Toronto Media Layoffs – Does Life Go On

Traditional Toronto media has taken a lot of hits lately with recent layoffs of some of our favourite local news personalities, cuts at the Sun and Star newspapers and local TV is in a battle with cable TV over money. Money that the local TV stations say they need to survive. Are the layoffs helping, are the media personnel getting hired back in their field and where is Larysa Harapyn?

More and more people get their information from the internet while fewer people pay for a daily newspaper or watch the local news. Advertisers who are the heart of the traditional information delivery systems have noticed this trend and have cut back on advertising and have been further restricted due to the downturn in the economy. Less advertising money means less content and less content means less reporters and editorial staff.

The numerous cuts at the Toronto Sun are even lamented in a blog called Toronto Sun Family (http://torontosunfamily.blogspot.com/). Reported job cuts also occurred at many media outlets from the Toronto Star, Rogers/CityTV, Canwest, CTV Globemedia, CHUM, Sportsnet, and the Globe and Mail.

For newspapers the combined impacts of free newspapers, reduced advertising and internet and mobile computing have produced major declines at traditional paid circulation newspapers. Newspaper circulation data from the CCAB Daily Newspaper TRAC (http://216.41.211.36/bpaww_com/HTML/dailies/CCAB%20Newspaper%20TRAC%202009.pdf) show the following.

Star weekday average 2009 circulation 390,163 (unpaid/free 105,988), average weekday circulation in 2008: 419,070 a -6.9% decline.
Sun weekday average 2009 circulation 178,461 (unpaid/free 41,630), average weekday circulation in 2008: 184,473 a -3.2% decline.
Toronto’s free newspapers had 2009 average weekday circulations of 247,236 for 24 Hours and 258,858 for Metro.

Shockingly just these four newspapers put out 653,712 copies of free newspapers, which exceed the paid weekday circulation of 568,624 for the Sun/Star combo. With free newspapers and free newspaper websites why would you pay for newspapers anymore?

Local television has also been impacted by declining ad revenues, available internet alternatives and low or no revenues derived from being carried in cable TV packages. With nothing but cuts to media around the world can anyone get a job in their field after a layoff? Media can look for jobs at such sites as media Job Search Canada (http://www.mediajobsearchcanada.com/jobs.asp?c=56) but it would be a tough search. Owners of media are cutting costs, taking unpaid interns and less expensive talent.

I keep searching but I don’t see Larysa’s face on the television or on the web. Where are you Larysa?

2010 Wish List - Toronto Events

2009 has been a very good year for the Toronto Grand Prix Tourist Blog and I am looking forward to some returning and some new events for 2010. High on my list is to see the return of the Aids Committee of Toronto's (ACT) annual Fashion Cares event - which was sadly postponed in 2009. The fashion and glamour fundraiser is always spectactular (click on my photos on the right for coverage of the event. My videos on YouTube for Fashion Cares and the 2008 spooktacular have been viewed over 25,000 times - and includes this popular summary of the night while a Google search has my blog just below the official website) and I encourage people to support ACT and this event.



For more heavy hitters I hope to see the 2010 Honda Indy Toronto which plans a number of improvements over last year - including the addition of the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series and tons more entertainment and hopefully more girls, girls, girls. As well the Luminato and Nuit Blanche Festivals will soon take over all of Toronto as they become more and more popular. And who could forget the Buskerfest as it fills the St. Lawrence Market area. I can also never get enough of the blood soaked, brain eating Zombies as their number continues to grow. I hope to cover more of the Toronto International Film Festival events and look forward to their continued success. Toronto has taken these amazing visual performances to heart and their success has made it difficult to see many of the events due to the size of the crowds, so look for my photographic coverage when you can't make it, or just want to remember the fun - just click my photo links to the right for pictures of previous celebrations.

Some of the smaller promotional activities also provide great opportunities for images - such as the mob of Blu-Ray Santas in Yonge-Dundas Square, so hopefully companies will step up their creative efforts this year.

It is always nice to be invited to unique and once in a lifetime events, such as my recent tour in the Olympic Flame Relay convoy and I am glad I was asked to find out about the movie Fandom which will use an exciting method of interactive filmaking right here in Toronto. So please keep thinking of me if you have something that you may want additional coverage on, just email me at jmhcet@gmail.com.

I will start a list of the events (not in any order) that I want to photograph and write about and will add to it when I find more. Let me know if you can suggest any additional ones that I have left out.

1. Fashion Cares.
2. Honda Indy Toronto. July 16 to 18, 2010.
3. Luminato. June 11 to 20, 2010.
4. Nuit Blanche. Saturday October 2, 2010.
5. Buskerfest. Sometime in August 2010?
6. Zombie Walk. Sometime in October 2010?
7. Toronto International Film Festival. Sometime in September 2010?
8. The Pride Week and parades. June 25 to July 4, 2010.
9. The movie: Fandom. 2010.
10. Joe Fresh has also identified the Toronto Roller Derby League as something that would be good to see.
11. Cirque Du Soleil: Alegria. June 30 to July 4, 2010.
12. Seeing Larysa Harapyn on television again and taking more pictures of the media host - a website with her name is currently under construction.
13. Caribana (a new one for me, thanks Not a Shopaholic). Monday July 14th to Sunday August 2nd, 2010. I heard the King and Queen show is a must see.

Join me in supporting local events and activities that make it such a positive experience to visit and live in the City of Toronto.

Where oh where is Larysa Harapyn oh where oh where can she be?

Many people are coming to this site asking the same question. What happened to Larysa Harapyn, entertainment reporter and local celebrity? She has dropped off the internet and that means dropped off of her fans ability to find out about her.

If anyone has any information of where she is and what she is doing please leave a comment so that we can all be updated. Here she is working her magic on the red carpet with her crimped out hairstyle.

Live Eye - Truck Installation

With the recent media takeovers and subsequent financial meltdowns the famous City TV CityPulse Live Eye truck installation (truck bursting out of building high above the parking lot) has also changed hands - becoming the CTV CP24 Live Eye truck installation (pictured above). Here is the before picture from 2005.



Speaking of City TV, during the Rogers takeover rationalizations (layoffs) of City TV entertainment reporter Larysa Harapyn was among the many let go. Joe Fresh has always said she was the best part of local television and he, like many others (including me), are upset that she is no longer with the station. Joe encourages all to contact Rogers and complain and ask for Larysa to be brought back.

2008 Toronto Fashion sCares - See and Be Seen

On Saturday November 1, 2008 the Metro Toronto Convention Centre was filled with fashionistas, television news crews, colourful characters and high powered entertainment stars, including Actress Lauren Holly, celebrating the event that is the 22nd Annual Fashion Cares. We joined the night as guests of the AIDS Committee of Toronto (ACT www.actoronto.org)and Fashion Cares to take in the red carpet arrivals, the cocktail party and silent auction and finally to watch the runway spectacle based on select Alfred Hitchcock movies and we loved it all.

Opening comments from Honorary Chair Jeanne Beker and Chair Michael King were followed by the celebrity hosts - Canada's own David Furnish and International Supermodel Yasmin Warsame. David Furnish being an honoured film director and producer, a champion of HIV/AIDS fundraising and awareness and the partner of Iconic pop culture artist Elton John.



Fritz Helder and the Phantoms, faces bejewelled into apparitions of skulls opened the show and hosted the costume competition. Ten individual or couples wearing fantastic outfits picked out from the crowd and were brought on stage to walk the runway in a fight for best costume - my choice was Mr Peanut.



The two hour show passed in a flash and we wanted more! The exotic haute couture fashions were great but came in only three flavours; white, black and red, and were difficult to see from distant vantage points while the National Ballet of Canada was a fantastic additon to the show. It would have been nice to have a brochure showing the over 40 designers involved in the show with photos of their beautiful creations, instead the designers were invisible to the audience. The entertaining mini-dramas based on the Hitchcock movies helped to support the night's theme in the clothes and the set design.







In between fashion we were treated to music by Kreesha Turner who performed one song (I was sad she didn't do "Don't call me baby"), Katy Perry who blew the audience away with her energy and songs "I kissed a girl" and "Hot and Cold" and the crowd's sentimental favourite - Dame Shirley Bassey (of the multiple James Bond movie theme songs) whose powerful voice has not faded through the years.

Kreesha Turner is the first singer.

Katy Perry sings her hit songs.

Dame Shirley Bassey wows the crowd.

Fashion Cares, back from the cobbled and confining streets of the historic Distillery District during PEEP Show of 2007, was a little unorganized at the beginning but quickly found it's feet before the strutting on the catwalk. It is also important to remember that this is a fundraiser, the largest for the AIDS Committee of Toronto (ACT), and the support of the community is what makes this event so exceptional. Many of the attendees showed that support by dressing up and getting into the spirit of the evening - see and be seen. I did not attend the after party but I am sure it was a little more risque and hopefully as much fun as Fashion Cares presents: Fashion sCares.

MORE OF THE RED CARPET

The media area was full of about 40 to 50 television camera operators, on-air talent and photographers and assistants and we scramble to get good shots of the celebrities as they walk the red carpet. I must admit I always like to see Fashion TV's beautiful, friendly and multi-talented Jeanne Beker who also has a long association with Fashion Cares.

David Furnish, part of the Elton John Aids Foundation.

Dame Shirley Bassey and Celebrity Host David Furnish on the red carpet.

Honarary Chair Jeanne Beker.

Fashion Cares Chair Michael King in the calm before the red carpet event.

Michael King joins singer Katy Perry.

R&B singer Kreesha Turner being interviewed by Much Music.

International supermodel and event co-host Yasmin Warsame.

Actress Lauren Holly came by to support the event.

City TV reporter Larysa Harapyn got some fantastic interviews and looked great at the same time.

The media was packed along the red carpet - we take a few steps back from the front lines to show the crowds around Fashion Cares Artist Director Phillip Ing and singing Artist Kreesha Turner.

Looking on the media line in front of the red carpet with your photographer, James Hamilton.

Getting interviewed for ET Canada.

Enza Supermodel at the red carpet.

Guests pause for pictures showing off eleaborate makeup.

Fashion Cares urban space Designer Manny Machado (right) gets some marketing help courtesy of a friend.

Some members of Fritz Helder and the Phantoms before they open the Fashion Cares show.

COCKTAIL RECEPTION

After the red carpet we enter Hall F of the south Metro Convention Centre building where the cocktail reception area/lounge and the silent auction are held. We have a great time watching and photographing the many incredible costumes while enjoying a few of those great cocktails.