Over the past two weeks, I’ve used this space to explore the fallout from the closure of our local television news.
The nightly broadcast on PTLN, as well as the station, has gone silent, amplifying a deeper issue: getting our message out.
While the station didn’t post directly to social media, it did supply content to the local Stingray radio station, which does.
That content, as well as our own, is now entangled in the red tape of the Online News Act, also known as Bill C-18.
Passed in 2023, the legislation made it harder for local newsrooms like ours to share timely, accessible updates.
Big players like CBC, Global and CTV secured deals and subsidies. Smaller outlets? We were left out — with no leverage, no lawyers and often no access to the $100 million in annual Google funding.
Worse still, META (Facebook and Instagram’s parent company) walked away from negotiations and shut down news sharing altogether.
The result? A vacuum. Fewer verified facts. More rumours and misinformation.
C-18 hasn’t just affected local journalism. It has impacted the speed at which we can alert you to emergencies, missing persons, or breaking news.
So, what can you do?
Recognize your local news teams are doing the best they can with the limited tools at their disposal. The simplest support? Refresh our pages as often as you do Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok.
Please read, comment and share everyone’s local news content. It’s the only way local news survives.
