Indians Off the warpath: Reporting the Aboriginal "New World" View

Moderator:
Brenda Nadjiwan, Regional Coordinator - AWPI, Indian and Northern Affairs

Panelists:
Andy LeBlanc, News Director, CTV News Southwestern Ontario
Kelly Noseworthy, Journalist, The Weather Network
Joseph Brant,Manager - Indigenous Communications Department, First National Technical Institute
John McKenna, Executive Producer - News, CHCH

Date: March 9, 2009

Despite efforts to correctly identify all of North America's tribes and bands of Native people, the term "Indian" has outlasted all others and, for Native and non-Native alike, it conjures an assortment of images faster than any other. One might wonder if that long-held stereotype of the rampaging, war-pathing, face-painted "Indian" still has the power to affect how mainstream journalists interact, or not, with Native communities in their attempts to get the right story, given the diversity of recent reportage regarding Canada's first peoples.

This panel will discuss how working with Native communities can produce more accurate reportage in the short term and how it can, over time, contribute to a better comprehension of Native peoples' self-perception and desired relationship to this society. In addition, we'll discuss how community-based digital media and Native participation are affecting what news gets reported and its potential for social change.

SOCIAL MEDIA UNBOXED - CONCEPTS, TOOLS AND THE COMMON GOOD

Speaker:
Wayne MacPhail, President, W8NC

Date: March 9, 2009

Twitter, Stumble Upon, Google Connect, Facebook, Delicious, MySpace, LinkedIn, Ning, Digg.com.. Get to know the latest and greatest social media tools.

The phenomenon of social media is exploding - find out what you need to know to get in the game as we step into a new age of communication without borders. These Web-based tools are helping create social change, expand business, spread messages, and even aid in electing presidents. See how people, industry and politics are now integrating social media into all they do.

THE VIRTUOUS CIRCLE

Moderator:
Marina Mann, Digital Marketing Strategist

Speakers:
Jeff Leake, Director of Music Program, XM Satellite Radio
McLean Greaves, VP of Interactive, Zoomer Media
Ryan Trotman, Director of Digital, CTV Music & Youth Services
Ray Philipose, VP Strategy & Product Development, Canwest Digital Media

Date: March 9, 2009

Audience fragmentation and emerging web and mobile technologies are enabling media organizations to use multiple touch points to deliver content. This virtuous circle of TV, web, radio, mobile and print enables content providers to reach multiple audiences, cross-pollinate content across multiple media and properties, and find new marketing, CRM and revenue opportunities.

So... how is it being done? Hear from media executives about their best practices, innovations, and current initiatives.

Who's watching whom?

Speakers:
Minelle Mahtani, Researcher & Professor, University of Toronto
Nick Davis, Producer Metro Morning, CBC Radio

Date: March 9, 2009

Dr. Minelle Mahtani will share fresh research about what media content is appealing to today's diverse audience. Presenting eye-opening results from Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver, she explores who's watching and listening today, who's missing and how to successfully engage them.

Nick Davis is the producer of one of the top radio morning shows in Canada's most diverse city. How does he connect with a changing and dynamic audience?

Case study: Changing the Face of theatre

Moderator:
Garvia Bailey, Host - Big City, Small World, CBC Radio

Speaker:
Antoni Cimolino, Director General, Stratford Shakespeare Festival

Date: March 9, 2009

The Stratford Shakespeare Festival recently undertook a comprehensive diversity initiative which involved every facet of the Festival - communications, public relations, casting and outreach. The result? A renewed and innovative Festival which reached deep within the community, engaged the public, and embraced cultural diversity in its programming, casting and audience.

Antoni Cimolino, the Stratford Shakespeare Festival's director general, pulls back the curtain on this transformative initiative, sharing the successes, challenges, best practices... and what comes next.

Raising standards: meeting expectations

Moderator:
Rita Deverell, First Storyteller in Residence, Centennial College

Speakers:
Ron Cohen, National Chair, Canadian Broadcast Standards Council
Frans Jennekens, Manager of Diversity, Netherlands Programmes Service
Don Peuramaki, President, Fireweed Media Productions

Date: March 9, 2009

As media organizations strive to be more reflective of, and relevant to, their changing audiences, one of the challenges many face is how individuals and groups are portrayed in news and information programming.

This thought-provoking session will present best practices and innovations for reaching and reflecting diverse audiences: the European Broadcasting Union's toolkit for factual programming, the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council's Equitable Portrayal Code for radio and TV, and the Media Access and Portrayal Initiative's tips for serving the disability community.

Case study: Deaf planet

Moderator:
Paul de Silva, Project Director, Canada One TV

Speakers:
Matt Hornburg, Marblemedia
Anita Small, Deaf Culture Centre
Joanne Cripps, Deaf Culture Centre

Date: March 9, 2009

Deaf Planet is a unique cross-platform property; produced in cooperation with the Canadian Cultural Society of the Deaf, and targeted to deaf and hearing children aged eight to twelve, Deaf Planet is the first television series and website produced in American Sign Language.

While visiting a rocket museum, Max manages to launch himself into space and crash into the home of Kendra, a deaf teenager and inhabitant of Deaf Planet. At first confused by the sign language used on the planet, Max is helped by his interpreting robot, WILMA. With Kendra as their guide, Max and his friends work to find a way back to Earth with the help of the many wise and eccentric inhabitants of Deaf Planet.

Join Deaf Planet's producers Marblemedia, along with their partners at the Deaf Culture Centre as they discuss this unique project, their ongoing partnership and share what makes it so successful.

Highly Beneficial

Moderator:
Sandy McKean, Associate Dean -Media and Journalism Studies, Sheridan College

Speakers:
David Nayman, Professor, Ryerson University
Joyce Wayne, Professor, Sheridan College
Jennifer Holness, Producer/Writer/Director, Hungry Eyes Film & Television Inc.
Teenaz Javat, Teacher - Journalism for Internationally Trained Writers, Sheridan College

Date: March 10, 2009

Mergers and acquisitions have changed the competitive landscape of the Canadian media industry, reducing the number of broadcasters while dramatically increasing the amount of "benefits to the industry" programs. From contracts to paid internships, these programs can help you launch your career, make great contacts and gain valuable experience.

Highly Beneficial will introduce you to the world of benefits programs and teach tips and tools for accessing and leveraging them.

citizen journalism

Moderator:
Norm Bolen, Media Consultant and Director, mDialog

Speakers:
Kenny Yum, Managing Editor - Digital, The National Post
Tim Shore, Publisher, Blog TO
Neil Sanderson, Asst. Managing Editor - Digital, The Toronto Star
Mark Evans, President, ME Consulting

Date: March 10, 2009

Twitter, YouTube, mobile phones and blogs are regularly used as sources of breaking news, eyewitness accounts and b-roll.

Citizen Journalism looks at these emerging media sources, and the participatory media that results. How can your organization leverage these emerging technologies and engage your audience to inform and co-create content?

beyond bollywood

Moderator:
Paul de Silva, Project Director, Canada One TV

Speakers:
Salima Syerah Virani, Editor-in-Chief, MyBindi.com
Maninder Chana, Filmmaker
Mohit Rajhans, Co-Founder, FILMI Festival
Hanna Fisher,

Date: March 10, 2009

Before Slumog Millionaire, Bollywood, Aishwaryra Rai and Amitabh Bachan there were " Bombay Talkies", wonderful films made by Indian filmmakers in the 30s and 40s for the Indian public.

The Indian diaspora has resulted in some remarkable films being made, and Canada has played a role, with more on its way. So, what now? Where to from here? What will this amazing industry come up with next? What are the challenges what are the opportunities? Who are making money, making great movies and having fun with it?

Accessiblity 2.0

Moderator:
Don Peuramaki

Speakers:
Alan Cantor, Consultant
Charles Silverman, Researcher, ATRC, University of Toronto
Kelly MacDonald, NBRS

Date: March 10, 2009

We stay awake at night, pondering the deep mysteries of web 2.0. We love it, desire it, fear it and kind of don't understand it (but we know it is very important to the future of our industry and careers). We discuss enhanced design, creativity and user engagement at length, but we may have missed the part about enhanced accessibility.

Accessiblity 2.0 will present a guide to multi-media design, and highlight usability challenges faced by the community of persons with disabilities. Through presentation and discussion about best practices, international standards and regulations, learn how to overcome these challenges and make accessible web content.

fast track to diversity

Speaker:
Karen King-Chigbo, Production Executive, Canwest Media Inc.

Date: March 10, 2009

Learn how to attract the loyalty of the fastest-growing television audiences by reflecting and respecting multi-racial and multi-cultural diversity on- and off-camera. This session will give writers, producers and production managers the tools they need to create truly diverse content and teams.

Developed by a former producer, Karen King-Chigbo, Fast Track enables the production team to enhance their projects with diversity - from the creation of the idea, all the way through to production and marketing.

the universal language

Moderator:
Dalton Higgins, Author

Speakers:
Sol Guy, Co-Creator, 4Real
Garvia Bailey, Host of Big City, Small World, CBC Radio

Date: March 9, 2009

It is widely acknowledged that music is the universal language; it transcends borders, cultures and ethnicities to communicate and inspire. The TV show 4Real and radio show Big City, Small World use the power of music to connect people of different cultures and shine a light on diverse experiences.

Spend some time with Garvia Bailey, Host of Big City, Small World, and Sol Guy, co-creator of 4Real, as they discuss how they've utilized music to cross borders and cultures and how their projects are leading to social and political change.

presenting the accessibility channel

Speakers:
Georgina Blanas, VP of Parlimentary Affairs, National Broadcast Reading Service

Date: March 9, 2009

The Accessible Channel is a national English-language, described video and closed-captioned basic HD digital TV specialty service.

TACtv broadcasts popular TV programs from conventional and specialty TV services and foreign rights holders. All TACtv programs are described and captioned so that they can be enjoyed by a viewer with low or no sight or low or no hearing — a world first.

Georgina Blanas, Vice President, Parliamentary Affairs, Marketing and Fund Development – The National Broadcast Reading Service (NBRS) , will discuss what is in store for this revolutionary new channel.