Freedom of Information Audit to be released on September 24

Newspapers Canada will release its seventh annual national Freedom of Information (FOI) audit and related materials on Monday, September 24. The launch of the 2012 report coincides with Canadian Right to Know Week, which takes place this year on September 24 to 28. The annual FOI audit provides a unique opportunity to compare the performance of various public institutions across Canada. The results of the national survey offer insight into the overall health of Canada's access to information regimes and reveal which government departments are lagging when it comes to being genuinely open and accountable to Canadians. Read more »

Innovative Advertising Blog: AdWest plans for success in community newspapers

Newspapers Canada spotlights newspaper innovation by inviting representatives from across the country to contribute to our Innovative Advertising Blog. In this edition, Jeff Beardsworth, advertising director at AdWest Marketing INC., highlights his organization’s ability to help agencies and advertisers identify community newspapers with circulation near specific retail locations. Read more »

Sunshine Summit takes place in Calgary and Victoria during RTK Week

During Right to Know Week, Western Canada will play host to two informative and engaging conferences on open government. The Sunshine Summit will take place in Calgary on Monday, September 24 and in Victoria on Friday, September 28. Numerous industry experts from across Canada will participate in the summit and will discuss how to improve transparency and promote confidence in government by increasing access to information. Read more »

Applications now open for 2013 James Travers Foreign Corresponding Fellowship

Canadian journalists are invited to apply for the 2013 James Travers Foreign Corresponding Fellowship. The $25,000 award is administered by Carleton University in order to finance a significant foreign reporting project by a Canadian freelance or full-time journalist working in any medium. The fellowship fund, now in its second year, commemorates the work of Jim Travers, a reporter, columnist, foreign correspondent and editor at the Ottawa Citizen and Toronto Star who passed away in March 2011. Read more »

Celebrate International Newspaper Carrier Day on October 13

Each year, newspapers from around the world recognize the hard work of newspaper carriers by celebrating International Newspaper Carrier Day. On Saturday, October 13 newspapers will honour the hundreds of thousands of men and women who make an important contribution to the industry. Daily and community newspapers from across Canada may choose to commemorate Carrier Day in a variety of different ways, some by placing an ad in their newspaper, others by organizing special events or activities. Read more »

Postmedia’s Raise-a-Reader Day celebrates 10th anniversary

This week, sixteen Postmedia papers will raise money for family literacy as part of the chain’s annual Raise-a-Reader campaign. The national fundraising initiative has collected almost $20 million for local reading resources since it began in 2002. Newspapers from across the country will raise awareness and donations through sponsorship and various different fundraising events, including a newspaper exchange program. Read more »

Joe Anderson, vice-president and publisher of Metroland North, has announced that he will be retiring. Anderson began his newspaper career at a young age, working as a carrier for The Globe and Mail. He joined the staff at Oshawa This Week (formerly This Week) in high school as a summer intern and began working his way up the circulation department. After Oshawa This Week was purchased by Metroland in 1981, Anderson worked in advertising and sales roles at a number of different community papers before taking on management positions at publications in Markham, Scarborough, Newmarket and Barrie. Read more »

Kevin McSheffrey has been named the new managing editor at the Mid-North Monitor in Espanola, Ontario. McSheffrey began his journalism career as a beat reporter at The Standard in Elliot Lake. He was later promoted to managing editor of the paper in 2002. In his new position, McSheffrey will oversee the editorial department at both The Standard and the Mid-North Monitor. Read more »

Lynsey Kitching has joined the staff at the Tumbler Ridge News in British Columbia as the new flyer delivery coordinator. Kitching, who is an Ontario native and graduate of the Journalism program at Niagara College, has been writing for the community newspaper on a freelance basis for the past few months. She will divide her time at the paper between her flyer delivery coordinator position and in the editorial department as a writer and photographer. Read more »