Budget 2018: Feds throw local news a bone

By Perry Hoffman

OTTAWA – Despite pleas for lots more, the federal government has given a small boost to local journalism, providing one or more still to be determined independent non-governmental organizations with $50 million over five years to support such efforts in underserved communities.Budget 2018 noted “As more and more people get their news online, and share their interests directly through social media, many communities have been left without local newspapers to tell their stories.”The Liberals will also be exploring new local news business models that could see greater involvement of private and philanthropic support “for trusted, professional, non-profit and local news.”...