Broadcasters left out of first wave of participants
TORONTO – Eleven Canadian newsrooms and publishers have been tapped to join a new $2.5 million local news initiative headed up by Facebook Canada.
The Local News Accelerator program, announced earlier this year, is part of the social media giant’s larger efforts to “support journalists, academics and news organizations across the globe to advance journalism and help develop sustainable business models — both off and on Facebook's platforms.”
The first wave of participants include Brunswick News, Daily Hive, Winnipeg Free Press, Glacier Media, Le Soleil, London Free Press, Northern News Services, The Discourse, The Tyee, Vancouver Observer, and Village Media.
When asked by Cartt.ca why radio and TV broadcasters were not included, a Facebook spokesperson said that the intent of the program is to work with local news publishers who have or might be developing recurring revenue models like subscriptions, memberships, donations. “We’re open to exploring training options for different types of publishers in the future,” continued the emailed response.
The 12-week program will see the publishers work with digital media coaches on individual projects seeking to find new ways to connect with their audiences and monetize their businesses. The case studies will then be presented at Facebook headquarters in Menlo Park, California.
"Canadians expect relevant, quality news on Facebook and so do we. The Launch of Facebook Local News Accelerator in Canada is one part of our commitment to high-quality, fact-based content across our family of apps," said Facebook Canada’s head of media partnerships Marc Dinsdale, in Monday’s announcement. "We are committed to exploring what we can build together with our partners to support local news, and will continue to invest in local news in Canada."
Facebook Canada added that it will be partnering with the Canadian Journalism Foundation (CJF) to administer grants designed to help the participating publishers to put ideas from the program into practice.
"From current events to community news and politics, local news publishers provide citizens with the resources and information they need to make critical decisions for themselves and their families," added CJF president and executive director Natalie Turvey. "We are committed to supporting local news innovation, and we're excited to partner with Facebook and local news publishers to bring this program to life in Canada."
