They have kept readers up to date on the latest COVID-19 developments, told stories from Indigenous communities and highlighted issues in news deserts (places that have little or no journalistic presence).
We are grateful for the hundreds of stories they’ve told.
They are local journalism initiative (LJI) reporters, and their work is funded by a five-year federal program.
SaltWire Network has eight of them focused on civic issues across Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador and Prince Edward Island.
Two are dedicated to health care. Their work has been invaluable during a pandemic, with daily updates and evolving issues. Other LJI reporters are working in news deserts like western P.E.I. or central Newfoundland. One is bringing stories from the five Indigenous communities in Cape Breton, and another is committed to Nova Scotia’s growing community of newcomers.
In newspapers’ pre-internet heyday, it would have been thought folly to have the feds fund reporter positions. But with tech giants soaking up many of the advertising dollars globally, our industry has contracted in terms of size — but not importance.
The more than 100 LJI reporters across Canada have helped fill the void.
SaltWire Network employs 120 journalists, with 6.7 per cent of the funding covered by the local journalism intiative program.
Critics of the program say Ottawa is trying to buy favourable coverage, or that outlets that take the funding are compromising their principles. But local journalism reporters are not covering federal politics, and there has been no editorial interference from Ottawa.
Indeed, we have continued to publish stories and editorials critical of the current federal government, on issues such as the WE and SNC-Lavalin scandals, the slow vaccine rollout and the moderate livelihood fishery in Nova Scotia.
Current funding for the LJI program expires March 31, and last week, the program was renewed for Year 3 of the project.
The program’s administrator, News Media Canada, plans to fund a minimum of 97 reporter positions for the next 12 months. Eighty-eight will be allocated regionally based on population, while Indigenous media will get nine positions.
We will reapply for funding for all of SaltWire Network’s current LJI reporters.
Why are we writing about this in this space, you might ask?
It’s about transparency.
In this time of fake news and social media’s echo chamber, we want to be open with our readers about who is telling their stories and where some of the funding comes from.
SaltWire Network employs 120 journalists, with 6.7 per cent of the funding covered by the LJI program.
LJI reporters, whose work is available free to everyone online, are helping us broaden our coverage in more communities. Our business model is evolving and our digital subscriber base is growing.
Someday the LJI funding will end or may no longer be necessary, but for now, these journalists are telling important stories during a time of incredible change in the communities they cover.
That’s important to us, and to you.
Steve Bartlett is senior managing editor of SaltWire Network
