Re: Should the government step in to save journalism?, June 6

Should the government step in to save journalism?, June 6

The debate between Torstar chair John Honderich and Postmedia columnist Andrew Coyne about whether the government should step in to “save journalism” raises many points vital to the future of the news industry in Canada.

Although both sides made excellent points for and against, the argument is framed within the context of larger news outlets based in urban centres and fails to address what is taking place in rural Canada.

Even the Public Policy Forum’s report, “Shattered Mirrors,” acknowledges the need to enhance local coverage and suggests approaches the government could take to assist these operations, such as tax changes and a $400-million journalism fund.

What is not addressed is local news poverty, meaning the shrinkage or lack of coverage within a community. Initiatives like the Local News Research Project clearly show how serious the situation is across the country.

But it goes beyond improving local reporting. The issues facing the Toronto Star, the CBC and The Canadian Press are very different than those facing the Belleville Intelligencer, the Wellington Times and the community radio station in Picton, Ont.

Far too often, the discussion like the one covered in the article is not about journalism in neighbourhoods, hamlets, villages, towns and small cities. Coverage in these places, known as hyperlocal journalism, faces a myriad of challenges and issues far removed from its larger urban cousins.

Granted, there are some similarities in a very broad sense, like falling revenues, fewer journalists, reduced resources and fragmented audiences, but the notion of a “one-size-fits-all” solution is not a reality.

When debating government support of Canadian news outlets, the distinction between national, local and hyperlocal is critical. You could argue subsidizing a major, publicly traded news conglomerate is worthy or not worthy. But, for many communities in rural Canada, support for independent, innovative, news outlets could be beneficial.

It is not unusual for governments to create business incubators to subsidize innovation and development. Surely, this is something to be considered when it comes to journalism in rural Canada.

Robert Washburn, journalism professor, Loyalist College, Belleville, Ont.