Improved Canada.com Newsletter Shuts Out Mac Users

[eds. note: according to an email I got from CanWest, this problem will be resolved with tomorrow's - Feb 1st - edition]

This is one of those situations where function is definatley more important than form.

I get a daily enewsletter from the Vancouver Sun, and have for a while now.

There are usually a couple of stories I’m interested in, so I’ll follow the links in the newsletter and get the story on their web site, which is of course part of the Canada.com portal.

Yesterday the Sun rolled out a new design for their enewsletter - and for anyone using Mail on a Mac - there’s a bit of a problem. The links don’t work. Clicking on any of the story links just reloads the page, and you never get to the story.

Now, its true, enewsletters are a bit of a nightmare, since how they look and function is totally dependent upon the mail program at the other end. The same is true for web sites, but with mail, there are even more issues than with multiple flavours of web browsers.

Its seems odd though, given this is coming from a newspaper company. Print media in general are Mac shops - or at least heavily weighted with Macs.

Its interesting this slipped by the developer, because the entire function of an email newsletter is to get you to follow the links. No links ? What’s the point ?

Oh well, guess I’ll strike one more ‘traditional media’ company as a source for information - at least for now.

I have to give Sun editor-in-chief Patricia Graham big points. I emailed her, along with the web folk at Canada.com this morning, explaining the issue. She was the first to reply, within an hour, saying it’ll be looked at.

Hockey Night in Camsack ?

First they brought us the Vancouver/Whistler Olympics, now they want to bring us a 24/7 TV channel about amateur sport.The Canadian Olympic Committee is asking the CRTC to hold a licensing hearing for an English and French digital TV service dedicated to amateur sports of all kinds. From the COC press release:

The Canadian Olympic Committee has long recognized the need for dramatically increased television coverage of Canadian amateur sport on a consistent and regular basis,” said COC Chief Executive Officer Chris Rudge. “These networks would finally bring our athletes into the spotlight and also motivate young people everywhere in Canada to get up out of their seats and engage in sport and a healthy lifestyle.”

The applications were formally submitted by the COC and its partners to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) in early December. The proposed national digital television networks would each focus solely on Canadian amateur sport 24 hours a day, seven days a week, allowing Canadians to watch amateur athletes compete in regional, national and international events in both Olympic and non-Olympic sports. read the COC press release

The COC admits that ad revenue alone will not sustain the services, so they want the CRTC, should it even license the services, to make them mandatory carriage. What that means is that the channels would be included in digital TV packages (cable and satellite) which would then give the COC assured subscriber revenue. Channels that are not mandatory ‘must carry’ services rely on subscribers who opt-in and pay extra for the channels. In Canada, the vast majority of those channels are struggling. As a ‘must carry’ the proposed channels ensure a revenue stream - and the COC and it’s partners have already suggested that their cut should be 60 cents per household per month.

The COC’s requirement for the channels to be ‘must carry’ will put them in conflict with more traditional broadcasters and other media companies who would love to get their channels out of the twilight zone and into digital prime time. It’ll be interesting to see how the private sector argues against supporting amateur sport in Canada – but I’m sure they’ll find a way.

The contents of the application will not be made public until the CRTC decides to have a public hearing. Once they do that, they will publicize the application (Gazette) and look for public response. That’s when we’ll see the full application. The COC hopes that will happen this spring, but the timing is entirely dependent upon the CRTC.

The CRTC usually holds a hearing within 55 days of Gazetting, and once they publicize the hearing, other companies interested in making an application for a digital channel will also be able to apply. So, it’s unusual for an applicant to publicize their application prior to Gazetting, usually for fear of giving away too much too soon to potential competitors. Given the nature of this application, it’s doubtful there will be too many others in the same playing field. The COC isn’t just handing out press releases, it has launched a web site for the new channels.

What I want to know is - who will be the Don Cherry of the amateur sport network ?

My Camera Assistant

North Van Snow Globe

Vancouver Loves the Snow

Big Canadian Telecoms Just Don’t Get It

An open letter to Shaw, Rogers and Telus

Dear Large Telecoms.

I’m very happy that you’re competing with each other for services like land lines, cell phones and television services. This is good for consumers like me.

However, a word of advice.

If you really want to convince me that your services are so much better and cheaper than your competitors, why are you unable to either fax, email or snail mail me a proposal outlining the package of services you are offering and the costs.

You’ve all called me in the last week. Telus, you’ve called me 3 times in 2 weeks.

You are very excited on the phone about the fabulous offers you can provide to lower my monthly bill. You all tell me how marvelous your services are and how responsive your customer service people are.

When you’ve called (uninvited I should point out) I’ve told you all that I’m more than willing to switch from my current providers, particularly if I can get a better deal and one-stop shopping.

Yet, none of you has the ability to send me a simple piece of information outlining what you are offering. I just need something plain and simple - you know - a list? You don’t need to even get it designed or tarted up in any way. Just a simple list of your services and the costs so I can compare one to other.

This is what I do with almost all the services I purchase for my small business. Every vendor I work with is happy to send me a quote for services by fax or email. I don’t think it’s too much to ask – you called me remember?

When I’ve asked you for this, you’ve told me you don’t have that capability. No really, this is what you’ve told me - you apparently don’t have the capability of sending me a fax, email or surface mail letter.

May I remind you that you are a large telecom, providing complex network services on a national scale? And you can’t send an email? Its funny you know, but even the smallest business these days has email or fax. It seems to be very popular. All the kids are doing it.

Oh wait, this is what you actually DO.

I must admit, this inability does make me question how good your follow up services really are.

Don’t get me wrong, I’d love to switch to another provider. I’m what you call a ripe sales lead.

Here’s why.

The service I get now is pretty crappy. I don’t like talking to a voice recognition computer when I’d like to speak to a customer service rep. And the last time I had trouble with my landline, it took you 10 days to send someone out to fix it. What is this, 1932 ?

So, I’m not exactly thrilled with the services I have now. Should I repeat? I’d be happy to switch.

But.

You may be excited about your new services, but you’re behaving the same old way you always have.

And that just doesn’t cut it anymore.

Robert

In Your Brain and Other Link Adventures for a Monday

(cross posted at www.atlargemedia.com)

Vancouver’s own blogging conference Northern Voice takes place next month.

There’s a lot to like about this conference aside from the moose logo. Like the price.

40 Canadian dollars for one day, or $60 for both. It’ll cost you almost that much to take a cab from downtown to confernce site on the UBC campus.

I’ll be kicking around so come up and say hi.

If you work in an office with a staff lunchroom, you really need to read “Time for a Staffroom Makeover” by Capers Whole Foods nutritionist Victoria Pawlowski.

The foods and beverages stuffed in the refrigerator and falling off side counters often aren’t really foods – they are collections of ingredients with lots of additives, trans fats, simple carbs and sweeteners. They are processed, refined foods loaded with anti-nutrients – chemicals that actually make it harder for your body to absorb nutrient and cause cellular inflammation which is linked to premature aging and disease.

She’s got a lot of good tips on how you can improve things for yourself, and your coworkers.

Meanwhile, the KitKat France has produced an awesome animation about getting the ultimate break from office melt-downs.

It’s a great form of advertising - the animation is high quality and funny. I particularly like the guy who flips pencils between his fingers - I’m pretty sure I worked with him in Calgary.

Maybe he was just having a bad day, but former Vancouver technology sector business guy, Will Pate, is tearing a strip off the Canadian technology sector in his first article for Startup North…

When you meet technology people from Canada, we’re not in a race. We’re watching the race from the sideline. We act like technology entrepreneurship is closer to farming than shark hunting, as if risky business isn’t necessary to make the next Google or Microsoft. We putter around as if slow and steady actually wins races to innovate and grow technology businesses.

Ouch. Last I checked, Will was still working…in the technology sector in Canada.

If you’re a problem solver (say, working in the technology sector in Canada) or an innovative thinker of any sort, have you ever wondered what’s really going on in your brain when you’re, say, problem solving?

Scientific American has a story on research underway that may that shed some light on what’s going on when…the light goes on.

If there’s excessive attention, it somehow creates mental fixation….Your brain is not in a receptive condition….Researchers found that subjects who were aware that they had found a new way to tackle the problem (and so, had consciously restructured their thinking) were less likely to feel as if they’d had eureka moment compared to more clueless candidates.

And to that, I say AHA.

Fin for now.

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