Humber Et Cetera's website has a new look.
Humberetc.ca is the online news hub for Humber Polytechnic's journalism program, said Mike Wise, one of the heads of the department.
He said the redesigned site is the result of a partnership with Village Media, using software and an online platform that runs more than 100 local news websites across North America, Wise said.
Village Media is a media company that focuses on covering small towns, and they started in a small town in Northern Ontario, he said.
“And they have built something rare in Canadian journalism, and that is a company that is successful and makes money,” Wise said.
They built a content management system to support their websites, called Villager, which is going to power our new website, he said.
Humber Et Cetera will help Humber’s community to be closer and more connected, said Wise, who became a Humber professor following a lengthy career as the local evening television news host of CBC Toronto.
The website is the focal point of the three-year Advanced Journalism Diploma based at the North campus. It will also host the course's weekly newspaper of the same name.
“It’s a great opportunity for our students to get like a professional tool and learn how to put these things together, and also train with the mindset of what is it like to cover our campus's small town,” he said.
The website, formerly known as HumberNews.ca, has a completely new look with a batch of cool features that students will be able to use, Wise said.
He said the website also allows for stories to be read by an AI voice.
“People will be able to log in and post pre-classified ads,” Wise said.
Students will be able to post ads, so if they’re trying to sell a car, are looking for a roommate, or even want to wish their friend a happy birthday, they can post those messages to build a sense of community, he said.
“We’re trying to get other departments around Humber to sign up as partners. They’ll be able to post announcements, and post events. We want a vibrant calendar,” he said.
The website will be a resource for people to learn what is happening around campus by showcasing upcoming events through the daily newsletter, Wise said.
“And while we do that, create an audience for the stuff that all of our journalism students are writing,” he said.
Once people sign up to the website, they will be able to interact with it by leaving comments, voting on polls, and even sign up for the daily newsletter, he said.
It is a tool used to build a sense of community where students, staff, and faculty members could join and share their thoughts and find out what is happening on campus, he said.
A launch event will happen on Sept. 26, 2024, by Starbucks and TechZone, and they’ll have giveaways, hand out copies of the paper, and sign people up to the website, Wise said.
