Off the Wire: News for the Canadian media freelancer April 16–22, 2012

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:

• Amateur sports mourns death of veteran Toronto Star reporter Randy Starkman [Yahoo Canada/Canadian Press]
• Government, private media take their shots at CBC [Canadian Media Guild]
• Heather Reisman on The Sunday Edition [CBC Books]
• A simple question, a blizzard of emails, and a peek inside how Canada's bureaucracy works [Ottawa Citizen] (via @tamara_baluja)
• New medical training sessions for freelance journalists [J-Source]
• The ethics of staging [Ryerson Review of Journalism]
• The slow erosion of our last cross-country connection [The Network/Toronto Star] (via @metromorning)
• Lawsuits allege ebook price-fixing conspiracy in Canada [Quill& Quire]

From the U.S. and beyond:

• Can the computers at narrative science replace paid writers? [TheAtlantic.com] (via @mediagazer)
• Judges, journalists clash over courtroom tweets [Associated Press]
• Behind the Pulitzers: How did they do that? [CBS/Associated Press] (via @natalieturvey)
• Orange prize 2012 shortlist puts Ann Patchett in running for second victory [Guardian.co.uk] (via @lizrenzetti)
• Rosen’s Trust Puzzler: What Explains Falling Confidence in the Press? [Jay Rosen's PressThink] (via @romenesko)
• Debate: Being a journalist is the greatest job in the world [Poynter.org] (via @natalieturvey)
• Inside Forbes: Love 'em or Hate 'em, Comments Are Critical to Media Success in a Social World [Forbes.com] (via @mediagazer)
• What can writers do to build the public’s trust in the media? [Poynter.org]
• Why we need new models for arts journalism [KnightArts.org] (via @NiemanReports)
• Facts, 360 B.C.-A.D. 2012: In memoriam: After years of health problems, Facts has finally died [Chicago Tribune] (via @romenesko)
• Nick Denton wants to turn the online media world on its head [GigaOM]

From Story Board last week:

• Steve Buttry to newsroom curmudgeons: Cut it out: Do you find yourself cursing the sad state of journalism today, wondering why people waste time with Twitter, or proclaiming End Times when journalism schools cut courses on spelling and grammar? Probably not, if you’re reading posts here (at least not the social media part). But if you haven’t seen it yet — and whether or not you consider yourself one — check out Steve Buttry’s letter to newsroom curmudgeons that convincingly rebuts all the usual arguments from experienced journalists who don’t have time for all this digital silliness and social media mumbo-jumbo.

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Spot a story you think we should include in next week's Off the Wire? Email the link to editor@thestoryboard.ca.

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