Community news takes another hit—and Canadians are pissed
In the wake of recent news about a Torstar and Postmedia merger that would see dozens of community publications shut down, Canadians are taking to Twitter and social media to denounce the move. While this mainly affects Ontario publications, there has been a national outcry that shows community news does matter to journalists and readers.
Here's a round-up of Twitter reactions to the news today—some funny, some insightful, and others, just downright sad.
Last Canadian journalist replaced with Advertorial Bot 5000 (Brought to You by Automaton Communication Technologies). #cdnpoli #postmedia #Torstar #cdnmedia https://t.co/Wvw5Kq1vHg
— The Beaverton (@TheBeaverton) November 27, 2017
22 Ontario communities are about to lose their local papers, as Postmedia shuts them down. Some of these towns will now have no journalistic oversight of council, police, school boards...This is how democratic accountability erodes.
— John Ibbitson (@JohnIbbitson) November 27, 2017
Torstar's top five executives were paid $5,325,710 last year. Postmedia's top five executives were paid $5,297,917 for their last fiscal year.
— Jonathan Goldsbie (@goldsbie) November 27, 2017
So Postmedia and Torstar basically made a "newspaper trade" or transaction that sees multiple papers from Ontario changing hands.
— Trevor Robb (@TrevorRobb_) November 27, 2017
Oh and more job losses.
#newspapers #media pic.twitter.com/GnCvU7nTtK
Torstar spokesperson Bob Hepburn tells me the 13 papers will be closing immediately (partial list of closures here https://t.co/bcMOvix4Sg -- 24Hours Vancouver and Toronto are also closing). 46 employees will be impacted.
— H.G. Watson (@HG_Watson) November 27, 2017
That's 34 newspapers shut down and 250 Torstar employees fired. No regulatory clearance is required for the Torstar-Postmedia swap.
— Jaren Kerr (@suggestedits) November 27, 2017
Disgusted with this morning's news of 22 newspaper closures. Thinking about all the journalists who will lose their jobs, and how their communities will go without knowing how local governments are using their money https://t.co/KGeAiIguEM
— Rachel Ward (@wardrachel) November 27, 2017
The local community newspaper fills a obit section today in this tragic tombstone on the industry. Postmedia takes on 22 papers from Torstar and instantly closes all but one down in the name of 'synergies'. Shameful. https://t.co/s6cJO1OP0e
— Don Martin (@DonMartinCTV) November 27, 2017
Yes, it's awful that 100s of journos are losing jobs in Torstar/Postmedia swaps/cuts. But also terrible harm to the communities they serve.
— Simon Houpt (@simonhoupt) November 27, 2017
While people are focused on complaining about fake news and the lack of coverage on topics they care about, local media is suffering from lack of finances
— Emily Blake (@BlakeEmily) November 27, 2017
244 jobs lost, 20 local papers shut down in Postmedia-Torstar deal https://t.co/Z1gThwpkcJ
Awful. So sorry for those now out of jobs. https://t.co/68sVNebUt6
— Kim Pittaway (@kimpittaway) November 27, 2017
My mum upon hearing local newspaper, @BarrieExaminer, is shuttering: "Maybe bigger papers will cover our area more."
— Katrina Clarke (@KatrinaAClarke) November 27, 2017
If only.
What it actually means: fewer people held accountable, local stories never reported & population less-informed.
Today sucks. https://t.co/7kygYtoEKl
Torstar and Postmedia announce a convoluted deal that will see them trade and subsequently close a number of newspaper publications blaming declining local advertising dollars. Nearly 300 jobs gone combined.
— mike eppel (@eppman) November 27, 2017
