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:

• Jonathan Kay has resigned as EIC of The Walrus [Canadian Magazines]
• Canada's National Newspaper Awards have a diversity problem [J-Source]
• High-profile Canadian journalists pledge to raise money for ‘appropriation prize’ [Toronto Star]
• Desmond Cole's decision to leave the Toronto Star suggests a double standard on activism [J-Source]
• How striking Halifax journalists conjured an award-winning digital news outlet out of pluck and spite [Canadaland]
• A journalist’s guide to responsible social embeds and usage [J-Source]
• Globe and Mail Public Editor: Why are women absent from the pages of The Globe? [J-Source]
• Magazine winners announced in 2016 Atlantic Journalism Awards [Canadian Magazines]

From The U.S. and beyond:

• Take your skills to the next level with online learning [Freelancers Union]
• Advice from 18 news organizations to help you tailor your story pitches [Journalism.co.uk]
• Despite doing more with less, journalists at small newspapers are mostly optimistic [Poynter]
• Don’t Feel Guilty, Freelancers: 4 Reasons to Love Coffee Shops [The Write Life]
• So how in the world do you break into a career in podcasting, anyway? [Nieman Lab]
• 6 Millennials Share Why They Joined The Gig Economy And Ditched Their Day Jobs [Forbes]
• Writing Groups 101: How to Find Your Perfect Match [The Write Life]
• How to work in the gig economy and still save like a corporate lifer [Working Not Working]
• Negotiating 101 for Writers [Michelle Rafter]
• 5 Crucial Tips if You Want to Write for Local Publications [The Write Life]

Recently on Story Board:

• Know Your Worth, Know Your Rights: More often than not, writers are being asked to sign contracts these days, says Don Genova, president of CMG Freelance. Contracts can protect you, but they can also put an unfair burden on the writer...
• Expanding Your Portfolio with Sandra Phinney: With legacy media crumbling and a scarcity of full-time writing jobs, keeping a freelance lifestyle means looking in the nooks and crannies of your own backyard...

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.