Tony Burman's News over Noise
One of Canada’s top broadcast executives discusses Al Jazeera’s news role at the sixth edition of the Gail Guthrie Valaskakis Annual Lecture on Diversity and Canadian Media on Wednesday, November 9 at 7 p.m.
Loyola graduate Tony Burman delivers his keynote presentation News over Noise in the Age of Al Jazeera at the event, hosted by Concordia’s Department of Communication Studies and the Center for Research-Action on Race Relations (CRARR). The free event takes place at the Masonic Temple, 2295 St-Marc St. (corner of Sherbrooke Street, near the Guy-Concordia metro station).
Currently the Velma Rogers Graham Research Chair at Ryerson University, Burman worked for two years as managing director of Al Jazeera’s English network, before spending another year as its chief strategic advisor for the Americas.
“We look forward to him sharing his insights about the channel that he helped to bring to Canada’s airwaves, and its primary role of focusing on the developing world and regions largely underreported by the mainstream media,” says Rae Staseson, associate professor and chair of the Department of Communication Studies.
“Is Al Jazeera successfully filling its role?” Staseson asks. “U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton thinks so. In her testimony before a Senate Foreign Relations Committee last March, she credited Al Jazeera for broadcasting ‘real news around the clock’ compared to the endless and often uninformative chatter on some American stations.”
Burman speaks with 34 years of experience in print, radio, television and on-line journalism, including five years as editor-in-chief of CBC News. In October, 2007, he received the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television’s Gordon Sinclair Award for lifetime achievement in broadcast journalism.
“It’s a real honour for Concordia University to welcome such a widely experienced and acclaimed journalist,” says Staseson.
Other special guests at this year’s lecture include the Concordia Provost David Graham, as well as Linda Kay, chair of the Department of Journalism and Enn Raudsepp, former chair of the Department of Journalism and vice-dean, administrative affairs in the Faculty of Arts and Science during the time when Valaskakis was dean.
Created in 2005 as a joint initiative between CRARR and Concordia's Department of Communication Studies, the annual lecture aims to promote research and other initiatives among industry, government and the broader community on issues involving Canadian media and diversity. The Institute for Research and Education on Race Relations is a co-sponsor.
In 2008, the lecture was officially named after the late Valaskakis, one of Canada’s leading experts on Aboriginal communications. Valaskakis was chair of the Department of Communication Studies, dean of the Faculty of Arts and Science, research director of the Aboriginal Healing Foundation, and a director at CRARR. She is also a recipient of the National Aboriginal Achievement Award.
Related links:
• Concordia Department of Communication Studies
• Concordia Department of Journalism
• Center for Research-Action on Race Relations (CRARR)