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:

• Canadian news consumers unaware of financial strain on the industry [J-Source]
• The Healthy Freelancer: Self-Care for the Self-Employed [PWAC Toronto]
• Canadian freelancers turn to the US market to secure higher-paying gigs [J-Source]
• CBC should stay in digital game, get out of advertising and lead the fight against fake news, say newsroom leaders [J-Source]
• Magazines Canada polling its members about what they'd like to see in industry internships [Canadian Magazines]
• APTN aims for national radio network [J-Source]

From The U.S. and beyond:

• CPJ’s Joel Simon on the press freedom crisis in the United States [Poynter]
• Thrillist editorial staff seeks to unionize with the Writer's Guild East [Variety]
• Want to Become Your Editor’s Favorite Freelance Writer? Do This [The Write Life]
• Is Twitter Dead? This Freelance Writer Says “No Way!” [The Write Life]
• 10 format ideas for short-form audio storytelling [Journalism.co.uk]
• Gender differences in pitching: Results from the TON pitching survey [The Open Notebook]
• Here’s Why Pitching is a Lot Like Seduction [Mediabistro]

Recently on Story Board:

• J-Source wants you to help create a list of the best places to freelance in Canada: Earlier this month, the Columbia Journalism Review ran a great post that surveyed two dozen freelancers about the best outlets to work for...
• Looking for a coffee shop to work in? Work Hard Anywhere can help: Work Hard Anywhere is an iOS app that maps laptop-friendly workspaces such as coffee shops, libraries and co-working spaces. The app depends on users to rate various aspects of the locations on the map...

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.