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.

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BBC Job Cuts

On again, off again job cuts at British Broadcasting Corporation appear to be on again. And they could spark strikes.

The BBC is braced for its worst industrial action in a decade as management prepares to axe up to 2,800 posts to save £2 billion.

The 12pc cut, which was not denied yesterday by the BBC, has come as a shock to the work force

Strike action appeared inevitable last night as unions digested the impact of proposed cuts of up to 12 per cent of the 23,000-strong work force.

full story here

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What’s Wrong with Old Media

photo by violet blue

San Francisco based columnist and blogger Violet Blue is sharing her recent experience as an “expert guest” on the Tyra Banks TV show.

It’s a pitch perfect picture of what’s wrong with old-media, starting with their insisting VB cover her tattoos.

When I was about to go onstage in front of the studio audience, a staff member presented me with a list of pre-planned questions they’d had all along.

The answers to all of those questions — my answers — were also included. The staff member who had me review them confessed to having cut and pasted the responses from my Oprah article. I said, “I know. I can recognize my own writing.”

Read Violet Blue’s full post with pics and vid here.

If you’re thinking this is an anomaly, don’t.

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