The group Investigative Reporters & Editors, partnering with the Ryerson University School of Journalism and the Canadian Association of Journalists Educational Foundation, is bringing its Better Watchdog Workshop to Toronto. Sponsored by the Toronto Star, the two-day workshop will focus on investigative journalism skills, including tips on online research, developing sources, how to deal with freedom of information laws and public records, how to work with confidential sources, how to cover the environment and terrorism, and how to use social media as an investigative tool. This particular iteration of the workshop is called Crossing the 49th: Investigative Journalism on Both Sides of the Border, and it promises to cover issues of shared relevance to American and Canadian journalists.
Where: Ryerson University (350 Victoria St., Toronto); Saturday in Room RCC204 and RCC201, Sunday in RCC201 and Computer Lab RCC 187
When: November 5 (9:15 a.m. to 5:15 p.m.) & 6 (9:30 a.m. to 12:20 p.m.)
Cost: US$55 or US$25 for students (Ryerson students free with university ID)
Registration: The workshop’s online registration system is down, so those interested in attending are asked to fill out the registration form [PDF] and bring it, along with payment, to the workshop. You can also register by phone. Call Amy Johnston at 573-884-1444. Payment by credit card is preferred.
The full schedule and list of expected speakers, which includes CWG’s Derek Finkle, is here.
Of special note, a free event has been added on Saturday evening. Here are the details:
Certifiable? A Debate over Licensing Journalists
Should journalists be licensed by a regulatory body? Who would separate the pros from the joes? Are citizen journalists second class? Do Canadians care?
The debate over accreditation of journalists is heating up in Quebec and the U.K. with government calls for action—and surprising support from some journalists—for the notion of professional regulation.
Join us Saturday, Nov. 5 at Massey College for a debate on the proposals for journalistic licensing featuring a range of views from Quebec, English Canada, and the U.S.
Hosted by the Massey Canadian Journalism Fellows, the event will bring together a prestigious panel of speakers including:
- Julian Sher, Award-winning investigative documentary-maker, book author and Globe and Mail writer
- Josh Meyer, Medill National Security Journalism Initiative & McCormick Lecturer in National Security Studies, Northwestern University, Washington Bureau
- Lise Millette, Editor, Le 30 (the magazine of the FPJQ) and journalist at Presse Canadienne (Montreal)
- Bert Bruser, leading Canadian media lawyer
Where: Upper Library, Massey College, 4 Devonshire Place, Toronto.
When: Saturday, November 5, 7:30 pm.
Cost: Free, cash bar.
For more information, contact Robert Cribb: 416-579-0289, cribb@rogers.com