About the Contest
What’s on everyone’s mind in this, the digital and information age? Is it the tempting promises of artificial intelligence and its underlying, potential dangers for humanity? Or is it the tantalizing lure of social media and their deleterious effects on interpersonal communication and traditional learning? Or could it be the constant bombardment of our environment with data that masquerades as knowledge, wisdom, and critical thinking?
Although he died in 1980, Marshall McLuhan had something to say about exactly these effects. He was a global pioneer in understanding the cultural impact of media and technology on human beings. Through his work, McLuhan made critical thinking popular, foresaw the internet, and cautioned against the excesses of technologies that could divorce us from our very humanness – whether it was television, as in McLuhan’s time, or AI and social media in ours
In this spirit, the Marshall McLuhan Initiative Inc. (“The Initiative”) holds an annual “The Media and the Write” contest. The competition is open to all undergraduates at post-secondary institutions and Grade 12 students in Manitoba who wish to explore aspects of Marshall McLuhan’s thought.
For example, what would Marshall McLuhan say today about social media? Smart phones? Cell phone addiction? AI? Come and explore what Marshall meant by “The medium is the message” and “global village” – aphorisms that have become known throughout the world. Most of all, consider McLuhan’s famous words to his students, “I don’t want them to believe me; I simply want them to think.”
Who is Eligible
The competition is two-tiered, open to all post-secondary students in Manitoba and to all Grade 12 students in Manitoba.
Prizes
The prizes for each tier are as follows:
First Prize:
- $1,000
- a publication by or on McLuhan
- two tickets to The Initiative’s Gala Fundraiser in October
Second Prize
- $500
- a publication by or on McLuhan
- one ticket to The Initiative’s Gala Fundraiser in October
Subjects and Themes
Topics may include, but not necessarily be limited to:
- the life of Marshall McLuhan
- his body of scholarly work
- his perspectives on media, media ecology, communication, and critical thinking
- the relevance of McLuhan’s thought today
- the influence of McLuhan’s prairie roots and Christian faith on his work
Media
Any genre including, but not limited to
- an essay of 2000-2500 words
- a short video (no longer than 10 minutes)
- a work of literary fiction, art, drama, or music
Important Dates
Contest Opens: November (precise date varies annually)
Submission Deadline: midnight CT, May 31
Awarded In: October at The Initiative’s inaugural Gala Fundraiser.
The winners will be given an opportunity to present their work, in part or in its entirety, within a five-minute time allowance, at the Gala.
How to Participate
Application Fee: $10 upon submission of application form and project, sent by e-transfer to egjuce@mymts.net.
Please write “The Media and the Write entry” and your name in the Notes field.
Send Application Form and Entry To:
“The Marshall McLuhan Centre”
507 Gertrude Ave.
Winnipeg, MB R3L 0M7
Attn: Esther Juce
or by email to
themarshallmcluhaninitiative@gmail.com
Adjudicators for 2026
- Art – Marina Fischer, Curator of Numismatics at Nickle Galleries, Libraries and Cultural Resources, University of Calgary, Art Historian and Lecture
- Drama/Fiction – William E. Jefferson, award-winning author, independent scholar & active Board Member of The Marshall McLuhan Initiative, Inc., Rogersville, MO
- Media Ecology – Dr. Jonathan Slater, a former communication industry professional, professor emeritus at the State University of New York, Plattsburgh, and active board member of the Marshall McLuhan Initiative Inc., Montreal, QC
- Music – Jeremy Vallance, U of M School of Music graduate, choral director, Collège Jeanne-Sauvé; music director, United Church, Meadowood, Winnipeg; directed Harmony House Music School, BC, and taught choirs and workshops for over 20 years, encouraging people to share their voices
- Poetry – Ruthanne Wrobel, independent scholar, & Associate of The Marshall McLuhan Initiative Inc. specializing in Tetrads, Scripture, and popular music., Toronto, ON
- Videography/Photography – Jarrett Cole, Director of the Winnipeg School of Communication & high school teacher, Thompson, MB
Learn about the adjudication process for this event.