Online hate targeting women journalists hurts us all
The best journalism, whatever the medium, relies on one essential element—an unflinching willingness and ability to gather and report the facts. The journalist’s role, always, is telling truth to power, whether challenging people in authority, unveiling corporate malfeasance, reporting the facts about COVID-19, or examining complex issues of social justice. In an era of “fake […]
Michael de Adder lands political cartooning job with the Washington Post
Michael de Adder has always been entranced by journalism and newspapers, right from the time he was 10 years old and watching All The President’s Men. “It resonated for me then and it still does. For me, going to The Washington Post is amazing,” he told The Hill Times. Mr. de Adder has been with […]
Why Canadians need to take digital disinformation seriously
On March 20, rallies to protest COVID-19 restrictions were organized worldwide. Several of these so-called “freedom rallies” took place in Canada, including in Calgary, London, Victoria, and Vancouver. The previous weekend, thousands took to the streets in Montreal to protest lockdown measures that have been put in place by the Quebec government. Many held signs […]
Closure of HuffPost Canada another hit to already battered Canadian media landscape
The closure of HuffPost Canada and HuffPost Québec earlier this month is just another gut-punch to an already battered news industry in this country following the economic wreckage of the COVID-19 pandemic. And Zi-Ann Lum, one of the reporters at HuffPost Canada, told The Hill Times that although she’s been “overwhelmed with support” following the […]
From disorientation to lockdowns to recovery: my year reporting on COVID
Following the one-year mark of the COVID-19 pandemic, I’ve noticed more and more folks on social media asking and answering this question: ‘on what day did the pandemic really and truly start for you’? For me, it was March 16, 2020, when I checked into a hotel just off Elgin Street for the first of […]
Media leaders, CAJ weigh in on newsroom diversity efforts 10 months after tumultuous summer of 2020
Ten months after the killing of 46-year-old George Floyd, a Black man, by a white police officer in Minneapolis prompted soul-searching in newsrooms across the country to address anti-Black racism in all aspects of society, there has been slow but steady progress toward bringing more diverse voices into the fold in this country’s major media […]
Public trust in government, business, media erode following dramatic spring 2020 surge, according to survey
Public trust in government and business came back down to Earth last fall, falling significantly from a high point during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a survey by communications firm Edelman. Canadians became fatigued by lockdowns and what they feel is the spread of disinformation online and in the news, the […]
It’s time for a private-sector sunshine law
Kudos to The Globe and Mail for digging into the darker side of Bay Street’s dirty little secrets. In a series on workforce gender bias last week, the Globe published confidential information on the remuneration of partners in one of Canada’s largest business law firms. At Cassels, Brock & Blackwell LLP, female equity partners earn […]
Rebel Media lawsuits target journalists, chill speech, says reporter facing litigation
Two lawsuits launched by Rebel Media against media outlets have been dismissed under Ontario’s anti-SLAPP law, a sign that the law is working to protect press freedom, say journalists still facing litigation from the far-right website. Earlier this month, Ontario Superior Court Justice James Diamond ruled in favour of Al Jazeera and Brendan DeMelle for […]
On reducing harm, improving democratic expression on the internet
“Today, anyone can own a corner of the internet. More people than ever can benefit from enhanced access to knowledge, community and collective action. But there is also the darker side. Along with a more open and accessible public square has come a less trustworthy and safe one. This represents one of the central paradoxes […]
