It’s frustrating when shareholder interests and profits override community needs, especially regarding local news.
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In the summer 2023, while on vacation from my job at a community-focused station in North Bay, Ont., I received a 5:30 a.m. email: HR call at 8. Just like that, I was let go. One of over a dozen cuts to local newsrooms, with no warning or
explanation.
Driving home from Southern Ontario, I was shocked, angry and disheartened by what’s become a familiar story in Canadian journalism.
The hard truth, media companies are beholden to shareholders. I’ve sat through meetings and emails repeating the same mantra: revenues must rise, or costs must fall. When advertising and sponsorships dip, cuts follow. And now, those cuts have reached Lloydminster.
Stingray Group (TSX: RAY.A), which owns many local news stations, slashed its two local TV operations. Their president cited a 50 per cent decline in local revenue over six years. To preserve the share price, they cut their losses —and in doing so, cut deep into communities they served for decades.
This isn’t unique to Lloydminster. CTV, CBC, and Global have all gutted local newsrooms. In Sault Ste. Marie, I saw what was once a full news team whittled down to two reporters working from home, sending stories hours away just for a shot at airtime.
So, where do we go from here?
Thankfully, not all is lost. Although some individuals think local news is dead, it’s far from it. We still have outlets like the Weekly Bean, Live With Kurt Price, New Country 95.9, 106.1 The GOAT, and our team at the Meridian Source. If you value local news, support these platforms.
Click their stories, watch their videos, share their work and buy from their advertisers.
Let them know their efforts matter. Tell businesses you saw their ad in local media. It may seem small, but every bit helps.
Whether publicly traded or independent, all media outlets balance revenue and expenses. If we want to keep local journalism alive, we need to show up for it, because when we don’t, we lose more than just jobs. We lose the stories that
connect our community.
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