Neil Sanderson

Neil Sanderson

Digital editor, publisher and website traffic builder

Toronto, Canada Area

Current
  • Curator at The Future of News
Past
  • Journalist and news anchor at CKWX Radio, Vancouver
  • News anchor at CBC Radio & Television, Winnipeg
  • On-air host at CKRC Radio, Winnipeg
  • Journalist and news anchor at CFRW Radio, Winnipeg
  • On-air host at CKX Radio & Television, Brandon, Manitoba
  • On-air host at CKPT Radio, Peterborough, Ontario
Education
  • University of Auckland
  • Unitec New Zealand
  • Trent University
Connections
136 connections
Industry
Online Media
Websites

Neil Sanderson’s Summary

Can it really be 30 years ago that I got into the media business? Where did the time go?

I've had a great time in radio, television and print publishing but nothing compares with the excitement of working online. It's the best of all the other media rolled into one instantaneous, interactive, global, multimedia communications channel. Make that millions of channels.

At the moment, I'm looking for a senior position in online publishing where I can use my editorial leadership and management skills to build audience and revenue.

Until May 2009, I was Assistant Managing Editor at the Toronto Star, Canada's largest newspaper. My responsiblities included editorial strategy and content for thestar.com, yourhome.ca, healthzone.ca and parentcentral.ca - sites that attracted 5.5 million users per month and delivered more than 60 million page views.

Before joining the Star, I lived in Auckland, New Zealand, where, in early 2000, I became the founding editor of nzherald.co.nz, the online edition of the New Zealand Herald. When I left nzherald in October 2006 it was profitable and the leading news site in the country, attracting about 1.7 million users per month.

Earlier in my career, I worked as a broadcast journalist, consultant, trainer and freelance writer. One of my most interesting assignments was teaching broadcast journalism in South Africa, immediately after the end of apartheid in the mid 1990s.

During the late 1980s, my wife and I sailed across the Pacific on our 38' sailboat. I worked along the way, training broadcasters in about a dozen countries, and consulting to a highly successful commercial radio network.

Neil Sanderson’s Specialties:

Online content strategy, news media management, journalism, online publishing, radio programming and production, teaching and coaching.


Neil Sanderson’s Experience

  • Curator

    The Future of News

    (Online Media industry)

    August 2009Present (5 months)

    Aggregating and filtering thousands of feeds to keep media professionals up to date on the future of news. Sign up for the daily email digest, or follow on Twitter @thefutureofnews.

  • Assistant Managing Editor

    Toronto Star

    (Public Company; Newspapers industry)

    July 2007May 2009 (1 year 11 months)

    Responsible for digital editorial strategy and content at Canada's largest newspaper.

    Led a staff of 30 operating five websites (thestar.com, wheels.ca, healthzone.ca, yourhome.ca and parentcentral.ca) and a research/information team serving the entire editorial department of the Toronto Star.

    Launched three new websites, implemented search engine optimisation practices and introduced reader comments.

    Achieved above-average growth in traffic to 5.5 million unique users and more than 60 million page views per month, while expanding services and controlling costs.

  • Online Editor

    New Zealand Herald

    (Public Company; Newspapers industry)

    February 2000October 2006 (6 years 9 months)

    Responsible for digital editorial strategy and content at New Zealand's largest newspaper.

    Led a team of nine online editors and producers, publishing over 1000 articles every week and updating nzherald.co.nz every ten minutes.

    Ahieved consistent audience growth (1.7 million unique users and 27 million page impressions per month by mid 2006) while introducing continuous breaking news and an extensive system of content tagging.

  • Media consultant

    Vidal-Sanderson

    (Broadcast Media industry)

    January 1989April 1996 (7 years 4 months)

    Contracts included:

    Radio news training for the Institute for the Advancement of Journalism (South Africa) during the transition from apartheid following the 1994 election.

    Radio news training for the Pacific Islands Broadcasting Association, conducting training and consultancies at radio services in a dozen countries.

    Programming consulting and training for Communications Fiji Ltd, operator of three highly successful commercial FM stations.

    Corporate writing, freelance editing and web management for commercial and non-profit clients.

    Freelance writing for print publications. Pacific correspondent for broadcast industry monthly Radio World.

    On-air work at KOOL-93 Radio, Auckland.

  • Journalist and news anchor

    CKWX Radio, Vancouver

    (Public Company; 201-500 employees; Broadcast Media industry)

    March 1983February 1987 (4 years )

  • News anchor

    CBC Radio & Television, Winnipeg

    (Government Agency; 10,001 or more employees; Broadcast Media industry)

    January 1982December 1982 (1 year )

  • On-air host

    CKRC Radio, Winnipeg

    (Broadcast Media industry)

    June 1979December 1980 (1 year 7 months)

  • Journalist and news anchor

    CFRW Radio, Winnipeg

    (Public Company; 51-200 employees; Broadcast Media industry)

    December 1977October 1978 (11 months)

  • On-air host

    CKX Radio & Television, Brandon, Manitoba

    (Broadcast Media industry)

    September 1977December 1977 (4 months)

  • On-air host

    CKPT Radio, Peterborough, Ontario

    (Broadcast Media industry)

    September 1976August 1977 (1 year )


Neil Sanderson’s Education

  • University of Auckland

    Post Graduate Diploma in Business , Business Administration , 20052010 (expected)

  • Unitec New Zealand

    Certificate in Higher Education , Teaching adults , 19961996

    Activities and Societies:
    Studies included educational uses of multimedia and hypermedia.
  • Trent University

    B.Sc. , Mathematics , 19731976

    Activities and Societies:
    Elected to Lady Eaton College cabinet. Student representative to Mathematics Department. Physics lab tutor.

Additional Information

Neil Sanderson’s Websites:

Neil Sanderson’s Interests:

Online publishing, digital media, journalism, user-generated content, blogging, social media and social networking, broadcasting, sailing, amateur radio, volunteering for Multiple Sclerosis Society, environmental protection

Neil Sanderson’s Groups:

  •    Online News Association
  •    The Official Trent University Alumni Association
  •    ThoseinMedia
  •    Canadian Interactive Experts
  •    Auckland University Alumni & Friends
  •    Online reporters and editors
  •    INTERACTIVE & DIGITAL MEDIA GROUP
  •    J-Source
  •    nextMEDIA
  •    KEA Toronto
  •    Friends of ICFJ (The International Center for Journalists)
  •    Wired Journalists
  •    Canada's Media Professionals
  •    Journalists in Transition
  •    Canada 3.0 Conference - Defining Canada's Digital Future
  •    Toronto Semantic Web
  •    Mobile Experience Innovation Centre

Neil Sanderson’s Honors:

* Qantas Award: Best online news service in NZ,

* Netguide Award: Best online news service in NZ,

* PC World Readers' Choice Award: Best online news service in NZ,

* Wallace Award: Best online coverage of 2002 NZ election,

* Association of Blind Citizens award for nzherald.co.nz audio news service.


Neil Sanderson’s Contact Settings

Interested In:

  • career opportunities
  • consulting offers
  • new ventures
  • expertise requests
  • business deals
  • reference requests
  • getting back in touch

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