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CJF J-Talk: Martin Baron in conversation with Anne Marie Owens

Toronto, Nov. 15, 2015 - The Washington Post has found some recent rare swagger. The storied newspaper—famous for Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein uncovering the Watergate scandal—now has the financial and digital backing of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. Journalists and journalism observers hope he can inject energy and innovation while rethinking the business model. At the editorial helm is Martin Baron, the executive editor with enviable journalistic cred: three of his previous newspapers are Pulitzer Prize winners under his editorship. So what’s his vision for the Post? And can the venerable Washington institution be a model for other papers? Baron was in conversation with Anne Marie Owens, editor of the National Post.

CJF J-Talk: John Stackhouse and Craig Silverman

Toronto, Nov. 12, 2015 - John Stackhouse’s three-decade career with The Globe and Mail—including five years as editor-in-chief—spanned a period of massive digital disruption to traditional journalism. In his latest book Mass Disruption: Thirty Years on the Front Lines of a Media Revolution, Stackhouse recalls how the Globe and other news outlets experimented with different delivery models as the Internet, social media and digital upstarts fragmented audiences and ad dollars. At the same time, the goal of mainstream news organizations to provide authoritative coverage of news events was challenged by new, agile competitors. Among them: BuzzFeed, which aims to create viral content by covering news with unabashed humour—its listicles and videos key drivers of stories via social media. Earlier this year, BuzzFeed established a Canadian presence with Craig Silverman—best known for a career built on media accuracy—as its founding editor. In a conversation covering current challenges to the media and lessons learned, Stackhouse and Silverman discussed the future of journalism from their distinct perspectives.

Election 2015: How the Votes Were Won

Vancouver, Oct. 27, 2015 - In the wake of the Oct. 19 federal election, this panel explored the strategies and issues that had the most impact in this tight and historic long-running election race. Tom Clark, chief political correspondent for Global National and the host of The West Block with Tom Clark, moderated this discussion with Susan Delacourt, author and columnist for the Toronto Star; Adam Radwanski, political columnist with The Globe and Mail; Hannah Thibedeau, political reporter for CBC News; and Paul Wells, political editor of Maclean’s magazine.

CJF J-Talk - Nick Davies in conversation with CBC's Gillian Findlay

Sept. 24, 2015 - Toronto - An award-winning journalist who investigates journalists, Nick Davies is the British reporter who exposed the phone-hacking scandal in Rupert Murdoch’s newspaper empire. Davies uncovered the unethical relationships between reporters and private investigators as they targeted the phones of the British royal family, politicians, celebrities, and most disturbingly, the phone of a missing teenager, later found dead. Davies’s six years of dogged reporting resulted in the demise of the News of the World and sparked Britain’s Leveson Inquiry into the culture, practice and ethics of the press. Davies’s subsequent book, Hack Attack, provides a primer on the power of investigative reporting and the dangers of unethical journalism. Davies also played a key role in the Guardian’s publication of secret U.S. military and diplomatic cables obtained by WikiLeaks. Meet Davies in conversation with investigative journalist Gillian Findlay, co-host of CBC’s the fifth estate.

CJF J-Talk: Election 2015 - What Stories Swing Votes?

May 13, 2015, Ottawa - With Canadians headed to the polls in October, are voters looking for news stories on the horse race or detailed reporting of policy platforms? Has coverage of the 41st Parliament educated the population or led voters to disengage? This discussion examined how parties develop media strategies, how journalists counter the spin and the impact the resulting coverage has on voters.

Tom Clark, chief political correspondent for Global National and the host of The West Block, moderated this discussion with Susan Delacourt, author and columnist for the Toronto Star; Frank Graves, president and founder of EKOS Research Associates; David Herle, principal partner with The Gandalf Group; and Adam Radwanski, political columnist with The Globe and Mail. 

CJF J-Talk: Jeremy Scahill

Toronto, April 23, 2015 - He’s the reporter who doesn’t stop. Meet Jeremy Scahill, in his prime as one of the biggest rabble-rousing investigative reporters and authors there is. Best known for his foreign reporting, Scahill is the author of best-selling books: Dirty Wars: The World Is a Battlefield (his documentary of the same name garnered an Academy Award nomination in 2014) and Blackwater: The Rise of the World’s Most Powerful Mercenary Army. A co-founder of The Intercept, the news site best known for reporting on the Edward Snowden-leaked National Security Agency documents, he continues his scrutiny of American-led actions and practices both at home and overseas as the government seeks to combat terrorism. Scahill was in conversation with David Walmsley, editor-in-chief of The Globe and Mail.

CJF J-Talk - Ceiling, Cracked? News Women in Charge

March 2, 2015, Toronto - How do women who hold top spots in the media see their role when it comes to news coverage, workplace culture, and management issues? Elena Cherney, Canada bureau chief and global resources editor for The Wall Street Journal, Jane Davenport, managing editor with the Toronto Star, Wendy Freeman, president of CTV New, Jennifer McGuire, general manager and editor-in-chief of CBC News and Centres, and moderator Dawna Friesen, anchor and executive editor of Global National, discussed women in journalism.

More Than Hockey: Canada's Expanding Sports Media Landscape

As fans look to connect with athletes, understand the latest scandal, and track the business of their teams, how are Canadian media and journalists tackling the challenge? How is technology changing how we cover the big leagues, the amateurs, and emerging issues—from the NFL’s handling of players’ off-field conduct to concussions in hockey? Bruce Arthur, sports columnist with the Toronto Star; Brenda Irving, commentator with CBC Sports Weekend, and Stephen Brunt, writer and broadcaster with Rogers Sportsnet, discussed the future of sports and the media.

CJF J-Talk: Breaking the Big Stories

Toronto, Nov. 27, 2014 - In a special CJF presentation, Kevin Donovan, investigative reporter and editor with the Toronto Star, and Diana Swain, senior investigative journalist with CBC News, shared the stories behind their biggest recent exposés. Paula Todd, investigative journalist, author, and broadcast and digital media professor, moderated this discussion on the secrets of responsible reporting and why investigative journalism matters to the future of news.

CJF J-Talk: Jim Roberts on Mashable

Please note the audio begins a few minutes after the event begins. We apologize for the inconvenience.
Toronto, Nov. 17 - Jim Roberts, the executive editor and chief content officer of Mashable, was quick to recognize the power of social platforms for engaging with news. In recent years, he has attracted more than 150,000 followers to his @nycjim Twitter feed. Roberts now leads the editorial team and oversees editorial strategy and operations at Mashable, a popular news source for the “Connected Generation,” with 40 million monthly unique visitors and 19 million social media followers. This acclaimed digital leader was in conversation with Globe and Mail media reporter James Bradshaw to discuss his leadership journey from legacy media (The New York Times) to Reuters Digital to Mashable. He also discussed the challenges Mashable faces in balancing journalistic credibility with innovative forms of viral storytelling that connect with digital audiences.