CBC Saskatchewan is inviting Prince Albert residents to a public town hall meeting aimed at hearing what stories the community wants told.
The CBC Saskatchewan Prince Albert Town Hall will be held Tuesday, June 23 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the EA Rawlinson Centre. The free event will include a Q&A, roundtable discussions, refreshments and family-friendly activities.
Paul Dornstauder, managing editor of CBC Saskatchewan, said CBC is looking to deepen its connection with communities across the province.
“What we are hoping to do is hear from a lot of people from in and around Prince Albert, trying to get a sense of what they would like to hear more of from CBC, what they feel we might be missing in terms of CBC coverage,” Dornstauder said.
CBC Saskatchewan opened a Prince Albert bureau in October 2025 with two local reporters, Aishah Ashraf and Lisa Risom.
Dornstauder said having reporters based in the community helps CBC tell stories with more depth and authenticity.
“There’s nothing that beats being able to tell stories from a community, but just having proximity to that community,” he said. “By hiring two reporters in our Prince Albert bureau, we’re able to, with more depth and skill and authenticity, find and tell stories that matter to people in the community.”
He said local reporters can make stronger connections because they are meeting people directly and learning who is doing work in and around the city.
“What we have learned is it is far easier to make contact with people who live and who have made their lives in and who are doing great work in and around Prince Albert,” Dornstauder said.
Sydney Bell, communications officer with CBC Saskatchewan, said the town hall will give residents a chance to meet their local CBC reporters and the team behind Prince Albert coverage.
Bell said CBC wants feedback from residents in both the city and the RM of Prince Albert. She said residents will be asked what they want from their public broadcaster, what stories they want to see and what they feel CBC may not know about the community.
“What about Prince Albert would you like Saskatchewan to know?” Bell said. “What do you feel represents Prince Albert, and what do we not know about Prince Albert?”
Bell said the feedback from town hall meetings is shared with executive programmers, community connections producers and local reporters. She said that feedback can help CBC drive new stories, chase new stories in the community and make people more comfortable approaching local reporters.
Dornstauder said ideas brought forward at the town hall could directly lead to future CBC stories.
“We’re always in the market of finding people doing interesting things and telling those stories,” he said. “At the town hall, if people bring a great tip, we would love to hear it.”
Dornstauder said CBC cannot ignore difficult issues, but local coverage also has to find people who are working to make a difference.
“It is incredibly important to be able to find those people who are working to achieve good, people who have stories that will leave our audiences feeling hope,” he said.
Bell said CBC wants to hear from a wide range of voices, including the arts, nonprofit, business and agriculture communities.
“We really want the readers to know that the public broadcaster is not an exclusive space,” Bell said. “We want everyone to feel like they have a place that belongs and a voice within their coverage.”
arjun.pillai@paherald.sk.ca
