OTTAWA—Tuesday’s federal budget will commit $50 million over five years to support local journalism across Canada, the Star has learned.The federal government will provide the funding in the coming fiscal year to one or more “independent non-governmental organizations” that will support local journalism in underserved communities.Those organizations will be responsible for administering the funds, a source told the Star. The investment is being made to help “ensure trusted, local perspectives as well as accountability in local communities.”As well, the budget will signal the government’s intention to explore new business models that would enable private donations and philanthropic support for “trusted, professional, non-profit journalism and local news.” “This could include new ways for Canadian newspapers to innovate and be recognized as charitable or not-for-profit providers of journalism, reflecting the public interest that they serve,” the source said.That was one suggestion to emerge from the Public Policy Forum’s “The Shattered Mirror” report that examined the financial crisis hitting Canada’s media outlets. Released in 2017, it gave a grim overview of the media landscape, noting that since 2010, 225 weekly and 27 daily newspapers had closed or merged operations.“The government is taking the step of promising to look at different models and to work with the industry to make sure that it is viable,” said the source, who was not authorized to speak publicly about the budget measures.The idea of federal support for Canadian journalism has provoked criticism from some who say funding would imperil the independence of media outlets. Instead, they argue that market forces should decide which outlets survive the economic crunch.Tuesday’s budget, the third since the Liberals took power in 2015, is expected to feature gender equality and science investments a ...
|
