LISTEN: NewMusicNation is the brainchild of Steven Kerzner and his alter ego, MuchMusic and cable tv icon Ed the Sock. Kerzner has embarked on a crowdfunding campaign to launch an online music channel that would capture the spirit of MuchMusic in its heyday, with a focus on new Canadian talent. On the latest episode of Broadcast Dialogue – The Podcast, both Kerzner and Ed the Sock join us to talk about the NewMusicNation concept and why it’s time to restore the MuchMusic legacy for a new generation.
Accessible Media Inc. (AMI) has launched the Android version of the AMI-tv app, created especially for the blind and partially sighted community. Available now for download in the Google Play Store, the app joins the previously released Apple iOS and tvOS iterations. AMI worked in close collaboration with testing partners Fable Tech Labs Inc. – a diverse community of accessibility professionals, each living with a disability – who helped refine the app to ensure the highest level of accessibility and user experience. Android users now have access to AMI-tv programming like AMI This Week, Double Tap TV, Employable Me and Level Playing Field; original documentaries; and behind-the-scenes digital exclusives. The AMI-tv App for Android boasts closed captioning on all content; accessibility enhancements featuring bolded text; tutorials explaining the app’s features; the option to access AMI-tv programming for English, AMI-télé for French, or both; and Integrated Described Video built into every program.
The Chesterfield launches its second season on April 13 with new interviews with Canadian artists including comedian Colin Mochrie, writer Scaachi Koul, composer Dan Hill, and actor RH Thomson. Created by FRIENDS of the Canadian Broadcasting as a place for conversations about Canadian culture, the digital series is hosted by Ben Rayner and iskwē. New episodes will drop every Tuesday on FRIENDS’ YouTube channel.
MediaSmarts is calling for more algorithmic literacy tools and resources for youth following a series of focus groups conducted with youth, ages 13-17, to gain insight into how young Canadians understand the relationship between artificial intelligence (AI), algorithms, privacy and data protection. Algorithmic Awareness: Conversations with Young Canadians about Artificial Intelligence and Privacy, funded by the Office of the Privacy Commissioner, found that while youth understand and appreciate the benefits of recommendation algorithms, they are troubled by algorithmic data collection and data sharing practices. Youth also questioned the fairness of algorithmic assumption based on data about race, gender, sexual orientation, or health status and want developers and platforms to be more aware of the consequences of relying too heavily on this technology.
