media

Digital media creates tumultuous environment for Canadian politics

rabble staff — Wed, 06 Jul 2016 13:46:59 +0000

July 7, 2016

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Society is undergoing profound change brought about by advances in communications technology. The transformative effects of digital media are being felt throughout journalism, an important democratic institution that citizens depend on to monitor government and the behaviour of political elites.

The news media landscape is changing. Rapidly. As digital media brings much good to the citizens how are the political elites using it to control the message?

Oh, Canada: Harper's systematic attack on democracy and media

rabble staff — Thu, 23 Apr 2015 19:55:53 +0000

May 7, 2015

If the state of Canada's democracy doesn't already reduce you to tears, it will once you get your hands on Mark Bourrie's latest book, Kill the Messengers: Stephen Harper's Assault on Your Right to Know. This book would be worth the time under any circumstances; in an election year, it's absolutely essential reading.

Does the state of Canada's democracy reduce you to tears? If it doesn't, it will once you read Mark Bourrie's 'Kill the Messengers: Stephen Harper's Assault on Your Right to Know.'

Canada's billionaires: Did you hear about the Irvings?

rabble staff — Wed, 22 Oct 2014 21:07:47 +0000

October 23, 2014

In this review of Irving vs. Irving: Canada's Feuding Billionaires and the Stories they won't tell, Canada's third wealthiest family -- who have a monopoly on New Brunswick’s English-language print media and billions of dollars in offshore accounts -- is examined against the backdrop of their history and relationships and their newspaper operations. Read on!

To think about the media landscape in New Brunswick, and the economy and politics more generally, one must come to terms with the power of the Irving family.

The production and consumption of news is a fundamental liberal democracy. So what happens when one of Canada's richest families owns all the papers in New Brunswick?

Media Ecosystem: Growing better media gardens

rabble staff — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 01:13:10 +0000

November 1, 2012

In Media Ecosystem, Antonio Lopez examines how participatory media can draw an end to the 'world system' of the Industrial-Scientific Revolution and supplant it with a much needed Sustainability Revolution.

Media Ecosystem is an Evolver Editions 'Manifesto Series' and it reads as such, tackling head-on the colonial capitalist neoliberal worldview and system that is destroying our world. I read it as something of a change from his previous Mediacology book where he expressed the opinion that "critical pessimists" hinder the development of good working media literacy.

In Media Ecosystem, Antonio Lopez takes an ecological approach to media that both understands the world of media as an ecosystem, and connects media to the physical world.

Many battles left to fight: The state of media in Canada

rabble staff — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 00:40:45 +0000

November 1, 2012

Alternative Media in Canada
Kirsten Kozolanka, Patricia Mazepa and David Skinner, eds. (UBC Press, 2013; $29.95)

The need for diversity of opinion in Canadian media is dire -- many groups don’t see their concerns and successes reflected in the myriad of television shows, newscasts and print journalism being published daily. Two books are a call to action for more voices in our media.

The marginalized left out of the mainstream media

The need for diversity of opinion in Canadian media is dire. Two books are a call to action for more voices in our media.

Canada's media under the lens

alex — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 19:07:08 +0000

November 10, 2011

This weekend rabble.ca and other independent media in Vancouver will gather to celebrate Media Democracy Day. At the event, citizens, artists, activists, scholars, policy-makers, journalists, and community leaders will participate in a dialogue about the state of Canadian media.

At Media Democracy Day, author and film scholar, Dr. Peter Steven, will be featured on a plenary with rabble.ca founder, Judy Rebick and communication scholar, Dr. Sut Jhally.

In About Canada: Media, Dr. Peter Steven finds that the quality of our news and entertainment media is steadily declining, as well as becoming increasingly restricted and less diverse.

Best of rabble 4 highlights 2010 news, views and more!

alex — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 23:58:35 +0000

June 23, 2011

To commemorate our 10th anniversary, rabble.ca has launched the fourth installment in our best of rabble.ca series. The best of 2010 book includes some of the best examples of news and views that the site had to offer in 2010, including pieces by Krystalline Kraus, Murray Dobbin, Libby Davies and our very own news and features editor, Cathryn Atkinson.

The best of 2010 book includes some of the best examples of news and views that the site had to offer in 2010, including pieces by Krystalline Kraus, Murray Dobbin, Libby Davies and Cathryn Atkinson.

The 'boob tube' and feelin' Canadian

alex — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 00:01:27 +0000

June 9, 2011

Feeling Canadian, by academic and filmmaker Marusya Bociurkiw, explores the impact of television and corporate culture on Canadian identity.

Bociurkiw's book is not organized as a linear argument aimed at proving a thesis, however. Instead, she examines specific "traumatic points" in televised Canadian history. The cultural artifacts and traumatic points studied include the television shows A People's History of Canada and Loving Spoonfuls, the Molson Canadian television commercial "The Rant" featuring Joe Canadian and Pierre Trudeau's funeral. She studies these shows in order to determine how much the elusive Canadian identity is simply a product of commercial culture.

Feeling Canadian, by academic and filmmaker Marusya Bociurkiw, explores the impact of television and corporate culture on Canadian identity.

The best of rabble's best

alex — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 17:54:44 +0000

April 29, 2010

The latest -- and greatest -- volume of the much loved Best of rabble.ca book series is here, hot off the presses!

In what has become an annual tradition, this third "best of" is a pocket-sized reader featuring the best stories in the last year from rabble's news and features section. Highlights include interviews with rabble rousers and thinkers like Tariq Ali, George Galloway and Denis Rancourt; stories of silenced dissent -- many that were donated by activists doing double-duty to both organize and cover events, protests and struggle underreported or ignored entirely by the mainstream press.

The latest -- and greatest -- volume of the much loved Best of rabble.ca book series is here, hot off the presses!

Christina McCall: 'Feminist in arms'

alex — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 17:55:34 +0000

January 22, 2009

In her youth, Christina McCall dreamed of becoming a theatre critic, where she could hobnob in the theatre districts of London or New York. Instead, she crafted a career as a magazine writer, immersing herself in the drama of the Canadian political stage.

Though she might best be remembered for her in-depth coverage of the Liberal Party of Canada, McCall's breadth included issues of urban planning, Canadian nationalism, and of course, feminism.

Though journalist Christina McCall may best be remembered for her in-depth coverage of the Liberal Party, she also covered issues of urban planning, Canadian nationalism, and of course, feminism.