Off the Wire: News for the Canadian media freelancer September 25-October 1

Once a week, we gather stories about the media business, journalism, writing, publishing, and freelancing—with a Canadian focus—and share them in Off the Wire. Who needs a water cooler?

From Canada:

• Community news website OpenFile suspends publication [Globe and Mail]
• Public editor: Journalism, commercial interests should be kept separate [Globe and Mail]
• Print newspapers still most popular choice, says study [PrintCan] (via @Mastheadmag)
• Your Guide to Fall Magazine Writing Contests [Magazine Awards blog]
• J-Source’s Q&A with Carol Wainio [J-Source]
• Public editor: What we need to do better [Globe and Mail]
• Plagiarism is only as wrong as we make it [J-Source]
• Columnist Margaret Wente defends herself [Globe and Mail] (via @sladurantaye)
• Former chair of Ryerson’s journalism school calls on The Globe’s public editor to resign [The Journalism Doctor] (via @goldsbie)

From the U.S. and beyond:

•  Small-town America depends more on traditional media than big-city residents [Poynter]
• Big-foot billionaires crash the media scene in Israel, Australia [Poynter]
• Top U.S. magazine editors workloads increasing [CanadianMags]
• New funds for global stories [Public Radio Exchange] (via @NiemanLab)
• How do we save journalism? [POLIS] (via @natalieturvey)
• 100 Twitter accounts every journalism student should follow [Journalism.co.uk] (via @poynter)

From Story Board last week:

• The Born Freelancer on how to get a great sounding interview – Part 1: Recently I shared my thoughts with you on the most cost-efficient technology available today to record an interview. Whether for broadcast or for reference in the creation of a print piece, it is up to each freelancer to familiarize themselves with the optimal recording techniques available. Over the next few posts I will reveal my favourite tips regarding the mechanics of doing a good quality interview….
• The Born Freelancer on how to get a great sounding interview – Part 2: Yesterday I began my series of tips to give you better sounding recorded interviews. Today I continue the topic, covering what I think is one of the most important elements in achieving a superior overall sound – your choice of microphone…
•  The Margaret Wente controversy: It’s been a week since the start of a social media storm over accusations of plagiarism against Globe and Mail columnist Margaret Wente. The controversy began with a post on the blog Media Culpa on September 18th. In it, Ottawa artist and blogger Carol Wainio drew attention to a 2009 column by Wente that she says shows “substantial overlap” with the work of other writers…

 

Spot a story you think we should include in next week’s Off the Wire? Email the link to editor@thestoryboard.ca or tweet us at @storyboard_ca

 

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