Nicole Cohen
@nicolecohen.bsky.social
I research labour and media. Associate Professor, ICCIT, University of Toronto. Books: New Media Unions: Organizing Digital Journalists and Writers’ Rights: Freelance Journalism in a Digital Age
Reposted by Nicole Cohen
Loved this fantastic article!
“Union organizing, however, makes power relations clear to cultural workers and helps them recognize their status as such. As a museum worker put it, ‘I think what unionizing does is make visible that your job is actually work. You are a worker.’”
“Union organizing, however, makes power relations clear to cultural workers and helps them recognize their status as such. As a museum worker put it, ‘I think what unionizing does is make visible that your job is actually work. You are a worker.’”
November 20, 2025 at 3:44 PM
Loved this fantastic article!
“Union organizing, however, makes power relations clear to cultural workers and helps them recognize their status as such. As a museum worker put it, ‘I think what unionizing does is make visible that your job is actually work. You are a worker.’”
“Union organizing, however, makes power relations clear to cultural workers and helps them recognize their status as such. As a museum worker put it, ‘I think what unionizing does is make visible that your job is actually work. You are a worker.’”
Reposted by Nicole Cohen
"Every media era gets the fabulists it deserves." This
@nickhunebrown.bsky.social
piece about journalism grifters in the age of AI slop is fantastic, bonkers & sad on so many levels thelocal.to/investigatin...
@nickhunebrown.bsky.social
piece about journalism grifters in the age of AI slop is fantastic, bonkers & sad on so many levels thelocal.to/investigatin...
Investigating a Possible Scammer in Journalism’s AI Era | The Local
A suspicious pitch from a freelancer led editor Nicholas Hune-Brown to dig into their past work. By the end, four publications, including The Guardian and Dwell, had removed articles from their sites.
thelocal.to
November 19, 2025 at 2:59 PM
"Every media era gets the fabulists it deserves." This
@nickhunebrown.bsky.social
piece about journalism grifters in the age of AI slop is fantastic, bonkers & sad on so many levels thelocal.to/investigatin...
@nickhunebrown.bsky.social
piece about journalism grifters in the age of AI slop is fantastic, bonkers & sad on so many levels thelocal.to/investigatin...
The Union Surge in Media and Cultural Industries: Mapping the Circulation of Struggles: new article with Greig de Peuter in the Journal of Labor and Society (open access) brill.com/view/journal...
brill.com
November 18, 2025 at 6:09 PM
The Union Surge in Media and Cultural Industries: Mapping the Circulation of Struggles: new article with Greig de Peuter in the Journal of Labor and Society (open access) brill.com/view/journal...
Reposted by Nicole Cohen
Book launch! The Labor of Architecture: Creativity, Design, and the Building of a New Class Consciousness by C.G. Beck. 10/24 in Toronto. www.eventbrite.ca/e/the-labour...
The Labour of Architecture: Book Launch + Panel Discussion
Join us for a book talk + panel discussion to celebrate the release of The Labor of Architecture, by C. G. Beck.
www.eventbrite.ca
September 22, 2025 at 1:36 PM
Book launch! The Labor of Architecture: Creativity, Design, and the Building of a New Class Consciousness by C.G. Beck. 10/24 in Toronto. www.eventbrite.ca/e/the-labour...
Reposted by Nicole Cohen
A new study, based on a survey of 1,150 workers suggests that the injection of AI tools into the workplace has not resulted in a magic productivity boom and instead increased the amount of time that workers say they spend fixing low-quality AI-generated “work.”
🔗 www.404media.co/ai-workslop-...
🔗 www.404media.co/ai-workslop-...
AI ‘Workslop’ Is Killing Productivity and Making Workers Miserable
AI slop is taking over workplaces. Workers said that they thought of their colleagues who filed low-quality AI work as "less creative, capable, and reliable than they did before receiving the output."
www.404media.co
September 23, 2025 at 3:53 PM
A new study, based on a survey of 1,150 workers suggests that the injection of AI tools into the workplace has not resulted in a magic productivity boom and instead increased the amount of time that workers say they spend fixing low-quality AI-generated “work.”
🔗 www.404media.co/ai-workslop-...
🔗 www.404media.co/ai-workslop-...
The Canadian Communication Association will host its 2026 conference at the University of Windsor in Windsor, Ontario June 2-4, 2026. Call for papers in French and English: acc-cca.ca/index.php/co...
CCA 2026 // June 2-4 // Windsor – Canadian Communication Association
acc-cca.ca
September 23, 2025 at 3:28 PM
The Canadian Communication Association will host its 2026 conference at the University of Windsor in Windsor, Ontario June 2-4, 2026. Call for papers in French and English: acc-cca.ca/index.php/co...
Book launch! The Labor of Architecture: Creativity, Design, and the Building of a New Class Consciousness by C.G. Beck. 10/24 in Toronto. www.eventbrite.ca/e/the-labour...
The Labour of Architecture: Book Launch + Panel Discussion
Join us for a book talk + panel discussion to celebrate the release of The Labor of Architecture, by C. G. Beck.
www.eventbrite.ca
September 22, 2025 at 1:36 PM
Book launch! The Labor of Architecture: Creativity, Design, and the Building of a New Class Consciousness by C.G. Beck. 10/24 in Toronto. www.eventbrite.ca/e/the-labour...
Reposted by Nicole Cohen
“The fact that the strikers are still standing is the product of a once-in-a-generation collision between an exceptionally dedicated union and an eccentric family unwilling to accept anything short of the union’s dissolution.”
Stop the Presses | Tadhg Larabee
In Pittsburgh, one newsroom has been on strike for more than two years. Something has to give. Will it be the workers?
thebaffler.com
September 11, 2025 at 12:44 AM
“The fact that the strikers are still standing is the product of a once-in-a-generation collision between an exceptionally dedicated union and an eccentric family unwilling to accept anything short of the union’s dissolution.”
Call for Papers: Control, Survival, Struggle: Rethinking and Renewing Vincent Mosco’s Political Economy of Communication. A special issue of Work Organisation, Labour & Globalization I'm co-editing w/ @ursulahuws.bsky.social, Leslie Shade, and Catherine McKercher wolg.wordpress.com/special-issu...
Call for papers: special issue on the legacy of Vincent Mosco
Special issue of Work Organisation, Labour and Globalisation on Control, Survival, Struggle: Rethinking and Renewing Vincent Mosco’s Political Economy of Communication The theme When…
wolg.wordpress.com
September 2, 2025 at 3:29 PM
Call for Papers: Control, Survival, Struggle: Rethinking and Renewing Vincent Mosco’s Political Economy of Communication. A special issue of Work Organisation, Labour & Globalization I'm co-editing w/ @ursulahuws.bsky.social, Leslie Shade, and Catherine McKercher wolg.wordpress.com/special-issu...
It’s syllabus season! For your consideration, some new articles I helped commission for the Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Communication’s political economy section:
Political Economy of Advertising by @matthewcrain.bsky.social and Lee McGuigan: doi.org/10.1093/acre...
Political Economy of Advertising by @matthewcrain.bsky.social and Lee McGuigan: doi.org/10.1093/acre...
doi.org
August 18, 2025 at 8:27 PM
It’s syllabus season! For your consideration, some new articles I helped commission for the Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Communication’s political economy section:
Political Economy of Advertising by @matthewcrain.bsky.social and Lee McGuigan: doi.org/10.1093/acre...
Political Economy of Advertising by @matthewcrain.bsky.social and Lee McGuigan: doi.org/10.1093/acre...
Reposted by Nicole Cohen
teachers!
excited to share a new website at this late date of Aug 15 to try to help us collectively prepare for back to school in the interpretative humanities classroom assaulted by the AI grift, so we don't have to go it alone.
take a look, share, + most importantly: CONTRIBUTE
against-a-i.com
excited to share a new website at this late date of Aug 15 to try to help us collectively prepare for back to school in the interpretative humanities classroom assaulted by the AI grift, so we don't have to go it alone.
take a look, share, + most importantly: CONTRIBUTE
against-a-i.com
AGAINST AI
against-a-i.com
August 15, 2025 at 5:39 PM
teachers!
excited to share a new website at this late date of Aug 15 to try to help us collectively prepare for back to school in the interpretative humanities classroom assaulted by the AI grift, so we don't have to go it alone.
take a look, share, + most importantly: CONTRIBUTE
against-a-i.com
excited to share a new website at this late date of Aug 15 to try to help us collectively prepare for back to school in the interpretative humanities classroom assaulted by the AI grift, so we don't have to go it alone.
take a look, share, + most importantly: CONTRIBUTE
against-a-i.com
Reposted by Nicole Cohen
@aircanada.bsky.social does not pay their flight attendants for essential duties that they perform.
The quality of the Air Canada flight experience has plummeted & flight prices have skyrocketed, but AC can't be bothered to properly pay their crew.
Take action here: unfaircanada.com
The quality of the Air Canada flight experience has plummeted & flight prices have skyrocketed, but AC can't be bothered to properly pay their crew.
Take action here: unfaircanada.com
Home | Unfair Canada
unfaircanada.com
August 15, 2025 at 3:19 PM
@aircanada.bsky.social does not pay their flight attendants for essential duties that they perform.
The quality of the Air Canada flight experience has plummeted & flight prices have skyrocketed, but AC can't be bothered to properly pay their crew.
Take action here: unfaircanada.com
The quality of the Air Canada flight experience has plummeted & flight prices have skyrocketed, but AC can't be bothered to properly pay their crew.
Take action here: unfaircanada.com
New article out in Media Industries on how media workers tackle equity from below via collective bargaining, co-authored with @madisontrusolino.bsky.social and Natasha Grzincic. Open access: journals.publishing.umich.edu/mij/article/...
Diversity and Equity from Below: Media Worker Unions and Collective Bargaining
This article examines how media workers tackle equity and diversity from below via collective bargaining. In a review of 69 contracts negotiated during the new media union movement’s most active years...
journals.publishing.umich.edu
August 11, 2025 at 9:10 PM
New article out in Media Industries on how media workers tackle equity from below via collective bargaining, co-authored with @madisontrusolino.bsky.social and Natasha Grzincic. Open access: journals.publishing.umich.edu/mij/article/...
Reposted by Nicole Cohen
A great blog post by @amandatobinripley.bsky.social about our panel discussion on worker organizing in the cultural industries at the National Council on Public History Conference earlier this year. It was an honour to be there alongside some amazing organizers/researchers.
ncph.org/history-at-w...
ncph.org/history-at-w...
Labors of love and organizing for solidarity within, across, and beyond the cultural industries | National Council on Public History
At NCPH's annual meeting in Montreal this year, one session focused on how workers across industries are demanding structural change through an unprecedented wave of labor organizing.
ncph.org
July 29, 2025 at 6:55 PM
A great blog post by @amandatobinripley.bsky.social about our panel discussion on worker organizing in the cultural industries at the National Council on Public History Conference earlier this year. It was an honour to be there alongside some amazing organizers/researchers.
ncph.org/history-at-w...
ncph.org/history-at-w...
Reposted by Nicole Cohen
you've heard about the college kids who can't do anything without ChatGPT's help—but what about the students who oppose generative A.I. for myriad reasons and refuse to rely on it as a shortcut? well, I found and spoke with a few of them here: slate.com/life/2025/07...
What It’s Like to Be a Student Who Hates ChatGPT
“Everyone is using it”—almost everyone.
slate.com
July 15, 2025 at 4:06 PM
you've heard about the college kids who can't do anything without ChatGPT's help—but what about the students who oppose generative A.I. for myriad reasons and refuse to rely on it as a shortcut? well, I found and spoke with a few of them here: slate.com/life/2025/07...
Reposted by Nicole Cohen
Solidarity with our CP members seeking a fair wage hike after years of falling behind.
June 6, 2025 at 4:12 PM
Solidarity with our CP members seeking a fair wage hike after years of falling behind.
For @poweratwork.bsky.social, Greig de Peuter and I wrote about the tensions and affinities between unions and co-ops in media, culture and tech poweratwork.us/unions-coops...
poweratwork.us
June 1, 2025 at 7:26 PM
For @poweratwork.bsky.social, Greig de Peuter and I wrote about the tensions and affinities between unions and co-ops in media, culture and tech poweratwork.us/unions-coops...
Reposted by Nicole Cohen
Apart from its obvious threat to labor, the problem with AI in journalism is that **by its nature** it cannot ever be accountable--its choices are not transparent--and therefore replacing any work from human journalists with AI is just plain unethical.
www.cjr.org/business_of_...
www.cjr.org/business_of_...
May 29, 2025 at 5:05 PM
Apart from its obvious threat to labor, the problem with AI in journalism is that **by its nature** it cannot ever be accountable--its choices are not transparent--and therefore replacing any work from human journalists with AI is just plain unethical.
www.cjr.org/business_of_...
www.cjr.org/business_of_...
Reposted by Nicole Cohen
SCOOP: Politico's newsroom will show down with bosses in a first-of-its-kind battle over AI www.wired.com/story/politi...
Politico’s Newsroom Is Starting a Legal Battle With Management Over AI
Politico has rules about AI in the newsroom. Staffers say those rules have been violated—and they’re gearing up for a fight.
www.wired.com
May 22, 2025 at 2:04 PM
SCOOP: Politico's newsroom will show down with bosses in a first-of-its-kind battle over AI www.wired.com/story/politi...
Reposted by Nicole Cohen
The Canadian Communication Association's annual conference will take place from June 2-5! ICCIT director and professor Sarah Sharma will be presenting the keynote, entitled "All the Insufferable Tools." acc-cca.ca/index.php/co...
April 25, 2025 at 1:57 PM
The Canadian Communication Association's annual conference will take place from June 2-5! ICCIT director and professor Sarah Sharma will be presenting the keynote, entitled "All the Insufferable Tools." acc-cca.ca/index.php/co...
Reposted by Nicole Cohen
When I left the Washington Post in 2023, my colleagues and I were worried AI would hoover up our work and enable "zombies" to churn out stories based on our reporting and writing styles.
Today WaPo announced a partnership with OpenAI. And here it is: Zombie Gillian Brockell. I DID NOT WRITE THIS.
Today WaPo announced a partnership with OpenAI. And here it is: Zombie Gillian Brockell. I DID NOT WRITE THIS.
April 22, 2025 at 6:23 PM
When I left the Washington Post in 2023, my colleagues and I were worried AI would hoover up our work and enable "zombies" to churn out stories based on our reporting and writing styles.
Today WaPo announced a partnership with OpenAI. And here it is: Zombie Gillian Brockell. I DID NOT WRITE THIS.
Today WaPo announced a partnership with OpenAI. And here it is: Zombie Gillian Brockell. I DID NOT WRITE THIS.
Reposted by Nicole Cohen
Are you a Canadian researcher/academic concerned/possibly affected if the Trump administration threatens funding if work is related to "DEI", climate etc. and want to say something about it? nalang@thestar.ca
March 21, 2025 at 3:33 PM
Are you a Canadian researcher/academic concerned/possibly affected if the Trump administration threatens funding if work is related to "DEI", climate etc. and want to say something about it? nalang@thestar.ca
Reposted by Nicole Cohen
🚨 Our next Speaker Series event will be this Fri, March 14 @ 11am ET (US)
Nicole Cohen & Greig de Peuter will join us to discuss "The Union Surge in Media and Cultural Industries: Mapping the Circulation of Struggles."
To RSVP and get the Zoom link, email Angelica <angelica.martinez.ochoa @ gmail>
Nicole Cohen & Greig de Peuter will join us to discuss "The Union Surge in Media and Cultural Industries: Mapping the Circulation of Struggles."
To RSVP and get the Zoom link, email Angelica <angelica.martinez.ochoa @ gmail>
March 11, 2025 at 1:37 PM
🚨 Our next Speaker Series event will be this Fri, March 14 @ 11am ET (US)
Nicole Cohen & Greig de Peuter will join us to discuss "The Union Surge in Media and Cultural Industries: Mapping the Circulation of Struggles."
To RSVP and get the Zoom link, email Angelica <angelica.martinez.ochoa @ gmail>
Nicole Cohen & Greig de Peuter will join us to discuss "The Union Surge in Media and Cultural Industries: Mapping the Circulation of Struggles."
To RSVP and get the Zoom link, email Angelica <angelica.martinez.ochoa @ gmail>
I’m honoured to be giving the 2025 Dallas Smythe Memorial Lecture at Simon Fraser University in a few weeks. If you’re in Vancouver, come say hi!
Join us at the 2025 Dallas Smythe Memorial Lecture, taking place on March 20th.
This year’s event will feature University of Toronto professor Nicole Cohen presenting "Crisis and Collective Response: Labour Organizing in Media”.
More information/registration: www.eventbrite.ca/e/2025-dalla...
This year’s event will feature University of Toronto professor Nicole Cohen presenting "Crisis and Collective Response: Labour Organizing in Media”.
More information/registration: www.eventbrite.ca/e/2025-dalla...
March 3, 2025 at 4:59 PM
I’m honoured to be giving the 2025 Dallas Smythe Memorial Lecture at Simon Fraser University in a few weeks. If you’re in Vancouver, come say hi!
Reposted by Nicole Cohen
If anyone I know is in Toronto at the end of the month, swing by to hear me talk about some ideas I am exploring in relation to platform work and digital labor.
March 2, 2025 at 6:52 PM
If anyone I know is in Toronto at the end of the month, swing by to hear me talk about some ideas I am exploring in relation to platform work and digital labor.