Hi Edmonton,
We just took a brief summer break and, wouldn’t you know it, that has now turned into an indefinite break.
EQ is still mostly a one-person show and, since Iโm going to be stepping away right now, this essentially means all of EQ is going quiet. Iโm not sure when Iโll come back to it, or if it would look the same, so calling this a hiatus seems like a good fit.
We all know how terrible and strained the media business is these days but, while EQ was yet to be a profitable venture, Iโm sliding a number of things off my plate for more personal and health-related reasons. Itโs for these same reasons I am not closing the doors completely on EQ just yet. But enough about that, youโre not here for my boring life story!
I cannot begin to properly convey how much I appreciate you reading and sharing stories and items weโve produced in the last couple of years. It means the world to me personally, but it also means something more to see people embracing local journalism, and journalism that doesnโt always look and feel the same as everything else. I hope youโll keep supporting this kind of journalism. It feels so important right now.
And please support the writers, producers and creators telling stories that need to be told and those holding people in power accountable (here are most of ours). Journalists get a lot of trash flung at them on social media and it can be reassuring to hear when theyโve done something that helps, something that people like and appreciate. On the flip side, keep demanding more of those in media (and government) you donโt think are doing a good enough job to challenge status quo and lift people up.
See you around the city,
Jeff
In the absence of our posts and newsletters, here are some of the places I would recommend you keep your eyes in Edmonton:
The Yards – for great feature stories and a detailed look at the downtown and Oliver neighbourhoods
Taproot Edmonton – theyโve launched a series of curated emails on local topics and continue to build journalism capacity
Rat Creek Press – one of Edmontonโs longest-running hyper-local sources
CBC Edmonton – particularly Natasha Riebe at city hall, Andrea Huncar on social justice and the investigative team (also follow CBC Indigenous)
Elise Stolte – probably Edmontonโs most active city hall reporter, a must-follow on Twitter and on Facebook
Tim Querengesser – editor of The Yards, journalist and a voice of reason on all things urban planning
Bashir Mohamed – stop what youโre doing right now and go follow Bashir! Heโs sharing Edmonton and Alberta Black history in very accessible ways
CJSR – the community radio station powered by listeners, with a whole slate of great news and interview programming from and with diverse Edmonton voices
The Broadcast – a podcast with female-centred views on politics and government, which remain sorely lacking in traditional media
Media Indigena – which always has plenty of Treaty 6 topics and voices
Alberta Views – for all things outside of the Metro Region (and sometimes inside it too)
Eighteen Bridges – for fantastic longform and feature journalism
Alberta Podcast Network – there are plenty of local podcasts to listen to and some great ones to support
Progress Alberta – not news exactly, but sign up for their newsletter for a good dose of whatโs going on provincially and how to help build a better province (if you like EQ youโll probably like PA)
That list is in no particular order and likely definitely leaves out something or someone. But itโs a fairly solid place to start, especially as we head into city budget talks in the fall and an incredibly important provincial election next year.
A couple of spots outside of Edmonton: support The Sprawl in Calgary, The Tyee in B.C. (and Alberta and nationally) and Canadaland (nationally) for more investigative, adversarial, and local journalism.