwitch : An intro­ Radio News: Learn how to read the AND FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM ductory course on how to use the morning newspaper to find the one spellcheck command on your comput- story that mentions sex, two stories er. about rock stars and the section that T HE M ICHENER AWARD Sen sitivity and Equity 411 : How lists off all the famous birthdays. Learn to avoid gender and race specific lan­ the number for the helicopter and a guage when-ever possible. When a sub­ h undred different ways to ask, "and Now in it's 27th year, the Michener Award is bestowed annually, when ject's gender or ethnicity is vital to a how's the traffic looking on the bridge merited, in the name of the R ight Honourable Roland M ichener, P. C ., story, they should only be identified by today?" C.C., to the Canadian media organization j udged to have contributed the their chromosome balance and/or their TV News or "How to b e an outstanding example of meritorious public service through journalism in By Mark Leiren-Young DNA make-up. An ch or person in seven days or your the proceeding year. Investigative Repor ting 007: money back :" This crash course 'anad ian Press is on the brink of Standard reporting consists of reading a includes seminars such as "Looking Media organizations eligible for entry include: death, CBC is so strapped for press release and making one phone very very serious for ve ry very serious • newspapers (regardless of published frequency); call to add an original quote of your C= cash that Vancouver weatherman stori es," "How to smile li ke you mean it • news agencies and services; Phil Reimer has been replaced by daily own. Learn how to use the phone book when the sportscaster makes a bad • magazines; phone calls to a guy in the Kootenays to call someone whose number is NOT joke" and "Hair and teeth, the essentials • radio and television stations; on the press release. who consults his bunions, and Conrad of television news." As any TV anchor • radio and television networks. Black not only owns every newspaper in Cana dian Content 4 16 : How to will tell you, there's n othing more the coumry but he's apparently just put find the Canadian angle. If an oil rig important to presenting the news than Entries are judged keeping in mind the resources available to each in a bid on the alphabet. What better blows u p in Angola your first question the right coiffure. If Peter Mansbridge entrant. Submissions for 1996 must feature news stories published or time fo r the University of British should be "were there any Canadians had invested in Minoxadil five years broadcast within the calendar year 1996. Columbia to open a new journalism on board?" Your second q uestion ago, he'd be anchoring the CBS Evening I schooP should, of course, be "a nd how does News today. Entries should be sent to: Clearly there is a vital need for this this affect Princess Diana?" Also, learn how to floss. Not many Michener Awards Foundation exciting new institution . Within 24 Polls a nd Pollsters 666: Polls are people realize this but the real reason The Ottawa Citizen, 1101 Baxter Rd. , Box 55020 hours of the announcement of the vital to the modern newspaper because Connie Chung was fired by CBS is Ottawa, Ontario K2C 3M4 school's existence, UBC fielded nearly they n ot only delve into the public psy­ because she once ate corn on the cob 10,000 applications. Unfortu nately, che but they also provide an excuse to before a newscast and forgot to fl oss. they were all for teaching positions. run colorful pictures of graphs and pie . Graduate students may be qualified to DEADLINE FOR RECEIPT OF SUBMI SSIONS: FEB I, 1997 What makes this new addition to charts. All polls should be treated as apply for actual jobs with such vital scientifically accurate re fl ections of the UBC so exciting is that as Canada's information sources as Much Music. THE M I CH ENER FELLOWSHIPS- FOUR MONTHS $20,000 newest journalism school, the faculty public mood worthy of in-depth edito­ And, finally, all students wi ll be will be able to toss away the old text rial analysis, except on days when the re required to com plete a course in In late 1982, the Michener Awards Foundation was established to ensure books and focus on teaching journalists is actual news. j ourna lism 1997: journalists have tra­ perpetuation of the Michener Award, to advance education in the field the skills they actually need for making Political Reporting 222: Homework d itionally been schooled in asking who, of journalism and to foster journalism that serves the public interest. it in today's alleged job market. will include watching reruns of The X­ what, when, where and why but in To that end, one or two Michener Fellowships of $20,000 each are Here's a brief selection of some of Files and memorizing the words "Trust today's media job market there are new granted annually (when warranted) to journalists for four m.onths out­ the courses ex pected to be offered : No One." questions j ournalists need to know how of-office study time aimed at enhancing their competence as journalists. International Reporting 911: Learn to ask such as: "Would you like fries Mature applicants with an interest in public service through journalism Tabloid 001: How to write little how to fly to exotic and interesting with that?" and "Did you want your oil are invited to apply for the 1997 fellowships. stories with big headli nes and short countries where you can stay in fancy checked?" 1m words. Se ni or students will be sent to hotels, run up an outrageous bar tab and Fellowship entries to: the UBC medical centre where they will collect all the necessary fa cts by watch­ (This piece was written for (and publish ed The Michener Awards Foundation have their vocabular y removed. ing CNN. in) the Vancouver Sun op-ed section.) 29 Madawaska Drive Royal Watching 200: If you want j ournalistic Ethics (a nd other Ottawa, Ontario K1 S 3G5 your story on the front page, always ask oxym oron s): How to ask anyone, any­ Mark Leiren-Young is a Vancouver free­ the critical question, "how does this thing at any time and laugh about it in lance journalist and playwright willing to DEADLINE FOR APPLICATION RECEIPT: Feb. 28, 1997 affect Princess Diana?" the bar afterwards. teach any of the above courses.

26 MEDIA WINTER I 997 Coopers & Lybrand names its key sources

TORONTO - Coopers & Lybrand is naming names for the media. The professional services firm bas published an extensive source directory of its leading experts, people who can "talk the talk" on more than 170 topics. Ask the Experts: Media Spokesperson Directory 1996 is a media-friendly listing of Coopers & Lybrand's jargon-free specialists who will provide writers and on-air hosts with straight facts, incisive analysis and clear answers for listeners. "Our partners and staff are contacted regularly to comment on a range of current issues," says Deborah Um, Manager, Marketing and Com­ munications. "That's why we developed this directOry. It'll help journalists establish a broader base of professionals to call on." Organized by subject, name and province, Ask the Experts is designed to make life easier for journalists and broadcasters needing quick and accurate information or an experienced guest for a radio show. Coopers & Lybrand bas people who can speak on a range of specific subjects pertaining to busi­ ness, industry and government policy, from the big business of major league sports to the new entrepreneurial spirit in Canada.