Latest news with #Megaphone
Yahoo
31-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Steelers Afternoon Drive: Buying or Selling Early Camp Narratives?
Welcome to the Steelers Afternoon Drive, our new daily podcast featuring all the latest Steelers news and analysis. Alan Saunders and Zachary Smith discuss all things Pittsburgh Steelers. On today's episode, Derrick Bell joins to discuss the early narratives out of camp and if we are buying or selling them. Is Aaron Rodgers washed? Is this secondary the best one the team has had in the last decade? Is Broderick Jones going to sink the ship at left tackle? Is Derrick Harmon the next great Steelers defensive lineman? Let's go for another Steelers Afternoon Drive and discuss all this! Check out the show on our YouTube page, or find it on Megaphone or wherever you get your podcasts. Got a question for the guys? Leave a comment on YouTube, here on the website, or find them on Twitter at @ASaunders_PGH and @ZacharySmithPGH This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: Steelers Afternoon Drive: Buying or Selling Early Camp Narratives? Related Headlines Steelers' Payton Wilson Trying to Think Less This Season Steelers Rookie RB to Train With Former All-Pro Broderick Jones Body Transformation is Very Noticeable Steelers Add Former D-II Tight End after Training Camp Injury
Hamilton Spectator
07-07-2025
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
‘Our community, our words'
Writers from Megaphone's The Shift peer newsroom are speaking out about what it means to see their stories published through the Local Journalism Initiative (LJI). And the impact is profound. Since August 2024, members of The Shift — which is based in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside (DTES) — have been working with Megaphone's LJI reporter and mentor Amy Romer to expand their journalism skills, continue learning how to report safely and ethically in the DTES community, write and take photos for Megaphone magazine. 'It means a lot to me that it's our community, our words,' says writer Gilles Cyrenne. 'We're putting ourselves out there. It's a contradiction to all the 'gotcha journalism' we see about the DTES, in which there's nothing about the creativity and the soul of the community.' For Nicolas Crier, getting published has been a personal milestone. 'Being published with the pros now… I feel very honoured,' he says. Julie Chapman says the experience writing for the LJI has elevated how she feels about what she does. 'We know we can write, but having other people recognize we can write is really awesome and encouraging,' Chapman says. 'People treat me as a professional rather than someone who writes stuff sometimes.' The Shift's Managing Editor Paula Carlson has watched the newsroom grow in confidence and ability over the last year. 'I can fill this magazine with your stories and your words,' she told The Shift during a recent monthly editorial meeting. 'We never used to be able to do that. I had to hire freelancers.' Yvonne Mark echoes the sense of pride she feels: 'I marvel at the writing that we do together. I'm so proud to be part of this team.' The LJI is funded by the Government of Canada with the aim of creating original civic journalism that covers the diverse needs of under-served communities across the country. The funding is available to eligible Canadian media organizations and the content produced is shared with media outlets across the nation. Megaphone has been a part of LJI for nearly a year — enabling the non-profit media organization to bring award-winning photojournalist Romer on board to mentor The Shift. 'Her support and skills have been invaluable to the ongoing development and growth of The Shift,' says Carlson. 'Thanks to the LJI and Amy, we have been able to move from a publication that relies on outside reporting to fill our pages, to one that is brimming with stories conceived of, reported on and written by our reporters who are based in this community. We have an active, working newsroom in the heart of the Downtown Eastside, with more writers wanting to join. It's incredible and exciting.' Jathinder Singh says she's grateful to be working with Romer and Carlson, saying, 'You make our stories shine.' Adds Richard Young: 'I couldn't do any of this without you, Paula and Amy.' For Louise Boulevin, the work has been a dream realized. 'I'm so thankful to Megaphone. I've dreamed of doing this since I was a child, and here I am.' The Shift is one of the most diverse newsrooms in the country. It is made up of 14 individuals who bring their unique perspectives to the table, informed by their direct experiences with poverty, homelessness, substance use, physical disabilities, mental illness, incarceration, racism and immigration, as well their Indigenous, racialized and 2SLGBTQI+ backgrounds. This makes their reporting on the issues of the DTES particularly insightful, and because they live and work in the community they report on, they are often able to access valuable connections, sources and angles not readily accessible to mainstream media. Reporting done by The Shift includes: 'Scenes from a Decampment,' breaking news coverage of a heavy-handed police and city crackdown that unfolded on the streets of the DTES and barred mainstream reporters from the area; 'From the Inside Out,' a special series on the impacts of climate change on people experiencing poverty; 'Affordable Community Housing — For Whom?', which provided a firsthand look at concerns around the screening practices of a local housing project; 'Love, Labels and Letting Go,' a column about dating with a disability; 'Traditions Rooted in Respect,' a sit-down interview with leaders of Vancouver's three host Indigenous nations; 'The Unassuming Astoria Tent,' a visit to a pop-up and technically under-the-radar grassroots overdose prevention site; and so much more. 'As these storytellers show, community journalism isn't just about local reporting — it's about reclaiming voice, visibility and dignity in a community that's long been misrepresented and overlooked,' Romer says. The Shift is happening — and it's coming from within. Megaphone's The Shift peer newsroom is: Louise Boilevin, Julie Chapman, Nicolas Crier, Gilles Cyrenne, David Deocera, Michael Geilen, Lance Lim, Yvonne Mark, Mike McNeeley, Jathinder Sandhu, Eva Takakenew, Priscillia Mays Tait, James Witwicki and Richard Young. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Hamilton Spectator
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Hamilton Spectator
True life tales of the climate crisis
On a warm evening in the Downtown Eastside, peer journalists from The Shift newsroom, Jules Chapman and Mike McNeeley, attended the opening premiere in Vancouver of Eyes of the Beast to witness their own climate disaster stories, along with the testimonies of more than 30 others, come to life on stage at the SFU Goldcorp Centre for the Arts. Props were scattered across the stage, while digital screens hung from the rafters, displaying portraits of climate disaster survivors from across B.C. who lived through the deadly North American 'heat dome' of 2021. As their voices filled the space, actors stepped in to bring their stories to life in a powerful piece of journalistic theatre. Adapted from the award-winning journalism of the Climate Disaster Project, an international newsroom at the University of Victoria (UVic), the documentary theatre production draws from hundreds of testimonies of people who have experienced the devastating effects of climate change. The play is a Neworld Theatre production, made in partnership with the Climate Disaster Project in association with the SFU School for the Contemporary Arts, and supported by Simon Fraser University. The Climate Disaster Project was founded by Sean Holman, the Wayne Crookes Professor of Environmental and Climate Journalism at UVic, and is led by faculty from 11 post-secondary institutions across Canada. Through the project, journalism and writing students partnered with climate disaster survivors to share their stories publicly and identify the common challenges and solutions that emerge from their experiences. What sets this production apart, Holman says, is its commitment to truth — through sharing and amplifying stories about the effects of climate change, which he believes will be the defining human experience of this century. 'We have a tendency to flatten experiences,' said Holman. 'What this play, and the Climate Disaster Project does, is it allows us to truly see one another on the cusp of a new age of disaster.' At UVic and the University of British Columbia, writing and journalism students collaborated with Megaphone and several Downtown Eastside storytellers to co-create firsthand accounts of how they were impacted by the devastating heatwave and wildfires that swept across Western North America in 2021. A number of those powerful narratives were later adapted for the stage in Eyes of the Beast. For Megaphone storytellers Chapman and McNeeley, the theatre experience was deeply personal. Both had shared their stories through Megaphone's involvement in the Climate Disaster Project (along with vendors Peter Thompson, Suzanne Kilroy/Huculak, Yvonne Mark and DJ). During the premiere of the play in downtown Vancouver, Chapman and McNeeley watched actors perform those same stories on stage — and saw their own lives reflected back with emotion and care. Sara van Gaalen portrayed Chapman, while Lachlan Harris-Fiesel took on the role of McNeeley. At the end of each performance, audiences were invited to share their own impressions with the Neworld creative team and a designated 'policy listener.' Each night, a different policy listener was invited to witness the play and hear audience feedback before offering a personal reflection. Guests included Vancouver Couns. Mike Klassen and Sean Orr; Sarah Henderson, scientific director of Environmental Health Services at the BC Centre for Disease Control; Lytton Mayor Denise O'Connor; and Patti MacAhonic, director of the Fraser Valley Regional District. Holman, the Climate Disaster Project's founding director, said he always had in mind to invite a 'policy listener' to see the performances. 'My background is as an investigative journalist,' he told Megaphone, 'so when something goes wrong, you want someone in power to do something about it. Or at least know that this happened, so they can do something for next time.' Megaphone's own 'policy listeners' also had feedback: 'Each story spoke of both despair and survival' — Julie Chapman 'It was very cool seeing my story and hearing my words on stage. All the stories were moving and emotional — I laughed, I cried, and it made me think more outside of the box. Yes, we have many suffering here in the Downtown Eastside, but there were survivors from across the province who lost everything they owned and cherished. People trapped in their towns, not being able to leave — it must have been terrifying! It would have been nice to have had more of a Q&A with Mike Klassen. For example, I would have liked to know [what happened to the] free AC (air conditioner) program with BC Hydro? Residents can't get enough relief from a fan, and the rooms down here can be staggeringly hot. Also, the criteria has changed to get the ACs. They've started asking people who apply to provide a doctor's note stating why they need an air conditioning unit. Here's a thought: because they are hot and a fan only blows the hot air around. It doesn't combat the heat. To me, the stories were powerful because each one spoke of both despair and survival. They spoke of communities coming together to help other community members who were more vulnerable, or less mobile. It was a relief to hear that humans haven't stopped caring for each other in times of devastation. Despite the tragedies and deaths, people still persevered through unimaginable circumstances and found the strength to carry on. That truly resonates with me.' 'The array of experiences people had in B.C. was shocking' — Mike McNeeley I was amazed how accurate the actors delivered the message I said during my interview. I shared everything from my cat panting to stay alive, to trying to find a cooling station in Vancouver. Seeing the array of experiences people had throughout B.C. was somewhat shocking. Everything from floods to the heat dome was covered. There were also great visual and auditory elements in the play. I think the Q&A session after the play was engaging. It was also great to have Vancouver city councillor Mike Klassen share his shocking stories that happened to him during the heat dome, too. 2021 North American heat wave was a deadly record-breaker Like Chapman's and McNeeley's stories in the Downtown Eastside, the diverse stories in Eyes of the Beast come from everyday people navigating extraordinary environmental circumstances: a couple debate which animals to save on their Abbotsford farm; an actor collapses from heat stroke at the B.C. legislature; an overwhelmed emergency room doctor faces the most traumatic day of his career as he's confronted with more cardiac arrests than he can possibly treat. The 2021 heat wave impacted most of Western North America from late June to mid-July 2021, resulting in the highest temperature ever measured in Canada: 49.6 degrees Celsius. In B.C., the heat dome resulted in 619 heat-related deaths — many among vulnerable people such as those without adequate housing and those living alone — and sparked intense wildfires, including the one that destroyed the town of Lytton. The production drove home the message that climate disasters don't just happen to other people in distant places — they affect people from all walks of life, from privileged landowners to unhoused residents. Their experiences may, and do, differ greatly, but the impact is often equally devastating. This spring, Eyes of the Beast also made history. In May, it became the first theatre production ever to receive a Canadian Association of Journalists (CAJ) Award, winning Silver in the Environmental and Climate Change category — a groundbreaking moment for both journalism and the performing arts. To learn more, visit The Climate Disaster Project's website at: to read stories from Jules Chapman, Mike McNeeley and more fantastic Megaphone storytellers. Megaphone's climate stories were published in the June 2022 edition of the magazine. Download a free copy here . Jules Chapman and Mike McNeeley are peer journalists with The Shift newsroom. Amy Romer is Megaphone's Local Journalism Initiative reporter and mentor for The Shift. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Yahoo
18-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Steelers Afternoon Drive: Are Steelers all in for 2025?
Welcome to the Steelers Afternoon Drive, our new daily podcast featuring all the latest Steelers news and analysis. Alan Saunders and Zachary Smith discuss all things Pittsburgh Steelers. On today's episode, we reset where the Steelers stand from a salary cap perspective, explain how cash flow can help to manipulate the salary cap in a way, discuss if the Steelers are going all in for 2025 and much more. Let's go for another Steelers Afternoon Drive and discuss all this! Advertisement Let's go for another Steelers Afternoon Drive and discuss all this and more! Check out the show on our YouTube page, or find it on Megaphone or wherever you get your podcasts. Got a question for the guys? Leave a comment on YouTube, here on the website, or find them on Twitter at @ASaunders_PGH and @ZacharySmithPGH Hey fans! We want to see your black and gold rides! Show us your car, truck or van that's painted in Pittsburgh colors, decorated with logos or Terrible Towels, covered in bumper stickers, or uses some other way to show off your dedication to the Black and Gold. Click to check out more from Alan Saunders and the gang on the SN YouTube page. Click for full archives of the Steelers Afternoon Drive with Alan Saunders and Zachary Smith. This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: Steelers Afternoon Drive: Are Steelers all in for 2025? Advertisement Related Headlines
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Steelers Afternoon Drive: Rodgers Fit with Smith, CB Interest Real?
Welcome to the Steelers Afternoon Drive, our new daily podcast featuring all the latest Steelers news and analysis. Alan Saunders and Zachary Smith discuss all things Pittsburgh Steelers. On today's episode, we discuss if Will Howard's destiny is stamped as a backup following the arrival of Aaron Rodgers, which team has the greatest all-time roster, why fans are pressing the panic button over the TJ Watt contract discussions, Aaron Rodgers' fit with Arthur Smith and if the team is really in the market for Jaire Alexander or Jalen Ramsey. Let's go for another Steelers Afternoon Drive and discuss all this! Advertisement Let's go for another Steelers Afternoon Drive and discuss all this and more! Check out the show on our YouTube page, or find it on Megaphone or wherever you get your podcasts. Got a question for the guys? Leave a comment on YouTube, here on the website, or find them on Twitter at @ASaunders_PGH and @ZacharySmithPGH Hey fans! We want to see your black and gold rides! Show us your car, truck or van that's painted in Pittsburgh colors, decorated with logos or Terrible Towels, covered in bumper stickers, or uses some other way to show off your dedication to the Black and Gold. Click to check out more from Alan Saunders and the gang on the SN YouTube page. Click for full archives of the Steelers Afternoon Drive with Alan Saunders and Zachary Smith. This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: Steelers Afternoon Drive: Rodgers Fit with Smith, CB Interest Real? Advertisement Related Headlines
