Elton John edits UK newspaper for World AIDS Day

Elton John has taken time out from touring to edit daily newspaper The Independent on World AIDS Day.
Wednesday's edition of the newspaper featured several pages of coverage of the fight against HIV as well as contributions from famous friends including comedian Stephen Fry and actress Elizabeth Taylor. Proceeds from the day's sales go to the Elton John AIDS Foundation. John admitted that his lack of computer experience could be a hindrance in his new job, which involved deciding on the layout of the pages.

How Toronto newspaper websites looked in 2000

Interesting feature on BlogTO. Click on the title to view.

Ryerson U alternative station CKLN fighting for its licence

On December 8, the station faces a CRTC hearing. The regulator claims that when it investigated a rash of complaints, it found programming logs, annual reports and other required records in disarray and in some cases unavailable.
The CRTC wants to discuss the station’s performance and status, but the formal wording of the hearing notice seems chilling, asking CKLN, among other things, to “show cause why the Commission should not take steps to suspend or revoke the broadcasting licence in question.”

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Robert Hurst stepping down as head of CTV News

Robert Hurst is stepping down as president of CTV News. Hurst has spent 38 years with the network and has held the top news job since September 2002.
"Bob goes out a winner with CTV News standing tall as Canada's No. 1 (in) news," Ivan Fecan, president and CEO of CTVglobemedia and CEO of CTV Inc., said in a statement.
Hurst began his broadcasting career with CTV in 1973, working as a writer for "Canada AM." Within a few years, at age 26, he was named news director at Toronto's CFTO affiliate. Hurst later returned to reporting, where he was posted to a number of network bureaus, including Ottawa, Washington, Moscow and Beijing. In 1994, he returned to Canada and held various positions, including chief news editor and vice president. In 1995, he spearheaded the application for CTV News 1, which later became CTV Newsnet, and is now known as CTV News Channel. CTV said Hurst will remain in his current position until a successor is named in the coming weeks.

Rogers in $1.3B talks to buy majority stake in Leafs empire

Rogers is in talks to buy the Toronto Maple Leafs in a deal worth more than $1 billion, the Toronto Star reported. The sale would include the Raptors, Toronto FC soccer club and the Marlies, the Maple Leafs’ minor league hockey team. Buying a majority stake in Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment from the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan would transform Rogers, which already owns the Toronto Blue Jays, into one of the most powerful sports enterprises in North America. Sources close to the talks say the asking price for the 66 per cent stake owned by the Ontario Teacher’s Pension Plan, which has about $95 billion in assets, is in the neighbourhood of $1.3 billion.