I wrote this to try to investigate what's going wrong with my own industry, and the impacts on wider society: Why Canada’s media industry is in more danger than you think — and what we can do to save it https://www.thestar.com/business/2020/11/09/why-canadas-media-industry-is-in-more-danger-than-you-think-and-what-we-can-do-to-save-it.html @TorontoStar #cdnmedia #cdnpoli
At least 250 Canadian newspapers have shut down since 2013, turning swathes of Canada into “news deserts,” where there are few or no journalists covering those communities at all. https://www.thestar.com/business/2020/11/09/why-canadas-media-industry-is-in-more-danger-than-you-think-and-what-we-can-do-to-save-it.html @TorontoStar #cdnmedia #cdnpoli
"People have assumed that it is because our business is in terrible shape. Actually, we’ve had more readers — print and online — than we’ve ever had,” says @RichDalMonte.
He edited my hometown paper @TriCityNews for years, before he was laid off. https://www.thestar.com/business/2020/11/09/why-canadas-media-industry-is-in-more-danger-than-you-think-and-what-we-can-do-to-save-it.html
He edited my hometown paper @TriCityNews for years, before he was laid off. https://www.thestar.com/business/2020/11/09/why-canadas-media-industry-is-in-more-danger-than-you-think-and-what-we-can-do-to-save-it.html
Since I returned to Canada from working overseas, I've faced two rounds of layoffs at my paper. I'm honestly surprised that I still have a job at this point. But why should you care if hundreds of Canadian journalists can no longer work? Read on: https://www.thestar.com/business/2020/11/09/why-canadas-media-industry-is-in-more-danger-than-you-think-and-what-we-can-do-to-save-it.html
What are the reasons for "market failure" in Canadian media? @NewsMediaCanada points the finger at Google and Facebook, who collect around 80 per cent of digital advertising revenues in Canada, and have similar "monopolies" around the world. https://www.thestar.com/business/2020/11/09/why-canadas-media-industry-is-in-more-danger-than-you-think-and-what-we-can-do-to-save-it.html
“Newspapers used to sell local ads to support local newspapers, which would hire local reporters to cover local news. What has happened is this cycle has been broken and billions of dollars are siphoned off to California,” says the CEO of @NewsMediaCanada: https://www.thestar.com/business/2020/11/09/why-canadas-media-industry-is-in-more-danger-than-you-think-and-what-we-can-do-to-save-it.html
This has led journalists to give up.
“I’ve been on the layoff list three or four times during my career and managed to keep my job only because others took buyouts,” says a journalist of colour, who also has to contend with racist taunts from readers. https://www.thestar.com/business/2020/11/09/why-canadas-media-industry-is-in-more-danger-than-you-think-and-what-we-can-do-to-save-it.html
“I’ve been on the layoff list three or four times during my career and managed to keep my job only because others took buyouts,” says a journalist of colour, who also has to contend with racist taunts from readers. https://www.thestar.com/business/2020/11/09/why-canadas-media-industry-is-in-more-danger-than-you-think-and-what-we-can-do-to-save-it.html
In September, Otttawa said it will pass a new law compelling companies such as Facebook and Google to pay for the stories, music and videos from outside sources that appear on their platforms.
“Web giants are taking Canadians’ money" https://www.thestar.com/business/2020/11/09/why-canadas-media-industry-is-in-more-danger-than-you-think-and-what-we-can-do-to-save-it.html
“Web giants are taking Canadians’ money" https://www.thestar.com/business/2020/11/09/why-canadas-media-industry-is-in-more-danger-than-you-think-and-what-we-can-do-to-save-it.html
But not all journalists agree with proposals to focus on getting a fair deal from Google and Facebook.
"Media leaders must take responsibility too for how they failed to anticipate how digital disruption would impact their revenue," says @neeeda. https://www.thestar.com/business/2020/11/09/why-canadas-media-industry-is-in-more-danger-than-you-think-and-what-we-can-do-to-save-it.html
"Media leaders must take responsibility too for how they failed to anticipate how digital disruption would impact their revenue," says @neeeda. https://www.thestar.com/business/2020/11/09/why-canadas-media-industry-is-in-more-danger-than-you-think-and-what-we-can-do-to-save-it.html
From one anxious journalist to you, please consider taking the time to read through the viewpoints in the article. We need the public's help to figure out how to prevent more media outlets from closing, meaning people in power won't be held accountable. https://www.thestar.com/business/2020/11/09/why-canadas-media-industry-is-in-more-danger-than-you-think-and-what-we-can-do-to-save-it.html
When a shooter started his 13-hour crime spree on April 18 in Nova Scotia, Canadians were desperate for information and national news outlets couldn’t send staff to the region because of COVID-19 quarantine rules, veteran photographer Tim Krochak recalled. https://www.thestar.com/business/2020/11/09/why-canadas-media-industry-is-in-more-danger-than-you-think-and-what-we-can-do-to-save-it.html
“It was Canada’s worst mass shooting, and all the coverage relied on people who live here and who still do journalism here. You become the eyes and ears of the world at that point.
“People should know what the heck is going on." https://www.thestar.com/business/2020/11/09/why-canadas-media-industry-is-in-more-danger-than-you-think-and-what-we-can-do-to-save-it.html
“People should know what the heck is going on." https://www.thestar.com/business/2020/11/09/why-canadas-media-industry-is-in-more-danger-than-you-think-and-what-we-can-do-to-save-it.html
‘Saving the journalism industry will require community support,' says @thediscourse and @IndiegrafMedia CEO @erinmillar, who has been working on innovating new approaches so that reader-supported journalism can cover underserved communities. https://www.thestar.com/business/2020/11/09/saving-the-journalism-industry-will-require-community-support.html
Market failure is an economic situation where free market forces like supply and demand don’t function as they should, and this is what's happening to media industries around the world. https://www.thestar.com/business/2020/11/09/why-canadas-media-industry-is-in-more-danger-than-you-think-and-what-we-can-do-to-save-it.html
Here is a list of more than 250 Canadian newspapers that ceased publication since 2013, with updates from @aprilatryerson https://www.thestar.com/business/2020/11/09/saving-the-journalism-industry-will-require-community-support.html @TorontoStar
I should note that I worked with editors on this piece with zero input from Torstar executives and in fact the piece includes some sharp criticism of media leaders’ handling of financial crises from journalism prof Tim Doyle and @neeeda. https://www.thestar.com/business/2020/11/09/why-canadas-media-industry-is-in-more-danger-than-you-think-and-what-we-can-do-to-save-it.html