Canwest News Service cuts full-time Environment beat reporter position

onJan 15, 2009 @ 15:07 PST

UPDATE: word on the street is that Canwest reporter Juliet O’Neill will now be covering off environment reporting for the CanWest chain, while at the same time covering the goings-on of the two main national political parties, the Liberals and the NDP, as well Heritage Canada and issues affecting Alberta.

I am hearing rumors today that the largest news outlet in Canada, Canwest News Service has cut out its full time environment beat reporter position. This, despite opinion polls finding that environmental issues remain the second biggest concern for the Canadian public.

I have calls and emails into contacts at Canwest. Will let you know when I hear more.

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By Kevin Grandia

Kevin is a contributor and strategic adviser to DeSmog. He runs the digital marketing agency Spake Media House. Named a “Green Hero” by Rolling Stone Magazine and one of the “Top 50 Tweeters” on climate change and environment issues, Kevin has appeared in major news media outlets around the world for his work on digital campaigning. Kevin has been involved in the public policy arena in both the United States and Canada for more than a decade. For five years he was the managing editor of DeSmogBlog.com. In this role, Kevin’s research into the “climate denial industry” and the right-wing think tank networks was featured in news media articles around the world. He is most well known for his ground-breaking research into David and Charles Koch’s massive financial investments in the Republican and tea party networks. Kevin is the first person to be designated a “Certified Expert” on the political and community organizing platform NationBuilder. Prior to DeSmog, Kevin worked in various political and government roles. He was Senior Advisor to the Minister of State for Multiculturalism and a Special Assistant to the Minister of State for Asia Pacific, Foreign Affairs for the Government of Canada. Kevin also worked in various roles in the British Columbia provincial government in the Office of the Premier and the Ministry of Health. In 2008 Kevin co-founded a groundbreaking new online election tool called Vote for Environment which was later nominated for a World Summit Award in recognition of the world’s best e-Content and innovative ICT applications. Kevin moved to Washington, DC in 2010 where he worked for two years as the Director of Online Strategy for Greenpeace USA and has since returned to his hometown of Vancouver, Canada.