People familiar with our website will notice some major changes in upcoming months, partly due to our new web editor, Bill Doskoch.
Bill formerly worked in his hometown of Edmonton for Southam New Media and the Edmonton Journal’s website. Other prior jobs included eight years with the Regina Leader-Post and a brief stint in Cambodia.
Bill has training in web page design from the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology, but his original degree was in forestry. His relatives still farm near Bruderheim, Alta., and his dad owns a quarter-section near St. Michael’s, Alta.
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While the website (www.producer.com) is still under construction, some changes have already taken place.
These include:
- More news: More than 30 stories from the Producer are being posted each week.
- A fresh story on the home page front, four out of seven days per week: Material is being placed on a staggered basis. Markets stories are up on Tuesday, general news on Wednesday, Production and Agri-Finance on Thursday and Farm Living on Friday.
- Enhanced content: Readers can link to more information about the story.
For example, canola growers concerned about sclerotinia can link to Manitoba Agriculture’s sclerotinia forecast program or fact sheets from the Canola Council of Canada. The Producer does not endorse any of these websites, but provides links to them as a way to access information directly from some of its sources.
- Easier communication: Each story has links to allow readers to send a letter to the editor. Reporters’ and editors’ bylines serve as e-mail links if readers want to contact them directly.
- A new design for the site is under consideration to update its look and make it easier to navigate.
If readers have any thoughts on what they’d like to see in an updated website, they can e-mail bdoskoch@producer.com or phone him at 306-665-9605.
