Monday marked the start of National Newspaper Week, and the launch of a new campaign to rally Canadians’ support for newspaper journalism. Dubbed #NowMoreThanEver, the campaign invited Canadians to show support for the news media industry at the newly launched newspapersmatter.ca.
“The role of newspapers has never been so crucial,” said Bob Cox, board chair of News Media Canada, the national association that represents Canadian newspapers. “Every day, newspapers work to bring Canadians from coast to coast to coast real, trusted, truthful news—which is as vital to democracy as clean air, safe streets, good schools and public health.”
Locally, the Comox Valley Community Foundation values the important role community newspapers play in continuing to inform citizens on key local issues.
“Like our Vital Signs report, community newspapers are providing information that is helpful, trustworthy and reliable, which leads to more informed citizens and can strengthen decision-making,” said Jody Madonald, the foundation’s executive director. “Knowing what is happening in our local communities has a great impact on the quality of life issues for individuals, organizations and families.”
Recent research found that 63 per cent of Canadians were unable to distinguish between legitimate news websites and fake news stories, and 65 per cent of Canadians are worried that false information or fake news is being used as a weapon.
Access to truthful news is under threat. For years, the credible, independent news reporting that newspapers provide has been funded by local and national advertiser support. But as readership moved online, Canadian brands and companies moved their advertising dollars to global conglomerates: 70 per cent of Canada’s online ad revenue goes to Facebook and Google—despite the fact that ads in either digital or print newspapers are the most trusted of all ad formats.
“Newspapers do not have a readership problem,” said Cox, who points to recent research that shows eight in 10 Canadians—and 85 per cent of millennials—still read a newspaper every week.
During National Newspaper Week Oct. 1-7, Canadians are asked to sign a pledge of support at newspapersmatter.ca and send a message—to businesses, advertisers, to all levels of government, to newspaper journalists and all Canadians—that newspapers matter, now more than ever. The campaign includes print and digital ads running in newspapers across the country and is extending into social media, with a call-to-action that invites newspaper readers to share a photo of themselves with their favourite paper on their social channels—using #NewspapersMatter and #NowMoreThanEver.
