Canadian Heritage has announced $58.8 million in funding to extend the Local Journalism Initiative (LJI) through 2027.
Initially launched in 2019 as a five-year, $50 million program, the initiative provides annual funding for more than 400 journalist positions across the country, with a focus on creating original local journalism in underserved communities. Content produced under the LJI is made available to media organizations through a Creative Commons licence. Friday’s funding announcement brings total support for the initiative to $128.8 million over eight years.
In 2022-23 alone, LJI journalists covered issues and stories in nearly 1,500 communities, including 60 reporters in Indigenous communities, 84 in ethnocultural communities, 161 in official language minority communities and 11 in 2SLGBTQ+ communities, according to information supplied by Canadian Heritage.
The National Campus & Community Radio Association (NCRA) was among the organizations appealing for renewal of the program, saying the new funding “will assist in addressing the news deserts that the Canadian media landscape is challenged with.”
“Since its inception, the LJI has made significant strides in empowering local stations and contributing to the resilience of our democracy,” said NCRA Executive Director Barry Rooke, in a statement. “As local news and information continue to erode, the resultant vacuum is being filled by unreliable sources and amplified through social media algorithms, detrimentally impacting our society and democratic principles. The consequences are evident in the rise of misinformation, such as widespread beliefs in election fraud, global shortages of horse medication based on unfounded claims, and a barrage of vaccine disinformation on social media platforms.”
“We are thankful for the news of renewal since this means the LJI 2.0 can continue to impact other communities, enhancing their capacity to make high-quality and well-informed audio news and other forms of media for Canadians all over the country,” Rooke added.
Subscribe Now – Free!
Broadcast Dialogue has been required reading in the Canadian broadcast media for 30 years. When you subscribe, you join a community of connected professionals from media and broadcast related sectors from across the country.
The Weekly Briefing from Broadcast Dialogue is delivered exclusively to subscribers by email every Thursday. It’s your link to critical industry news, timely people moves, and excellent career advancement opportunities.
Let’s get started right now.
