About
The Canadian Hyperlocal News Project is part of a research project exploring new forms to revitalize journalism and its place in rural communities in Canada. It is an initiative of Prof. Robert Washburn, of Loyalist College, ON, Canada.
Prof. Washburn instructs in the new Journalism: Online, Print and Broadcast program at Loyalist College, where he teaches the uses of new technologies in journalism. He is the innovation editor for J-Source.ca, where he launched the Canadian Hyperlocal Journalism Project aimed at building resources to assist those interested in this emerging area.
He is the first post-secondary educator in Canada to teach in Second Life.
He is managing editor of the QNet News, the college’s web-based newspaper, along with being executive editor on numerous community-based web sites and research projects.
Washburn served for four years on the board of directors for the Canadian Association of Journalists, with one year as chairman.
He has worked for more than 25 years as a journalist in newspapers, magazines and radio. Prof. Washburn recently was presented The Educational Technology Committee 2007 award for Innovative Teaching With Technology and he won the Canadian New Media Award for Educator of the Year in 2007.
Prof. Washburn recently completed his Masters degree on the future of journalism online at the York-Ryerson joint program in Communications and Culture.
