Rigorous journalism can save us from fake news

 By Senator Raymonde Saint-Germain and Senator Art Eggleton “Journalists are like firefighters: you may not need them every day, but you want to know they’re there to protect you.”  Veteran journalist, Edward Greenspon used this analogy at a recent Senate Open Caucus meeting held to discuss threats to traditional journalism

Streaming Towards Better Content

 Photo credit: Charles Deluvio Netflix, the online service that provides on-demand streaming entertainment, has expanded over the years in response to the changing habits of viewers. The company’s early online offerings consisted solely of licensed films and TV shows created by other production companies. However, this has slowly changed with

The Company That’s Transforming Ottawa

 There’s a new business in town and it’s changing the landscape of Ottawa media. You might not know their name but you’ve definitely seen their content. shared.com is an Ottawa-based company that specializes in creating original online content. If you’ve enjoyed a funny video or read an article on a

Health Systems Around the World

 By Kathleen O’Grady Comparing the performance of health systems around the world just got a little easier. One morning, the media headline pronounces Canada’s health system should model that found in the Netherlands; the next week, we should follow Germany’s example, and yet another says Australia is leading the pack.

PR is Changing; Jennifer Stewart Will Help You Stay Ahead of the Curve

 Photo by Valerie Keeler, Valberg Imaging. In the midst of a rapidly changing media environment, it can be increasingly difficult for companies and organizations to connect with the media in an impactful, successful way. Jennifer Stewart, an Ottawa-based entrepreneur and communications expert, hopes to help organizations solve those issues by

Navigating Mirror Mountain with Christopher Rohde

 Photo provided by Christopher Rohde. Christopher Rohde is the Festival Director of the Mirror Mountain Film Festival. The fest is bringing independent, underground and alternative cinema to Ottawa from December 4th to the 6th. Rohde is an award-winning filmmaker and Carleton University alumni. OLM chatted with Rohde to talk about the

Algonquin College is making waves and winning awards

 Cheryl Jensen is making an impact. Jensen became Algonquin College’s eighth President just over one year ago in August, 2014. She brought 31 years of experience as a professor, dean and vice president and a reputation for  creating strategies that responded to both industry trends and to the needs of students, employees,

In Defence of Parliament

 As I watch the frenzied, over-the-top media coverage of the supposed Senate scandal, I'm reminded of the famous Will Rogers adage. “All I know is just what I read in the papers, and that's an alibi for my ignorance.” Lost in this mass media morass is balance and proportionality. There

Ottawa 10K is Living up to Gold Label Expectations

 Lately, it seems like everyone’s been getting into running. Whether it’s for the purpose of trying the new sport-leisure fashion trend or for health benefits, we will never know. But one thing is for sure: while many people enjoy going for a leisurely jog during the warm weather seasons, it

Silencing a Voice: The Closing Of Sun News

 Image: huffpost.com By Michael Coren It’s been a few weeks now since the Friday the 13th that I will never forget. That was the day – 5 a.m. to be precise – that Sun News closed down. I hosted a nightly show called The Arena on the network for almost

Café Ex: Celebrating Canada’s Extraordinary Filmmakers

 Join in tomorrow evening as Café Ex celebrates the inventive works of A. Megan Turnbull at Ottawa’s Club SAW! Season 17 of the Canadian Film Institute’s intimate and interactive experimental cinema series, Café Ex, continues with screenings from the works of A. Megan Turnbull, filmmaker and former Ottawa resident. Inaugurated

Where are the Accessible Toilets Ottawa? GottaGo!

 Nowadays, the most vulnerable members of our population—children, seniors and persons with disabilities—are in search for clean and safe public washrooms in Ottawa. But Rachel Canham, a Carleton University researcher, is steering the pursuit for public toilets in a whole new direction. “I feel like while the need for public

Art Exhibit Showcases Grandeur of Local Environment

 Inspired by nature, award-winning Ottawa artist Margaret Chwialkowska will be featuring her solo exhibition “Gatineau Sublime” at the Galerie Old Chelsea from December 4 to December 31. Ever since Chwialkowska moved to Canada from Poland in 1979, she has been overwhelmed by the natural beauty of North American landscapes. Capturing the magic

Dr. GM Geldert: A Pioneer of Radio Broadcasting

 Laudreville Daytime C.K.C.O. Studio, Somerset Street Ottawa native Shirley Shorter recalls a time when Canadian radio broadcasting was no more complex than a local talent performance airing live from the dining room of her Somerset Street West home. A recent interview with Mrs. Shorter, now 94-years-old, captures a period in

Media Coverage of Youth Suicide Linked to Increased Emergency Room Visits for Mental Health Distress

 Outreach efforts following high profile suicides can save lives In the last few years, two high profile youth suicides in the Ottawa region garnered tremendous media attention and, as a new study suggests, resulted in increased emergency room visits by youth for mental health distress. First was the suicide of

Why You Can’t See a Psychiatrist

 And why adding more psychiatrists to the mental health system may not be the answer. We are talking openly about mental illnesses and addictions now more than ever--and that’s a good thing. Efforts to address the stigma associated with mental illnesses have made it easier for people who have been

Taking the Private Out of Privacy

 “It is a very sad thing that nowadays there is so little useless information,” Oscar Wilde, A Few Maxims for the Instruction of the Over-Educated By reading this blog post you have created a marketable product. If you use Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Flikr, Google+, Tumblr, YouTube, Instagram, Foursquare or even

The Medium Is Still the Message: The Internet to Thank for Annoying Social Movements

 Being a decent person is now more complicated than ever--at least Social Justice Warriors (SJW) might have you thinking so. Around 2009, SJW began making their presence known on Tumblr and Live Journal, exposing issues like rape culture and male privilege that were previously flying under the radar. Theses new

Virtual Unreality Product of Mixed Media Marriage

 By Martti Lahtinen News junkies will remember Global TV anchor Peter Trueman signing off with the op-ed tag on his nightly report: “That is not news, but that, too, is reality.” Television didn't send a mixed message in the 1970s and '80s; the straight end-piece was dispensed without visual aids,

An interview with Russian Ambassador to Canada Georiy Mamedov

 Ottawa Life will takes you into the heart of the new Russia. We will look at the business opportunities, bilateral relations, cultural and arts scene, and tourism potential and get the pulse of a country very similar to our own. We begin our series with Russia's man in Canada, Ambassador

No First Ladies in retirement, please

 Teresa Heinz Kerry and Laura Bush may differ in public personalities and the way in which they campaign for their husbands; however, there is no comparison to the obvious lack of action from our Canadian "First Ladies." These ladies lack the zest, courage and obvious public profile that helped their

Jim Watson’s mission: Reverse post-9/11 tourism slump

 Concerned about a "travel deficit" in Canada resulting from the combined impact of terrorist attacks and a stagnant economy in the United States, Jim Watson, president and CEO of the Canadian Tourism Commission, spoke to these concerns in a recent interview with Ottawa Life reporter Hank Reardon. An abridged version