Executive vice president of broadcast networks for Corus Entertainment, Troy Reeb, speaks with Digital Communications and Media students at Lethbridge College on Nov. 2, 2021.
Students at Lethbridge College received the inside scoop on journalism and broadcast media earlier this month.
Troy Reeb, the executive vice president of broadcast networks for Corus Entertainment came to Lethbridge College to speak with Digital Communications and Media students about the development of the industry they are about to enter.
The importance of fact-based journalism is fundamental for a civil society according to Reeb.
“I recognize that as a media organization, we have a really important role in maintaining civil society in Canada [and] in sharing information and connecting communities and bringing people together,” said Reeb.
He said it is an incredible gift we are being given at the college through the development of connecting people with stories.
“It’s exciting. If you continue to kind of internalize how you can use that to make the world a better place and to make yourself more successful at the same time, the more fun you’re going to have and the more optimistic you’re going to be about the prospects going forward,” said Reeb.
The industry remains in a constant state of change with many shifts in the last few years said Reeb.
“The newspaper industry sort of went over a cliff… When high speed [internet] came along, the ads and suddenly video could be transmitted in real time,” he said.
Reeb said when this technological revolution happened it didn’t cause the collapse of television due to advertising.
“There’s still a robust monetization aspect and still you can still make money from the video,” he said.
The pandemic has caused some issues with making money through radio. The ability to make money from advertising has been a struggle during the pandemic according to Reeb.
“Most of the ads are going to be for a place that you can go and find [a] local restaurant or the local store and those stores and restaurants have been closed. And there are times with COVID mandates where they’ve struggled to get staff… Even if they had money to spend on advertising, they probably wouldn’t be spending it because they’re desperately trying to work,” said Reeb.
The pandemic isn’t solely to blame for the struggles facing radio he said.
“The number of people who listen to traditional radio is dropping six to 10 per cent a year. It has been for a while,” said Reeb.
These stats have not deterred everyone, with some like Keavey Boyd a first year Digital Communications and Media student still interested in entering the radio industry.
“I love music and I like I like being able to pick the tracks and host the broadcast, so I think that’d be really cool,” said Boyd.
Boyd said she was captivated by Reeb’s presentation.
“I think a lot of what he said about furthering the news media in a time where everything is going digital and streaming services, I think that was actually a very important part of what he said that I really held onto,” she said.
Along with the great advice and analysis of the industry, there is the chance for an internship at Global for one of the DCM students Reeb spoke with. There will be a story pitch for everyone to produce and the best one gets to go on a trip to their offices in Toronto or Ottawa for a hands-on experience with those currently in the industry.
