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Praise for Sources
Sources
has been a constant companion throughout many of my years in daily
newspaper journalism in Toronto... and it is one of the most valuable
resources any journalist could have. It is a Godsend to all who
are in the media... and I have a great deal of respect for its place
on reporters and editors' desks.
I created Reginald, the broadcast
producer software, because I believed our industry needed a tool
imagined by and engineered for actual working broadcasters. There
isn't a feature in this software that wasn't asked for by a working
producer. That's why I incorporated the entire Sources
directory database directly into Reginald.
We've recently launched a Web-based
assignment management system across CP and one element in the service
is access to the Sources directory. By building a
direct connection to the Sources database of PR contacts
in our assignment system reporters can quickly and easily locate
contacts for their stories. It's a very productive fit. Whenever I'm dealing with the unfamiliar
- and that seems to be happening more as new specialties emerge
- Sources invariably puts me in touch with the people
I need to speak with. A service worth many times the cost of subscription.
At the i-channel, we are always
looking for articulate and informative experts to appear as guests
on our programs. We are constantly using Sources
to help us with our research. It is an invaluable resource, that's
unprecedented in Canada. When I'm researching anything ...
I visit the office of the head honchos and see what they're thinking,
reading, saying and doing. I've visited hundreds of offices in my
personal and business life and the one familiar fixture has been
Sources. At first I didn't know what Sources was.
I just knew it was in everyone's office. Love your site and am about to recommend
it to students. As a radio and print freelancer for
both Canadian and U.S. outlets I've found Sources
to be invaluable over the years. With Sources you
get the phone number that gets you to the person you need to reach
to or person who knows how to get to the person you need. Keep up
the good work Sources. I was delighted to learn that the
print edition will continue.
Forget the Web! Head
to Sources when you want to find reliable experts
and authorities on any subject. Sources is an indispensable
research tool for any reporter, writer or editor. Perusing Sources,
I am amazed at how resourceful and comprehensive it is. "Sources
Online - Sources is Canada's premiere listing of organizations
and experts." I always have my copy
of Sources sitting on my desk. I use my Sources
Online every day. I think it's a tremendously helpful service,
especially the Parliamentary Names and Numbers. Working as a senior
writer and project manager for one of Western Canada's largest advertising
agencies - we use Sources often to chase national
and regional stories for our agricultural clients. I've always found Sources
a useful tool […] It cuts down on time and frustration when
looking for the right person to call, the right titles and right
names. "Sources
Select Online - This is one of the key source guides used
by Canadian journalists. Great resource for reaching 5,000 experts
on all things Canadian -- health care, Parliament, Canadian unity
and more." Sources
is an outstanding reference work. Would
prefer to receive 8 [copies of Sources]. Ours is so
dog-eared from use by the time another one comes, it's almost unusable. Sources
has been one of my best resources and has the Shelf of Honour -
in easy reach, next to my dictionaries, coffee mugs and other essentials. I find
Sources useful for contacting personalities when I
write my column and articles. I love
Sources it's an exceptional resource. What
a resource! It's helped me immeasurably in my own work. Sources
remains my most valued reference as I often require unusual photos
that even stock agencies don't carry. I am
among your frequent users when I need without any delay someone
in charge in a field I am not very familiar with. It's sometimes
amazing to find after-hours numbers for large organizations! I do
much of the health writing for this paper, including a quarterly
special section called Medical Breakthroughs and the monthly lead
health story. For all my writing, and for this in particular, I
find Sources a gold mine of information. It
is an invaluable resource. Excellent
and extremely useful.
Sources,
the ultimate directory of contacts. Through my full
time employment, and now even more so through my freelance writing
work, I have found Sources invaluable in my research
and information gathering - and I never forget to mention to my
contacts that Sources is where I found them! Sources
is a great asset to any writer. I'm a Researcher/Chase
Producer with CBC Newsworld in Calgary. I find Sources
extremely helpful in lining up guests for my program, "Coast
to Coast". "Sources.
The long-trusted directory of Canadian organizations and experts
is available online and easily searched." Sources
has the best information re: associations. I consult it often. Being able to
pinpoint a source without costly telephone hunting (being referred
on after calling a company's main number) is of great advantage
for me." I'm not a dinosaur
- but I still use and appreciate having a desk printed copy of Sources.
It's quick, easy, doesn't interrupt my train of thought, and I don't
have to leave my workscreen. Thank you. There have been
times when it has been invaluable. I always read the book reviews
and digital information reviews. Keep them in. Three or four
times a year (often at midnight) it saves my life by providing the
exact name of an organization in correct form. I love Sources! It's a great
directory! A Holy Bible to me! Since striking
out on my own four years ago, I have used Sources
on a weekly basis. It's one writing tool I cannot do without. A thorough,
reliable sourcebook, used often as I research stories for print
and television. […] I am the Parliamentary
correspondent for Radio Canada International, the overseas multilingual
service of the CBC. I find your directory an invaluable tool in
my day to day work. Sources
not only saves me a lot of time, but it puts me onto the best contacts
to quote. I use this invaluable
directory on an almost daily basis. Sources
is an indispensable source of information. Parliamentary Names
& Numbers is more current, more informative and more useful
than more-expensive directories. and it gets significantly better
with each edition. The subject index is a particularly useful and
unique feature. Both PNN and Sources
are indispensable references for anyone involved in research, journalism
or advocacy in Canada. I am writing this letter
to express my gratitude to the publishers of Parliamentary Names
& Numbers. PNN has been a primary resource book for
me in my work with student union affairs -- it has been an invaluable
resource to me for many months. I would like to take this opportunity
to congratulate you on the accessibility of this book. Not only
is it clearly laid out and complete, but the user-friendly organization
of material makes it a quick reference that is easy to use. I am
grateful to have had the use of PNN as it has drastically
facilitated my political research. As a "one woman
show", I do all the research, writing & interviewing for
my program. I often have to speak to various people across Canada
on different subjects; Sources helps me find them
more quickly. Even though, Boreal Hebdo is a French program,
I often work in English on subjects related to aboriginal people. I find it to be an incredibly
amazing book and a great help when researching my stories. I am literally lost
without it. Sources
Web site - congrats!... You've done a nice job - it's clean, crisp,
well laid out - but not only that, you've got a damned simple, easy
to understand method of allowing one to search the Sources
directory. Keep up the good work! "For Canadians
sources, the old reliable Sources ... is also available
on-line in a much easier electronic format. This on-line version
is by far the fastest way to find a Canadian expert." Kudos:
I was recently assigned a story by a newsletter on chronic fatigue
syndrome, but was told it went by some $10 name. A quick check of
Sources soon gave me about eight contacts AND the
proper spelling of myalgic encephalomyelitis. I made sure I credited
Sources every time I called someone to get an interview
or more information. Once again, you came through for me. Thanks,
gang. When
I was an editor, I admired Sources, but under-appreciated
it, since I rarely had occasion to use the publication. Since January,
working as a freelancer on public policy stories, I have been in
awe of how wonderful the compilation is, providing me not only with
easy access to most well-known organizations but to lesser-known
spokespeople I called were amazed at how I found them. As
a corporate publisher for some of Canada's leading companies, we
find Sources to be invaluable for checking facts and
even more valuable as a source for quotes which offer an opposing
and authoritative view, differing from that of our clients. Our
readership have expressed their gratitude in our ability to source
out authorities on various business and social issues. We couldn't
do that without Sources. OK
- I confess - I stole my copy of Sources from a colleague
(he went on vacation, so it seemed only fair!). So, make honest
women of us here at W! -please send Sources!
In
my first year of journalism school at Lambton College in Sarnia,
Ontario, 1990, I received writing award from the Ontario Reporters'
Association after writing a story about a young family's struggle
with an autistic child. Sources helped me win that
award because of the wealth of contact information provided. Sources
was always in sight in our newsroom and we were constantly encouraged
by our professor to use it. I have since graduated and established
a freelance career... I continually rely on Sources
to give credibility and a professional edge to my work. Thanks,
Sources, for helping me make the most of my chosen
career! I could
not operate without Sources and I doubt if any of
us could. I just wanted to know how much you are appreciated. We've
found Sources to be extremely useful. It's a wonderful
source book and it has proven very helpful on more than one occasion. Sources
continues to be a directory that I depend on, not only for contacting
sources, but for inspiration as well. I don't know what I'd do without
it! Please, let Sources outlive me! Continued success.
Cheers! The
Staff here find it a valuable directory. Its in use daily, and quite
frankly, we'd be lost without it. I have
never had a more useful tool in my day-to-day work. I'd hate to try to get by without
it as a freelancer. I've been doing an informal survey
of my own and I find that Sources is used all the
time by Star editors and reporters. Sources is an extremely
valuable reference guide for writers and editors both at newspapers
and magazines, where I've made extensive use of it. I'm grateful
to have Sources. Sources has been the
most used and read resource in our newsroom for years. It's a life-saver!
For me, Sources is indispensable,
and I know from my own experience, working as a producer on documentaries
at the CBC and writing articles for newspapers and magazines, that
it is a source which many researchers, writers, and journalists
consult: you see it next to their phones and in the top drawers
of their desks all the time. What makes it so useful is the fact
that it is constantly updated and that the index is nearly as comprehensive
as the Times Atlas of the World. I have found it particularly
helpful when making contacts with government agencies. Nothing beats
Sources for the number of contacts listed in any given
entry - and the whole section of awards and fellowships available
to starving freelancers is something I haven't been able to find
elsewhere. As a former host of W5, CBC News Anchor
and freelance T.V. and Radio Journalist, I have grown accustomed
to utilizing this publication on an everyday basis. Sources continues to
be a wonderful source book for all kinds of leads and I couldn't
do my job without it. Let me tell you how much help Sources
is for my research and how much I use it. I can't imagine doing
research without having my Sources always at hand,
and pity the person who dares remove it from my desk! Sources has been incredibly
useful to me over the past few years. We continue to find Sources
useful in researching articles. It is useful for browsing as well,
acting as a catalyst for story ideas. Not only do I reach for Sources
almost immediately upon receiving a story assignment, but I enjoy
pursuing it just to learn about how many obscure and sometimes bizarre
information sources exist out there. Sources just keeps getting
better and better. I love my Sources, and I don't
know what I'd do without it. Keep up the good work! I have referred to Sources
on many occasions and I found it especially helpful to those stories
that are national in scope. Having so many sources of information
across Canada at one's fingertips makes the often tedious job of
research much easier.
Please may I stay on your mailing
list? Here is one of Canada's smallest freestanding
news operations, Sources occupies a prized spot immediately
underneath the phone book. It's the journalistic equivalent of a
million-dollar Rolodex-providing rapid access to people who count
in government, business, academia, and special-interest groups. I am a freelance reporter and use
Sources almost daily. As an editor, I think it's one on
the best resources available to me. It allows me to find accurate
information for media contacts quickly. It's been a life saver for
me on a number of occasions. I turn to Sources several
times a week - couldn't survive without it. What more can I say,
it is a must for any reporter. It has endless contacts and those
direct numbers are invaluable. Sources, the most helpful
guide to a complex array of associations in Canada. It is a great
help to any journalist. I do need Sources, my
research 'secret weapon.' I refer to it daily to answer the incessant
queries from Editorial or Copy Desk. I have even made some good
friends among the resource people I contacted through Sources. I am full of admiration for the service
you are providing. Useful and reliable I keep it close by. Quite frankly, I couldn't work as
efficiently as I do now without the help of Sources.
Two words describe Sources.
Absolutely indispensable. Keep on doing what you do so well. As a researcher, I would be dead-in-the-water
without Sources. In fact, many of my sources ask me
how I knew of them, and add, "Was it through Sources?"
Thanks ever so much for providing this service. Our editorial department
is most indebted to you. At National
Network News we make reference to Sources on a daily
basis and appreciate the service you provide. We find Sources
an invaluable guide for determining who is really addressing the
issues which keep ... or are trying to keep this country together. I do not refer
to Sources a lot in a period of a month. However,
Sources often provides the exact information I need
at critical times. Your one-of-a-kind
directory has proved to be a valuable tool for our editorial department,
particularly when trying to locate experts or spokespeople outside
the Ottawa area. I've been using
Sources for years as a freelancer. I get the most
up-to-date information available, fast. Thanks to your dedicated
work, I find it easier meeting my deadlines. As a rural freelance
journalist, 80 kilometers from Ottawa and its various libraries,
I rely on Sources a lot. Although I do "on location"
as much as possible, many of my interviews are done by telephone.
I've found that by using the Sources Subject Index
my contacts have been expanded greatly. And not only does Sources
provide me with leads and contacts for stories I'm working on, it's
given me ideas for future articles. Thank you, Thank
you, Thank you for the best ever Sources. As a freelancer,
Sources cuts my research time in half putting me in
contact with people who want to talk to the media day or night.
Tea and Sources start my mornings off right. Just a short
note to offer my compliments on a most superb tool for journalists.
Sources is, without question, the "bible"
of our newsroom and a most essential resource for every reporter
and producer. We rely on its accuracy and convenience when putting
together both breaking stories and feature background pieces. Please
keep up the excellent work....we couldn't do without it! Just a short
note to say how thankful we are for Sources. I am
program director of the radio station (CFRM) here at Canadore College,
and we are NOT licensed for commercials. It is part of my routine
when researching a story, to check for possible contacts in Sources
first. Sources
is information rich and easy to use. As a freelance writer/ broadcaster,
it's proved to be a valuable resource. Whenever an article idea
hatches in my head the first place I look is Sources.
An example of this would be a series of articles I've written on
tea. Again, thank you for publishing a writer's right arm! When I was working as
a daily newspaper journalist in Brandon, Manitoba, Sources
became an important link to the rest of the country for me in my
work. I don't know what I would have done without it. (I probably
would have made a lot of frustrating phone calls and wasted a lot
of time.) Sources
has arrived, can spring be far behind? For this rural freelance
journalist the appearance of Sources in my mailbox
produces much the same euphoria as that felt by the avid gardener
upon receipt of his first Seed Book; the farm women's joy at the
arrival of Eaton's Spring Catalogue. I will
say any organization that has someone responsible for public relations
should be listed in Sources. Listing in Sources,
kind friends and gentle folks, is a friendly invitation to a relationship
with the public. I use
the Sources faithfully almost every day. In fact,
I find work life darned near impossible without it. As
a working journalist, I would like to tell you how invaluable Sources
is when writing against a deadline. The material is logical, clear,
well-expressed and (most important of all) accurate. I recently
discovered Sources and my whole life changed - no
more wasted hours on the phone talking to the wrong people or unable
to make the right contacts. I only wish I had known about you sooner.
There
have been times had it not been for Sources, I would
have been plumb shit out of luck. As a broadcast journalist, I see
Sources as the Bible for journalists. I want
you to know how useful Sources continues to be for
all of us here at RADIO NOON. Next to the phone book, it's our most
frequently consulted reference work. As you know, we who work against
tight deadlines every day depend on anything which quickly gives
us the right names and numbers of people we need to talk to. As
a foreign journalist attempting to clue into Canada in a short period,
I find it (Sources) indispensable. I just
had to let you know that when I opened the newest Sources
the other day, I found it so interesting that I missed my deadline. I want
you to know how important Sources has become to me.
Your publication saves a lot of research time by providing not only
telephone numbers but names of contacts. As you know, is easier
to call when you know who to ask for.
I once
worked on a daily out in the boondocks and can't say how many times,
working on deadline, I needed comment from a major company or industry
on a local story I was doing. As often as not I would reach for
Sources, find the name of an appropriate PR officer
and in minutes have someone knowledgeable on the phone to explain
or justify what was going on locally. The information I was seeking
wasn't about major national issues, but there's nothing more fun
for a small-time journalist than a local story about people up against
a big corporation. Sources offers an invaluable way
for PR people to keep in contact with the smaller media outlets
and get involved with those small stories which will never make
national news but can sure hurt a company's image on a regional
basis. Sources:
the authoritative book that helps unlock doors to information in
Canada. I laughed at myself
last week. After making 20 phone calls trying to track down some
information, I finally checked through your listings and found out
in two short calls what I'd be trying, without success, to discover
during an afternoon and two evenings of long distance calls. For
me, that is an indication of the benefit of your publication. The information contained
in Sources is especially vital to all weekly and community
newspapers due to our limited resources. Most useful for my CBC
radio show. Sources is a Treasury. The Embassy Row
info is of special value to me in tracking down elusive facts (about
singers, conductors, etc.) obtainable from cultural attaches in
Ottawa. I get weak at the knees when I try to visualize the sheer
endless work that you and your colleagues must do to keep Sources
up-to-date. I find Sources
useful in much of my work, and often essential. No, no, a thousand times
no, don't take me off your list for Sources! It's
a really useful publication.
Sources
provides me with ideas for further contacts when I'm researching
a story... I also use Sources to find exactly the
right person to call in an organization.
See
also: Sources
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