#304 — Fighting for truth through transparency and sunlight

What happens in darkness does not tend to stay there long. “We’ve seen which parts of our systems are or are not working,” said Alex Howard, an independent writer, open government advocate and former deputy director of the Sunlight Foundation. It’s not just about the U.S. government system, or state and local leadership. It’s about…

#303 — A public farewell for the very private Tragically Hip

In May 2016, fans of one of Canada’s longest lasting and best loved bands got some heartbreaking news: Gord Downie, the lead singer of the Tragically Hip, was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer. In the same breath, the band, together since the 1980s, announced their final cross-country tour that would end in their hometown of…

#256 – Journalism education in the era of fake news

  Teaching young journalists about technology is important; teaching them how to use it to tell stories that are unbiased, impartial and well-researched is urgent. Margot Susca, a professorial lecturer at American University, wants journalists to understand the full scope and weight of their work, whether they’re just starting out in the newsroom or approaching…

#255 – Write headlines that make your readers care … and click

  The greatest article won’t be read by anyone if it has a bad headline or boring image on top. It’s a simple truth but one journalists and editors alike should take to heart, said Ryan Craggs, an editor and audience development strategist with Condé Nast Traveler. With years of working on creating content and…

Turn Up the Volume — A Down and Dirty Guide to Podcasting

If you spend any time reviewing the listings on Apple Podcasts (formerly iTunes) or GooglePlay, you’ll quickly discover there are a lot of podcasts out there — thousands of them, in fact — covering a vast variety of subjects. Want to delve into the seamy side of political corruption within an American city? Check out…

Overview: Turn Up the Volume — A Down and Dirty Guide to Podcasting

Introduction The introduction provides an overview of the current state of podcasting and includes a brief history of the medium. Podcasting can trace its roots back to 1999, when a group of developers at Netscape fleshed out the Real Simple Syndication (RSS) technology. This allowed users to subscribe to an information feed on a website….