The end of an era (a very short one)

This blog has been quite a meandering piece of writing over the last six months. It started off being focused on Canadian sports and quickly lost its way. I lost my focus and my writing covered everything from sports, to travel, to history.

It's time to lay Life on a Couch to rest today. Next week: new blog, new theme, new name.

I'll end Life on a Couch, with a video for all the Section One's out there. (Haha)

The Future of the Free Press

Yesterday during our weekly seminar, John White, the deputy online editor of the Winnipeg Free Press, came down to discuss the paper's plans and ideas to bring itself into the modern new media reality. The discussion was both encouraging and discouraging. It was encouraging in the fact that it seems that the Free Press is interested in developing social media vehicles and making better use of the online medium. But it was also discouraging because the talk higlighted how set in their ways "old school" newspaper people are. It seems like it's going to be a slow and ardous process to develop these new vehicles.

After the seminar we had a very spirited discussion in PR class about journalism (?!) and the future of the Free Press. Kenton Larsen talked about an idea he was formulating, involving CreComm students and neighbourhood reporting. I think this is where the future of the Free Press is; hyper-localism. International and national news can be found much quicker through numerous other outlets. A shift to hyper-local journalism (web based) will encourage effective two-way communication between the media (the Free Press) and its readership. It will facilitate communication and likely engage a younger audience, that is more community oriented.

What it comes down to, is the Free Press needs to re-evaluate its target audience and the type of news and issues that it covers, if it wants to remain a viable business.

Step one is to get rid of On7.

Always the bridesmaid, never the bride

Yesterday the Winnipeg Blue Bombers hired Paul LaPolice as their new head coach. Personally, I like the hire of the former Saskatchewan Roughriders offensive co-ordinater. He coached a well-oiled offensive machine in Saskatchewan and was the offensive co-ordinater for the Bombers when Khari Jones and Milt Stegall were lighting it up in the early 2000s.

The question is, what is up with Greg Marshall? The current Hamilton TiCats defensive co-ordinator and former Bomber coach has now finished runner-up for the Bombers head coaching job on three occasions. He lost out to Doug Berry in 2006 and to Mike Kelly last year.

From media reports, it seems that Marshall is well-respected around the CFL for his defensive schemes and his coaching ability and has been labelled a "head coach in waiting" for several years. He's highly respected by the Bomber Board of Directors and was considered the favourite for the job this time around. He must really not interview well or something like that.

Maybe he'll get the Toronto head coaching job, with a team so disfunctional, they make the Bombers look like a well-run organization.