Gannett, owners of USA Today, have announced that they will be expanding their community sports website, Highschoolsports.net throughout America, launching in 100 markets by the end of 2010 and bringing in 9.4 million visitors.  Local TV, newspaper and web are linked together along with national and local advertisers, and an e-commerce site MyLocker.net.

It will be interesting to see what success Highschoolsports.net has in bringing together local sports in one place and how this will shape the future of community sports reporting in local papers and online.

Read the rest of the article here.

“Community channels give Canadians the unique ability to see themselves and their neighbourhoods, towns and cities reflected on television,” said Michel Arpin, the CRTC’s Vice-Chairman of Broadcasting. “This can only be achieved through equal partnerships between cable companies and the communities they serve. Access to the broadcasting system must be as open as possible, especially for people who are new to the production of television programming.”

Read the full CRTC ruling here.

Webinar topics:
Better Beat Reporting: Digging for Articles
Beyond Google: Tips on Better Research Skills
Column Writing: Finding Your Voice
Digital Editions and Mobile Apps
Enter to Win: Contests and Promotions for Newspapers
Facebook and Beyond: Advanced Options
Headline Writing on Any Platform
Interviewing: Getting the Story
Legal Roundup
Magnificent Multimedia
Shoot to Thrill: Photography Skills
Using Social Media the Right Way

Read the full case study here.

BC Blogs, powered by BCLocalNews.com, a Black Press project, is a source for a variety of different locally-based blogs from throughout the province.

Yukon News makes use of RSS feeds to allow their online readers to subscribe to any new content in three different categories.  This guarantees their readers will return to their site, generating traffic.  They also use Facebook and Twitter to connect with their readers on an ongoing basis.

Another great source for locally-based blogs is the Canwest Communities site.

Alfie Lau of the Burnaby Now runs a highly entertaining local blog called “Cheap Shots” that generates traffic, advertising revenue, and lots of laughs.

Find the complete details and application form here.

API fellowships available for newspaper employees include:

• The Malcolm F. Mallette Fellowship which provides tuition, hotel, group meals and a small travel stipend for an editor of a newspaper with a daily circulation under 50,000.
• The William L. Winter Fellowship which provides tuition, hotel, group meals and a small travel stipend for a newspaper executive who desires to enhance his/her leadership abilities.

You can find all the details here or go directly here to register.  $25 for CCNA/CNA Members (which includes BCYCNA members) and $50 for non-members.

The quick-witted Edgar continues write a weekly newspaper column for the Delta Optimist, which he’s been writing for over 58 years.

The article 100 Years Young about Edgar’s visit to Barons, Alberta, which also celebrates 100 years in 2010, appears here courtesy of the Lethbridge Herald and Dave Mabell.

Tim and his family will make the move to Kamloops early next month.

Tim was most recently publisher of the Squamish Chief and regional manager of Glacier’s Coastal Group, which includes the Squamish Chief, the Whistler Question, Sunshine Coast Reporter, the Bridge River-Lillooet News and the Merritt News.

This means that the Press Council’s complaints process is now available to community newspaper websites. Membership is also available to independent online media.