Barely a week into the New Year, the future of newspapers discussion is still upon us. In fact, as I was writing this, a link to a Wall Street Journal Online’s listing of 200 “Best and Worst Jobs of 2010” – was being sent around Twitter via the accompanying tweet (courtesy of Slate):

‘Newspaper reporter’ is 184^th best job in the country, between seaman and stevedore.

Yes, ‘Newspaper reporter’ is number 184.

I have a little difficulty relating – ok, maybe a little defensively – to the “the death of newspapers” conversation with those who use “newspapers” loosely.  After all, does “Newspapers” = “all Newspapers”?  And, even though some prefer the alternative “mainstream media”, here in Canada with our demographic reality, the use of that phrase becomes a little problematic:  with 1 in 5 Canadians  foreign-born and many (upwards of 70%) preferring to be communicated with “in-language”, it begs the question: what/who is the “mainstream media”?

On Tuesday, January 19, DMS President/CEO Lori Abittan will be participating in a Canadian Journalism Foundation panel forum entitled The Rise of “Ethnic Media”. As the event details indicate:

While mainstream media continue to wring their hands over the future of newspapers and the loss of ad revenue, another more optimistic scenario is playing out across the country. The so-called ethnic media – journalistic publications targeting new and third-language Canadians – are flourishing.

The event’s other speakers include: Jagdish Grewal, editor and publisher of Punjabi Post; Shirley Chan, editor of Ming Pao; and Madeline Ziniak, Canadian Ethnic Media Association executive chair and OMNI Television national vice president.  Ontario’s Chief Diversity Officer, Noëlle Richardson, will moderate the panel. You can register for the event via Eventbrite by clicking here.

A number of us will also be attending this session …maybe I’ll see you there?