Blog

This is the first blog I've written since just before Christmas. Here's what I've been up to.

This is my last blog. It's been great writing one every week, but all good things have to come to an end.

Here they are - my Top 10 Blogs of the year. You read them, so you rated them.

He was a star player in the NHL, but his story won't have any effect on business and community leaders. Or will it?

Will $600 million in government handouts result in less objective news coverage by the media outlets that take the cash?

There are some common misconceptions people have about doing media interviews. Here are answers to four questions I often get.

The incidents had some similarities, but the way police handled information to the media wasn't close to the same.

An interview done last week on CBC Calgary about the Winter Olympics was a great case study on how not to do an interview.

We see them speaking in public and answering questions from the media all the time. Here's my report card rating the media skills of our political leaders.

It makes about as much sense to blame a lack of readers for the financial problems of Canada's daily newspapers, as it does to blame journalists. They're both facing a far bigger enemy.

Canada's new marijuana legislation will give the news media good stories to cover for the rest of the year.

The Brett Kavanaugh saga was another great example of biased political coverage in the US and the question now is, will we be seeing the same in Canada?

Brett Kavanaugh made some common mistakes that I tell people to avoid when I do media training. Will it cost him?

It hasn't been reported by the news media, but Kelly Pocha has again left the car dealership she worked at, following a racist rant caught on video last spring.

It will be legal to use marijuana for recreational purposes in Canada in less than a month and the PR problems associated with the change are just around the corner too.

Although the Landon Smith story has been a tragic one so far, there's a glimmer of hope, made bigger by Landon's positive outlook on life.

Off the record statements from Donald Trump are much the same as what he says on the record, so why even speak to reporters off the record?

Cutbacks in the number of reporters and media outlets are presenting a challenge to local politicians who rely on the news media to get their message out.

What's billed as "The Final Canadian Derby" takes place this Saturday in Edmonton and maybe that's not such a bad thing after all.

A large US study has concluded people have greater trust in news coming from local papers, radio and TV stations, again showing the importance of local news.

There are many misconceptions about what happens during media training and one of the biggest is, people are told how to lie better.

The Walterdale Bridge in Edmonton opened to traffic close to a year ago, but thanks to politically sensitive politicians, there's still been no official opening.

It keeps happening - smart, successful businesspeople keep messing up in the media, sending their careers to the corporate graveyard.

Whether you're a person who wants to bulk up your personal branding, or an association or company that wants to grow its following, here's a roadmap to follow.