Source: cwa-scacanada.ca Postmedia is slashing dozens of editorial jobs at the Montreal Gazette and Ottawa Citizen, which will also cease publication of its Sunday paper in July. “It’s a pretty bleak day for journalism,” said a dispirited Debbie Cole, president of the Ottawa Newspaper Guild, which will lose 20 members to buyouts and layoffs. Martin O’Hanlon, Director of CWA Canada, …

Source: straightgoods.ca Watchdogs need more teeth as well as public and industry support. Dateline: Tuesday, April 17, 2012 by John Gordon Miller, Ryerson University In a new questionnaire about the future of press councils in Canada, we are asked, “In your opinion, how accountable are news organizations to the publics they serve?” I suspect almost no one will answer “very accountable.” …

Dear friends, It’s been quite a year! From Cairo to Calgary, common people are standing up and speaking out for their rights. Whether it’s the Arab Spring or the Occupy movement, a dictatorial regime or a political and financial system that favours the rich, the protests of 2011 were spurred by the same thing — injustice. That injustice has aroused …

Source: cwa-scacanada.ca Thomson Reuters is moving its Toronto-based global online newsroom to Bangalore, India, which will eliminate the jobs of 22 members of the Canadian Media Guild. “It’s really disappointing that Thomson Reuters – a profitable Canadian company – is offshoring jobs to pay people a pittance,” said Glenn Gray, staff representative of the CMG. “It’s not in the interest …

British Columbians may soon know a lot less about what’s happening in the government’s backrooms, thanks to a recent change in how it responds to freedom of information requests. In the past, those records — which have revealed everything from secret contracts awarded to the premier’s supporters, to which ministry has the worst performing bureaucrats — have only been given …