"Riffed from the Headlines" is Townhall's daily VIP feature with coverage on the deeply flawed aspects of journalism in the nation. We'll look to bring accountability to the mishaps, malaprops,
Roman Mars creator of 99% Invisible, hosts a fundraiser for the the Berkeley Public Library on Saturday. Photo: Pete Rosos
LIBRARY FAN Who doesn’t like their local library? Like many other institutions, libraries have been hit hard by the pandemic. Come out to support them in “Libraries are Central. Be a Fan!,” a fundraiser hosted by Roman Mars, creator of the radio show 99% Invisible. In this online event, you’ll get a tour of the Berkeley Public Library’s newly renovated Central Library spaces, as well as performances of music, dance, theater, poetry, and prose by authors and library lovers from Berkeley and beyond. Make sure to also check out their online auction. Come out and show some love to your library. Saturday, March 6. 5-6 p.m. Online auction is open for bidding until noon on March 7. Free to register.
Canada steps up for journalism
“Canada has shown leadership in securing a future for journalism but there is more that can be done.”
This year, Canada refused to let journalism fail. In 2021, that decision will show results.
The Canadian government has launched a new program to address the hundreds of journalism jobs being lost, the dozens of news organizations being shuttered, and the obliteration of the old revenue model for journalism. The grants from the Local Journalism Initiative, remarkably, hit news organizations just as the COVID-19 lockdown did last March.
The $11.4 million (CAN) spent funded 213 positions. This saved a lot of jobs and kept journalists reporting in their communities, uncovering news that would have gone unreported. I predict that these far-flung journalists will be a stabilizing force for Canada’s democracy in 2021.
Luke Ottenhof is a freelance reporter based in Toronto and Kingston, Ontario. His stories have appeared in The Guardian, Columbia Journalism Review, The Toronto Star, CBC, Pitchfork and The Globe and Mail.