pitbullmedia.ca

Good day!  Why? Any day we get to help less fortunate kids is a good day so forgive the massive missive.  As freelancers you know how important it is to network and get out to industry events. That’s why you are getting this fabulous invite to this extra-special, funkadelic fund raiser at which fun, frivolity and some kick ass rock and roll bands will make you stomp, cheer, wiggle, warble, tap your feet and do things you’d thought you’d forgotten how to do  - and that will just be in the line up for the washrooms. On Friday June 5^th the News Media in Toronto with some assistance from some Hunky Firefighters, will crank it up for the Children’s Aid Foundation.Newzapalooza V - the Media Battle of the Bands - is a night of laughs, music and a cash bar at the Opera House on Queen St. E near Broadview.

Appearing on stage for their 15 minutes of fame (and not one nanosecond more) will be a selection of bands whose musicians are drawn from the ranks of the Toronto Star, Globe and Mail, CP, Reuters/Thomson, and Toronto Sun along with Backdraft, the unofficial band of the TFD.(Ladies, the inside scoop says these boys are hot, hard-bodied, manly men so, if you’re single, or want to be for the night, don’t delay. Heck, I might even try and date one of them.) 

After each performance, we will be critiqued and pilloried by a panel of celebrity judges, a la Media Idol, and the band with the most points gets bragging rights for a year.  Judges at this juncture are, comic impresario Mark Breslin, Canadian Idol and music maestro Farley Fox and This Hour Has 22 Minutes and all around laugh mistress Geri Hall. MC for the event is the irrepressible Jaymz Bee whom I’ve known since he was the kid working at the corner video store and telling me how much better Betamax was than VHS.  Tickets are a mere $20 and, of course, all proceeds go to the Children’s Aid Foundation. To get your tickets for this must attend event and for more details, please go to http://www.newzapalooza.ca. This event draws about 500 to 600 people and you may know some of them so come mingle, mince about, make nice, network, drink (but don’t drive) and bring your dancing slippers (You’ll need them for that line up at the washroom). And if you can’t attend buy a ticket anyway! Ian Harvey 

David Simon was a reporter for 18 years at Baltimore Sun who took a buy out in 1995 and went on to Hollywood to create The Wire.

Here he addresses Congress about the demise of the once proud newspaper industry.

It brought a lump to my throat.