That’s All Folks
Where does the Internet come out?
Yup, we’re done our series on ShawTV. the edmontonian presents has been an immense amount of work, especially for Sally who did ALL of the post-production, but it was also great fun to have new conversations with, and about, Edmonton.
We appreciate the help in the last few months from people who produced videos, came up with ideas, starred in cold opens, sponsored the program, talked with us on-camera, fact-checked, shared music, performed their music live for our closing segments, provided us with photos, videos, or other materials, offered up spaces to work and record, and gave us support in any and every other way.
While we’re clearly on the Internet, we know there’s still a lot of power in traditional mediums like television but they just need to be shaken loose of the murders and Jersey Shore formula. This also proved to us that it truly is, and always has been, about the content. (This all seems very timely with the Marshall McLuhan celebrations happening in Edmonton this year.)
We hope you enjoyed something in one of the six episodes; whether a story, information you didn’t know about, a song or band you hadn’t heard before, people doing things here that get you excited, a business you’d like to shop at, restaurants you’d like to try, or just the general idea that local television can go way beyond the 6 o’clock news.
Now here’s something we can all do!
We can all write to the heads of television networks and TV programming and let them know we think there’s still plenty television has to offer in the Internet age, and that we’d like to see them cool it with the Hollywood purchases and spend as much as they can on Canadian, local, and original programming.
Here are some people to start with:
Mr. Keith Pelley, President of Rogers Media (CityTV) – keith.pelley@rci.rogers.com
Ms. Barbara Williams, Senior Content Director at Global Television (Global TV) – barbara.williams@shawmedia.ca
Mr. Phil King, Programming President of CTV (CTV, ACCESS) – phil.king@ctv.ca
Ms. Judy Piercey, Managing Director at CBC Edmonton – judy.piercey@cbc.ca
Oh, and if you want to be on TV right away, you can contact the folks at ShawTV about volunteering on one of their programs or having your own show (just like we did).
An election alliance
It has come to our attention that Edmonton television stations Global, CBC, CityTV, and ACCESS will not be providing a live election show, Monday, October 18.
They may have screen-crawls and the odd update in a commercial break.
So, since we here at the edmontonian plan to be live on the web when polls close at 8pm, we saw two choices.
We could make fun of Global, CBC, and the gang of local broadcasters for not doing a show on what is about the biggest night of Edmonton news, for the next three years. Or we could offer our services to what is clearly a collection of cash-strapped television stations.
In this age of collaboration, where traditional news providers are struggling to make their way in the digital world, we extend our hand to Edmonton’s beleaguered news broadcasters.
We’ll be live, at 8pm, Monday night. We’ll have live election results, analysis, reports from the field, and Pepe. And since some local TV stations can’t find a way to bring news of the election to the people, as it’s happening, we’re offering our program, “the edmontonian celebrates democracy,” to them.
If you know anyone at Global, CBC, CityTV, or ACCESS let them know they can broadcast our show through their airwaves. It might just save local TV.
p.s. I’m really quite serious. If you’re at Global, CBC, CityTV, or ACCESS, and have been losing sleep because you just couldn’t think of a way to put together a live election night show, e-mail me and we’ll see if we can partner up.
#makelocalmediabetter
Another beautiful photo from our BF Ryan @ grandefullbody (click photo for link to his site)
A quick question for you guys before we get started today: what would make local media coverage better?
Now, I’m after specifics here, not just “…it could be more …good?” Because you people are better than that. Also because that gets us nowhere. I’m a big believer that you don’t get to criticize without offering a better suggestion – so speak up, silent majority. We’re not mind readers, for God’s sake. What would you like to see that isn’t available yet, or at least isn’t available EVERYWHERE yet?
Help us, Edmonton. Help us to help you. Please leave your responses in the comments, or let us know on twitter, under hashtag #makelocalmediabetter.
