Cormac was the blog editor for the 2014-15 issue of the Review. As a fourth year undergraduate at the School of Journalism, he had a keen interest in sports and business writing. He also hosted the Krates Collective hip hop podcast. Government secrecy thwarts coverage of spill at B.C. mine
Without access to inspection reports, journalists can’t report what really happened at Mount Polley
By Cormac McGee Out at the Mount Polley mine site in south-central British Columbia in mid-September 2014, Gordon Hoekstra found himself with a few hours to kill before his flight back to Vancouver. The mine’s dammed tailings pond—which holds fine rock particles left over after the ore is extracted—had breached a few weeks earlier on […]
Alumni Essentials: week of November 9
Is Monday slowly becoming your favourite day of the week? Is it difficult to sleep Sunday night because you’re so excited? We can’t blame you and we apologize. Now it’s finally time for your weekly fix. Here’s our favourite latest pieces of work from Review alumni. First, winter 2012 editor Haley Cullingham delves into the extremely popular podcast, Serial, […]
We’re having a party!
Do you like magazines and mingling? Then we’ve got something for you! On November 25, we’ll be hosting the annual RRJ fundraising party at Supermarket for the Spring 2015 issue. The masthead officially invites you—yes, you—to come out between 8 p.m. and 11 p.m. and drink some beer, indulge in sweets, win prizes and trade journalism horror stories! […]
The Alumni Essentials: expanding the story
When a story like the Jian Ghomeshi saga gets as big as it has, it presents a challenge for media organizations: how to differentiate themselves. The Toronto Star is breaking the coverage, and everybody else is picking it up and often just repeating it. This week’s Alumni Essentials shows how important intelligent, contextual analysis is as a […]
Friday Funny: last minute Halloween decorations
Need something to spice up your house tonight? Try an old election poster! Credit to Josh O’Kane for the snap. Do you have a topic you want covered on the blog? Email the editor. And while you’re here, have you followed the Review and its masthead on Twitter yet?
Is the Telegram’s defamation defence solid?
Former Newfoundland and Labrador premier Danny Williams is suing the St. John’s Telegram for defamation. On September 19, 2014, the Telegram published “Buying Influence,” an editorial about the $700,000 rental subsidy city councillors gave to the St. John’s IceCaps hockey team, of which Williams is president and CEO. The editorial states that Williams made small […]
The Alumni Essentials
Wondering where our past writers are now? Well, you’ve come to the right place! This year, we’re keeping up with the Review‘s alumni and showcasing our favourite pieces of their current work. First up this week, spring 2007 editor Julia Belluz interviewed Richard Preston—author of The Hot Zone, the non-fiction thriller about Ebola published in 1994—about how […]
Friday Funny: you can make this up
Did you hear about the massive crab found off the coast of England? Or were you too busy mourning the arrest of infamous street artist Banksy, also known as Paul Horner? Over the past few weeks, we’ve seen many hoaxes circulating the Internet, being shared thousands of times before being proven false. Craig Silverman recently […]
When a story is breaking, don’t trust the media
During the attack and manhunt in Parliament and around downtown Ottawa yesterday, there was a flood of journalists, citizens, police and politicians trying to keep to country informed. From approximately 10 a.m. onwards, your newsfeeds were likely filled with commentary and updates on the situation. When the whole nation is watching a story unfold, […]
Do editorial endorsements matter?
On October 17, The Globe and Mail published an editorial announcing their endorsement for Toronto’s mayoral race: “John Tory is Toronto’s best bet.” Torontoist wants citizens to vote for Olivia Chow and the Toronto Star will release their endorsement this week. These endorsements may be a big deal for candidates. But beyond politician’s personal promotion, […]
