SPECIAL: Stop The Presses!

Welcome to a special episode of Cross Border Interviews, where we take a deep dive into the role of journalism in municipal government.

Local journalism has always been essential to keeping our communities informed and holding our elected officials accountable, but never has it been more critical than in these challenging times.

Joining us today are four esteemed guests who have spent their careers reporting on municipal government and have a wealth of insights to share with us.

Ben Proulx is former journalist with decades of experience covering municipal politics, and now owner of his own communications firm Catalyst Communications.

Tim Kalinowski is a reporter with Airdrie City View and The Rocky View Weekly. He previously worked as the lead city reporter with The Lethbridge Herald and as the Education and Rural Issues reporter The Medicine Hat News. He has been a reporter for 14 years, and has covered municipal affairs in smaller communities throughout his career.

Lauryn Heintz is from a small town in east-central Alberta and moved to Calgary in 2017 to attend Mount Royal University's Bachelor of Communications- Journalism program.

She spent five months interning at the Airdrie City View and Rocky View Weekly before transferring south of the city to the Okotoks Western Wheel in 2021. There, she covered government at all levels, education, healthcare, crime and more. At the end of April, she will be moving on to CityNews Calgary, where she will work as a web editor and reporter.

Josh Thomas is a father of four beautiful girls, and the Editor of the Spruce Grove Examiner and Stony Plain Reporter. Josh took journalism at Niagara College Canada and in his spare time he’s a receiver and punt returner for the Central Alberta Buccaneers of the Alberta Football League. He also hosts the Eatin Em Raw podcast centered around his hometown Hamilton Tiger Cats.

Together, we'll explore the crucial role that journalists play in ensuring that our local governments are transparent, accountable, and responsive to the needs of their communities. We'll also examine the unique challenges and opportunities that local journalists face in the digital age and discuss the ethical considerations that all reporters must keep in mind when covering municipal politics.

So, whether you're a journalist, a government official, or simply someone who cares about their community, join us for a thought-provoking discussion about the essential role that journalism plays in keeping our democracy strong and our communities informed.

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