BTE hearing aids: Benefits and drawbacks

Benefits: Behind-the-Ear hearing aids offer the most powerful sound amplification out of any style, making them suitable for all levels of hearing loss—particularly those with profound and/or high-frequency hearing loss.


Since all sensitive electronics rest in the case outside of the ear, BTE styles are less susceptible to moisture and wax—the two leading causes of hearing aid damage. Even when those pests are present, they can often be easily cleared out of the tubing with an air blower or washed from the earmold by detaching and soaking it in warm, soapy water. The result? Fewer repairs and longer lifespan.


BTE hearing aids’ traditionally larger size also makes them easier to insert/remove, adjust settings and replace the battery—a big benefit for those with dexterity concerns.


Drawbacks: Traditional BTE models—particularly those that offer maximum amplification—still tend to be bigger and thicker. Besides being more visible, the larger case may feel heavier or more uncomfortable for some wearers. And while ear domes are available for select BTE styles, many BTE hearing aids still require an ear mold, which are typically more noticeable and can lead to a more plugged-up feeling.

RIC hearing aids: Benefits and drawbacks

Benefits: Since the RIC’s case doesn’t need to house the speaker, it’s typically slimmer and smaller than most BTE models. RIC styles also boast a thin, electrical wire instead of an ear hook or tubing, which when combined with a small, translucent ear dome makes them barely visible to others.


Sounds tend to be clearer and more intact with RIC hearing aids, as the speaker rests closer to the ear canal. And distancing the speaker from the microphone minimizes another common complaint: feedback.

RIC hearing aids’ open and semi-open fit ear domes also allow low frequency sounds to escape, resulting in a more natural-sounding speaking voice.

Drawbacks: The smaller size of RIC hearing aids may make them more difficult to insert/remove, adjust settings and clean—especially for those with limited fine motor skills. And while it can accommodate a range of hearing loss levels, it does not offer as much amplification as the BTE. The placement of the speaker in the ear canal also makes it more vulnerable to moisture and wax buildup, thus requiring regular maintenance to minimize damage or sound issues.

Fashion (magazine)

Fashion is a Canadian fashion magazine published by St. Joseph Media. Established in 1977, it is currently based in Toronto (with satellite offices in Vancouver, Calgary, and Montreal), publishes 10 issues a year and has a total readership of 1.85 million (PMB Oct 2010).

The magazine covers international, national and local fashion and beauty trends and news. It aims to reach affluent, style-conscious urban women.

The magazine's first editor-in-chief was John MacKay, who had previously been responsible for Toronto Life's men's fashion supplements.

The current editor-in-chief is Bernadette Morra. Previous to joining Fashion, Morra spent 23 years at the Toronto Star, first as a fashion writer, then (since 1993) as a fashion editor. She left the Star in 2008 to be a freelance writer and launch a website for jewelry lovers. Bernadette has reported from the runways of Milan, London, Paris and New York, and interviewed many top fashion designers, models, and celebrities including Karl Lagerfeld, Marc Jacobs, Nicolas Ghesquière, Victoria Beckham and Linda Evangelista.

In 2009, FASHION launched its men's magazine Men's FASHION as a bi-annual special interest publication. In 2012, they added a Holiday issue, in addition to the Spring/Summer and Fall/Winter editions. The current editor-in-chief is Canadian journalist David Livingstone.

St. Joseph Media, the magazine's publisher, also publishes Toronto Life, Canadian Family, Weddingbells, Quill & Quire and Where Canada magazines.

Website and digital brand expansion

FASHION's website was first launched in the summer of 2000.

In 2008, the brand made two significant efforts to expand its online presence. In March, FASHION announced a content partnership with MySpace Canada that included sharing behind-the-scenes news, videos and photo galleries. In April, the magazine announced a national "Reporter Search" in an effort to find 10 new style bloggers from across Canada who could write about fashion trends in their home communities. The eventual winners of the contest were given a year-long blog on the FASHION website and were also awarded other prizes.

In a 2008 interview, online editor Jennifer Campbell outlined the multi-pronged strategy that was bringing the site success, which included daily blogging, community outreach, slideshows, newsletters, and social media networking. At the time, the site received 100,000 visitors/month, and the most popular site sections were FASHION Lovelies (a weekly street fashion snap) and FASHION Reporters (the aforementioned blogs from the cross-Canada Reporter Search contest).

Video played a large role in Fashionmagazine.com's early online strategy. In October 2009, the site was recognized with the "Best Video" award in the first year of the Canadian Online Publishing Awards. The site was a finalist for the same "Best Video" award in 2010 and won the top prize in the "Cross-platform" category for an online men's style guide that contained online video.

Randi Bergman is the current online editor. She replaced Campbell in December 2010 after the latter left for a role with rival Canadian fashion publication Flare. Shortly thereafter, Paige Dzenis joined the team as an associate online editor.

In 2011, the site was a finalist for "Website of the Year" at both the Canadian National Magazine Awards and the Canadian Online Publishing Awards. That same year, the website was extensively redesigned by Randi Bergman, Paige Dzenis, Laura Antonik, Gary Campbell and Michelle Darwin. Subsequently, the website won two silver awards at the 2012 Canadian National Magazine Awards—one for best digital design and one for best multimedia feature for the "At The Shows/Spring 2012" package.

In August 2012, it was announced that FASHION had the largest Twitter following of any magazine in Canada, with 352,079 followers. This success was attributed to the brand being an early adopter of social media.

In August 2013, the brand launched an online shopping extension called "FASHION Shopping" featuring 1,500 clothing and accessory items selected by the editors that can be purchased online. The eCommerce store works on both desktops and smartphones.