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We've entered into a cool new partnership with the Globe and Mail. I'll do a regular column and more. Here's the announcement that's been running in the paper the past couple days - which literally bowled me over. The first column runs this Saturday. I'll also do a special series where I visit great neighborhoods and spots in and around Toronto. We'll be taking write-in nominations for places to visit. This blog will be picked up on globeandmail.com giving us an audience of 5 million per month! More to come soon.
Update: The Globe and Mail's press release after the jump (courtesy of Ken McGuffin).
TORONTO, Oct. 26 /CNW/ - Renowned economist and researcher
Richard Florida will be a regular contributor to The Globe and Mail with his
first column appearing this Saturday, October 27.
Florida will have a monthly column in the newspaper, participate in a
special series called "Richard Florida visits" in which he'll explore iconic
neighbourhoods and events in Toronto, and his blog "Creative Class" will
appear exclusively in Canada on www.globeandmail.com/blogs/creativeclass
Florida is particularly known for his theory of the "creative class" and
its impact on urban development. He recently moved to Canada from the United
States to become a professor at the University of Toronto's Rotman School of
Management and Academic Director of the Martin Prosperity Institute at the
Rotman School.
"I have been interested in Richard Florida's ideas for years. They have
transformed our understanding of economic and social relations within urban
settings. His regular contributions to The Globe and Mail and globeandmail.com will help spread his creative thinking to a broader audience," said Edward Greenspon, Editor-in-Chief, The Globe and Mail.
About The Globe and Mail
The Globe and Mail, Canada's national newspaper, is a division of
CTVglobemedia, a dynamic multi-media company, which also owns CTV Inc.,
Canada's number-one private broadcaster.
For further information: Niya Nikitova: (416) 969-2654 or
Wow! congrats, Richard!
Posted by: Abby | October 26, 2007 at 02:10 PM
That's a great opportunity. Also, the weekend Globe and Mail is very popular nationally (Canada's version of the Sunday New York Times), so you'll be reaching an audience well beyond the GTA.
Posted by: Wendy | October 26, 2007 at 03:55 PM
I've sent the announcement to our local paper, The Standard Examiner, here in the Ogden-Clearfield (UT) metro area in hopes they will pick up your column. I'll keep the pressure on.
Posted by: Charles Rostkowski | October 27, 2007 at 10:15 AM
Welcome to the Globe and Mail. I will add your blog to my favourites.
Posted by: Werner Patels | October 27, 2007 at 12:08 PM
Hello -
Minor point re your Saturday article in the Globe & Mail:-The 'region' you somewhat glibly refer to as 'Tor-Buff-Chester', with a back glide to London Ontario, is actually affectionately known to those of us who live, work & play in the area as - 'The Golden Horseshoe'. On both sides of the BORDER. Lest we forget.
Hamilton has long been the 'centre' of this region on the Canadian side. The Hamilton Spectator is 'our' paper, (albeit owned by Torstar now...). Toronto, on the other hand, with the Globe as one of its papers, has always been considered, by those of us out here in the 'boonies', as 'a somewhat self-absorbed and self-obsessed navel gazer' ie. with seldom a thought or care what the rest of province, let alone what the 905 regions, are thinking, doing or working at ...
It is encouraging that the G&M 'scope' is increasing. We, in the Golden Horseshoe Region of Southern Ontario, welcome you and your interest. We'll too will gladly shake your hand and back slap, but kindly note, no over-reaching Toronto-centric paper publishing 'claw', ok?'
In other words, We is to Yous like Gary Indiana is to Chicago.
Tour the ENTIRE region, the ENTIRE country, leave the 'city centres'. Its a whole different universe ...Welcome to the Globe.
Posted by: Margaret Lindsay Holton | October 27, 2007 at 02:24 PM
Charles R. has a great idea. Is the G&M interested in syndication and how would a local paper approach them? I'd like to encourage the Oregonian to carry it. They might skip Toronto-specific columns, but many things like mega-regions would be of interest out here in Cascadia.
Posted by: Michael Wells | October 27, 2007 at 09:35 PM
Charles and Michael - Go for it. If you have the names of editors pass them on to me at [email protected] or Rana at [email protected] and we will follow up to get this dialogue started. We'd also like to interest papers in other parts of the world to carry it. One thing we can do in addition to the regular column is do a "Who's Your City" feature, maybe partnered with a resident, like you. We call it "Who's Your (city name here:-)" and tie it to the release of the book. Thank you both!
Posted by: RF | October 28, 2007 at 10:02 AM
Margaret, I spent nearly a decade in Chicago and the analogy to Gary, IN would not be a flattering one. Check out Chicago area news sites (Tribune, ABC 7 Chicago, CBS 2 Chicago) over the next week or two, you might change your mind ...
The Portland Tribune is a favourite read of mine here in Stumptown, it publishes twice a week and deals with issues at a higher level than the daily Oregonian. Professor Florida and his followers will probably enjoy series like Rethinking Portland, a monthly piece on long term issues facing this area. Portland, Oregon is one of the youngest cities in the US, one of the few whose 25-49 year old demographic share actually increased. It's becoming a Music City, an Austin on the US west coast, as young bands and players flee even Seattle for cheaper places to live and rehearse.
Posted by: Gary Dare | October 28, 2007 at 12:17 PM
Do creative class cities have more media? Gary mentions the Oregonian, a decent if unspectacular daily, and the Tribune. The Trib began as a rich man's vanity rag, but has developed into quite a good paper because he had the money to hire good people. Portland also has Willamette Week, I think the only weekly "alternative" paper to ever win a Pulitzer; the Mercury for younger/hipper readers; the Business Journal; Just Out, a gay paper; El Hispanic, the Asian Reporter and two Black community papers -- the Observer and Skanner; and numerous neighborhood papers of varying quality. There's also the glossy if boring Portland Magazine, the libertarian Brainstorm and other magazines.
Portland is also fortunate to have four strong noncommercial radio stations -- NPR basic, classical, jazz and eclectic/leftist/community. Commercial radio is the same schlock as everywhere. TV is TV.
So back to the first question. How typical is this and what does it mean?
Posted by: Michael Wells | October 29, 2007 at 02:45 PM
Oregon Public Broadcasting (OPB), Chicago Public Radio and Chicago Public TV (they are separate in Chi-town) are major production centers for public media. That OPB was so, was quite a surprise to me. A large amount of local support is probably necessary to get shows off the ground, before they syndicate to other public radio and TV outlets.
(Unlike the CBC, public media is local and independent outside a core of shared "network" programming, TV-wise.)
Posted by: Gary Dare | October 29, 2007 at 05:16 PM
Gary, I think you miss understood me. I am aware how Gary, IN, is to Chicago, and vica versa....My point is Gary, IN, is Gary,IN, it isn't Chicago. Just as Hamilton (and region) is not 'Toronto'. There is, to my mind, just something that is a little too 'white bread' about that cutsey tossed net, 'Tor-Buff-Chester'... that I, personally, find a bit unrealistic as well as 'creatively' 'smothering'.... Yes, 'Ra-Ra-Let's all be POSITIVE and pull together...', but I am always a little leery of 'out-of-town' dogooders who fly into a region with the next 'quick fix'. Hamilton WAS once a vibrant manufacturing and industrial centre, (long before Toronto was even on the map...), but those core industries have long since succumbed to cheaper imports and/or have been bought out by global giants who seemingly have little long-term interest in the actual health and well-being of this rock solid grassroots community. This 'region' is psychically 'separate' from Toronto.
To my mind, if you REALLY want to IMPRESS, INFLUENCE and IMPACT the Golden Horseshe I would strongly suggest a slightly different 'approach'..... For what it's worth. Good luck. Cheers, mlh
Posted by: Margaret Lindsay Holton | November 01, 2007 at 09:25 PM
p.s. 'misunderstood', opps, typo...
Posted by: Margaret Lindsay Holton | November 01, 2007 at 09:32 PM