NEW: RESOURCE FOR ONTARIO TEACHERS
Check out our list of suggestions (below) and feel free to share it.
Also, please send us your ideas so that we can add them to the list, and then give you a shout out on our social media channels.
FREE ways to support local journalism, and a few that will cost just a few bucks:
Be an ambassador: Help your friends and family understand that local journalism is essential for democracy to thrive.
Criticism of news media outlets is fair, but ENSURE YOUR CRITICISM IS FAIR! Be careful to not spread false narratives by making broad sweeping statements about "the media." For example, rather than criticizing "the media" as a whole — be specific. Is your criticism about a local, regional or national outlet? Is it regarding legacy media or digital upstarts or social media, which have become our dominant news channels? Also, back up your arguments with evidence. Why? Because none of us wants to be mischaracterized or misrepresented. Also, civil society depends on it!
Subscribe to one or more news outlets (paper or digital).
As a way to teach young people the value of local journalism, buy them digital subscriptions as gifts.
NOTE: Ink-stained Wretches does not solicit nor accept financial donations. If you would like to donate a few hours of your time or skills to our projects, please contact us at ink.stained.campaign@gmail.com
Each toolkit is a PowerPoint presentation containing a dozen or more ideas for supporting local news outlets.
Many of the ways are FREE!
Leaders can consider, discuss and implement any of those ideas in their communities.
Feel free to download and adapt them for your own context.
Please contact us if you would like to collaborate to create a toolkit for a specific role or sector.
The Local News Research Project led by scholars at Toronto Metropolitan University's School of Journalism; the University of British Columbia; and Royal Roads University; provides a crowd-sourced interactive map displaying changes in the news media landscape across Canada. Check out changes affecting your local news providers.
Canadian Association of Journalists “For more than 40 years the CAJ has worked to provide vital advocacy and professional development for journalists across Canada. We are dedicated to promoting excellence in journalism—from the university classroom to the national stage!”
The Canadian Journalism Foundation promotes, celebrates and facilitates excellence in journalism, and fosters opportunities for journalism education, training and research.
News Media Canada “Created in late 2016 as a product of the agreement by its members to merge the Canadian Newspaper Association (CNA) and the Canadian Community Newspaper Association (CCNA), News Media Canada represents hundreds of trusted titles in every province and territory. Prior to this change, our organization was known as Newspapers Canada.” – source NMC website
Media Action Plan (MAP) is made up of a committee of Canadian journalists and media workers belonging to Unifor local unions who are dedicated to protecting Canadian media.
Friends of Canadian Media “Friends of Canadian Media is a non-partisan citizens’ movement that stands up for Canadian voices in Canadian media – from public broadcasting to news, entertainment, culture, and online civil discourse, we work to protect and defend Canada’s rich cultural sovereignty and the healthy democracy it sustains."
- Martin Baron, Collision of Power.