Since its launch in May 2019, the Local Journalism Initiative (LJI) has provided nearly $111.7 million in funding to support the creation of original local journalism in underserved Canadian communities, according to information provided Monday in the House of Commons by the Department of Canadian Heritage in response to a question from Conservative MP Andrew Scheer in November.
LJI funding recipients include the Canadian Association of Community Television Users and Stations (CACTUS), Community Radio Fund of Canada, National Ethnic Press and Media Council of Canada, News Media Canada, Quebec Community Newspapers Association, Réseau.Presse, Consortium of Official Language Minority Community Media, and Community Media Coalition represented by the Community Radio Fund of Canada.
These not-for-profit organizations act as initial funding recipients, distributing contributions to media outlets deemed eligible for funding, including community television and radio stations, community newspapers and online news services.
The LJI was originally launched as a five-year, $50-million program, but was further provided with $10 million over two years as part of the Covid-19 Recovery Fund for Arts, Culture, Heritage and Sport Sectors, and provided with another $10 million in 2023-24 during Budget 2022, and a further $58.8 million to extend the program for another three years (2024-27), bringing total federal support for the initiative to $128.8 million over eight years.
Photo via News Media Canada
