TORONTO – News Media Canada announced the launch of its Local Journalism Initiative program earlier this fall.
The program is a national initiative of the Government of Canada in support of Canadian news media organizations.
“In some parts of Canada, residents have significant gaps in civic journalism about community issues and civic institutions and events that affect them and their day-to-day lives,” states a press release from News Media Canada.
The Local Journalism Initiative provides funding for Canadian news media organizations to hire reporters to increase coverage of civic matters and issues of public interest in under-served communities across the country. The initiative aims to fund 93 reporters in its first year. The program is open to existing Canadian-owned English, French and Indigenous print and digital news media organizations.
Other Local Journalism Initiative programs are also available for other types of news media, including ethnocultural and minority language print media, as well as community radio and community television, the organization notes in the release.
News Media Canada is the national association of the Canadian news media industry, with members in every province and territory.
