Local Journalism Initiative Impact

The availability of studio space in Fredericton has sparked a rejuvenation of community engagement and creativity, as local residents are now eager to produce community TV shows once more. This newfound access to studio facilities has reignited the passion for storytelling and broadcasting within the community. From heartwarming human interest stories to informative local programs, individuals are coming together to bring their unique perspectives to life through television.

Montreal’s light rail transit system, the Réseau express métropolitain, is developing a station next to one of the city’s most biodiverse parks. Part of the RÉM will tunnel under Technoparc, where multiple sinkholes have occurred since development began.

Local 514 looks into the risk the development not only poses for Technoparc, but in Montreal’s efforts to avoid climate catastrophe.

Local journalism serves as the community's eyes and ears, highlighting issues that often go unnoticed or misunderstood on larger platforms. At BCM, we've not only covered these issues but have also been a catalyst for change and understanding.

Last quarter we hosted a panel discussion addressing the acute addiction issues that disproportionately affect Indigenous communities. The dialogue was inspired by the report "Getting to Tomorrow," a collective effort by the Canadian Drug Policy Coalition, John Howard Society, Indigenous Harm Reduction Network, and the Gilbert Centre. 

Dans le cadre de sa reprise post-pandémique, TVC22, une station de télévision communautaire bilingue, intègre l'éducation à sa plateforme de communication et de diffusion.

Izabela Daszkiewicz – Initiative de Journalisme Local

Désormais, les étudiants, les nouveaux venus dans l'industrie, les bénévoles, ainsi que d'autres employés, ont la possibilité de collaborer étroitement au sein de TVC22. Cela leur permet d'apprendre à manier le matériel audiovisuel et d'acquérir des compétences qui les accompagneront tout au long de leur vie professionnelle.

The coverage of the annual Elder's Gathering at Pinehouse Lake Saskatchewan is a showcase of traditional Treaty Ten lifestyles and practices. Documenting the elder's perspectives and stories of life in the past and modern day challenges with our format was well received and appreciated. Students, families and elders were invited from the Treaty Six and Eight territories which made the gathering a successful exchange of cultures of the Metis, Cree and Dene.

CHCO-TV is featured as the lead profile in WIRED Magazine's article "Meta’s News Block Causes Chaos as Canada Burns" by Tracey Lindeman on August 28, 2023. The feature story looks at how Meta's decision to block news sites in Canada in response to Bill C-18 is impacting newsrooms across the country, especially in times of wildfires when information in critical. 

The article opens by describing how CHCO-TV has effectively used Facebook to keep its rural Southwest New Brunswick informed for years:

During Disability Awareness Week 2023 in New Brunswick, CHCO-TV, an independent community television station based in St. Andrews, NB, received the 2023 Employer Recognition Award from InclusionNB for their role in the community working with both volunteers and paid employees with disabilities.

I'm Sherry Soltani, from Skyrise Media Society, a journalist with LJI. Over the past three months, my programs have resonated strongly with viewers, generating numerous impactful stories that I'm covering for the Farsi-speaking community in the Lower Mainland of BC.

Among them, the exploration of Systematic Racism and Racism stood out as the most influential.

I'm Majid Mahichi of Skyrise Media, and a recent addition to the Cactus journalism team. My focus revolves around collaborating with the community to tackle civic issues in BC.

A significant concern we've been addressing is raising awareness among Vancouver area residents about scammers who attempt to exploit people in various ways.

This episode reached a wide audience through various social media platforms and the Shaw multicultural channel, garnering a substantial viewership.

I would like to submit the impact statement of one of our community members, Victoria Nanneti, who progressed form summer student to news reporter to seeing this experience develop into a career path.

During the first three months as a journalist intern, I have looked at various ways we can help local residents be more aware of what is happening in their city. One of the most successful regular reports is our bi-weekly coverage of the city council meetings. By focusing in on issues that are of particular interest to the residents of New Westminster, I have engaged our viewers in dialogue about housing, rent control and most importantly how to adapt to the increase in heat events in our city.

Le reportage sur les feux de forêt de Lebel-sur-Quévillon de l’été dernier a inspiré un regroupement de chasseurs pour faire entendre leur voix.

Guylaine Beauchemin - Initiative du journalisme local

L’équipe de MédiaT s’est rendue à Lebel-sur-Quévillon l'été dernier pour constater l’ampleur des feux de forêt. Sur le terrain et en hélicoptère, des images ont montré la dévastation du territoire. Ce reportage, inattendu, a joué un rôle crucial dans l'unification d’une communauté de chasseurs.

L'équipe de la Télévision communautaire de l'Érable (TVCÉ) a réussi à effectuer une couverture civique d'un événement culturel, en persuadant les promoteurs du spectacle de la chorale Voxalik d'offrir des billets aux personnes défavorisées, pour un spectacle anniversaire qui a eu lieu au mois de juillet dernier. 

TVCÉ – Initiative de Journalisme Local

La population de la MRC de Portneuf a découvert le nouveau visage civique de Clic-Porneuf avec l’aide des journalistes de l’IJL. Deux reportages en particulier ont permis la reconnaissance de plus en plus évidente de toute l’équipe. Clicportneuf.TV est devenue un nom qui se répand comme étant un média civique, local et professionnel.

Chantale Lépine – Initiative du journalisme local

Mayor Hallikas, a former high school teacher and lifelong resident of Fort Frances, shared his insights and plans to address what he notes are key issued facing Fort Frances from his point of view as a municipal leader. 

Economic Revival:

NACTV coverage of Election Forums engaged students on their views and perspectives on political participation

Traiter des cuisines collectives par TVRP a été reçu positivement par la collectivité

"Canada-Africa: Bridging the Trade Horizons," aired about two weeks ago, and the response from our viewers has been nothing short of phenomenal. We're thrilled to share with you the highlights and the overwhelmingly positive feedback that has poured in.

My name is Gabriel Meissner, and I am a student from the Humber College Film Program. I became a volunteer at Focus Media Arts in April, for my internship, where I would record various events (SDP meeting, Regent Park police quarterly meeting, Art Heart celebration, etc.), co-host a podcast about news on the Toronto East Side, and conduct interviews. In mid-May, I made a video about the Allan Gardens Encampment, and the neighborhood petition to have it removed.

ST. ANDREW'S, NEW BRUNSWICK - There might not seem to be much in common between the southern Cape Breton region of Isle Madame and a New Brunswick community that counts Grand Manan Island and Campobello Island among its points of interest.

But those involved with the Local Journalism Initiative (LJI) at  Telile Community Television in Arichat, N.S. and CHCO-TV in St. Andrews, N.B. see it differently - and they have been working cooperatively since early 2021 to show their viewers the ties that bind these two seemingly-disparate Maritime regions together. 

ARICHAT - The Member of Parliament for Cape Breton-Canso is no stranger to the Telile Community Television headquarters in Arichat, particular since the station's participation in the Local Journalism Initiative (LJI) program dovetails with Mike Kelloway's entire political career and covers nearly the same four-year period. 

The Arctic Winter Games 2023 were hosted in Wood Buffalo/ Fort McMurray Alberta, after a postponement due to the pandemic. The congregation of circumpolar communities and nations, to engage in sport and cultural activities, is hosted every 2 years in various communities and is governed within the international Arctic Council. The local journalist and two young volunteers attended the opening ceremonies and some of these world class events.

Once upon a time in the vibrant city of Winnipeg, a tight-knit Ukrainian Canadian community thrived amidst a multicultural tapestry. This community was known for its rich cultural heritage, but there was something missing - the lack of a platform to express themselves in their native Ukrainian language.

U Multicultural believes in the power of language to connect communities. Thanks to that the Ukrainian Canadian community finally had a space to share their stories, history, and experience in Ukrainian.

"Community Hour" embarked on a mission to empower local communities through media. Recognizing the importance of giving a voice to the people, Community Hour organized media training sessions for community members, teaching them the skills needed to operate cameras, write engaging introductions and interview questions, and creating their own programs.

The worst of the COVID-19 pandemic is behind us, and journalists and researchers are now tasked with understanding the lessons of this traumatic collective experience. 

During the last quarter, the NB Media Co-op produced a half-hour talk show — part of our NB debrief series — that examined a disturbing aspect of Canadian society thrust into the spotlight by the pandemic: the crisis in long-term care. 

One researcher who shared her expertise with us has linked more than 22,000 COVID-19 deaths to residential care facilities in Canada. 

By producing content that resonates with the community, "Random Acts of Rural" has fostered a sense of connection and belonging among our audience. The show's focus on rural areas has shed light on the unique stories, challenges, and triumphs of the local population, igniting a newfound appreciation for rural communities and their contributions.

Dryden hosted an event to address the implications of the proposed nuclear waste storage facility coming to the region. This presentation offered a platform for experts and community members to engage in meaningful discussions about the negative aspects of nuclear waste. Organized by the Nuclear Free North Alliance, the event aimed to enhance understanding of the complexities surrounding radioactive waste and facilitate informed decision-making on nuclear waste management.

On May 5th, communities across Canada came together to mark MMIWG (Missing and Murders Indigenous Women and Girls) Day. In Fort Frances, the Rainy River First Nation hosted the event which started with a drum ceremony at the Rainy River First Nation Band office, followed by a march along the highway, taking the crowd to the Rainy River First Nations Pow Wow grounds. 

Fred Alvarado
Dimitrije Martinovic

Impact Statement from NWO Voices (Jack Dawson, Laura Meuckon, Lyndon Hughes)

The Independent Journalist team at Northwestern Ontario Voices have begun the work of addressing many issues facing residents in the communities of Fort Frances, Kenora and Dryden; but the stand-out issue across the region is overwhelmingly homelessness and addiction.

Deepak Bidwai, LJI journalist and Barrie Community Media's sole reporter, has been diligently tracking the proposed alterations by the Barrie City Council, initiated unexpectedly on May 17th, to tackle the issue of chronic homelessness. Nonetheless, Barrie Community Media (BCM) highlighted that the proposed solutions do little to alleviate homelessness and instead aim to penalize average citizens with fines for aiding the homeless.

CHCO-TV can now say it is "big in Japan." The independent community television station based in St. Andrews, New Brunswick caught the eye of editors at Japan's Broadcasting Report Magazine who featured the TV station in an article about the power of community television and the involvement of young volunteers in the creation of local programming. Emilio, Oli, and Lukas, all high school students at Sir James Dunn Academy in St. Andrews, were featured in their article.

The series "Civic Platform" has given Winnipeg communities numerous opportunities over the past few months to have their thoughts heard publicly. including their challenges and their progress in helping the city's various immigrant communities.

ARICHAT - Veronica Merryfield remembers how it felt to be uncomfortable in her own body, and she is using platforms such as those provided by Telile Community Television to ensure that no one else has to experience the trauma she felt as a child in the United Kingdom. 

Télé-cœur et son fondateur, Stéphane Lévesque, ont été officiellement honorés à l’Assemblée nationale le 30 mai 2023, par le député de Nicolet-Bécancour, Donald Martel, pour leur apport à la communauté du Centre-du-Québec.

Télé-cœur - Initiative du journalisme local

Aux dires même du député provincial, Télé-cœur est devenu devenue une source incontournable d’informations locales. Stéphane Lévesque s’est dit ému par cet hommage, lui qui considère que son travail est des plus stimulant.

One of the first areas that the Local Journalism Initiative allowed was Neepawa’s NACTV to expand was into the adjacent municipalities, enabling the station to cover not only the municipal council meetings for Neepawa itself but also the Municipality of North Cypress-Langford and the Rural Municipality in Rosedale. Both municipalities have seen a rise in engagement over the past year thanks to LJI coverage of the issues that the respective Councils are tackling, bringing what was once behind closed doors in the Council chambers into the homes of residents.

As I write this report I took some time to ponder on the role of a journalist, specifically how rural communities can benefit from having access to the services of a journalist. A journalist can be defined as a person who is responsible for the collection and dissemination of news or information. Improvements in technology have led to an increase in the availability and consumption of media, yet there is a danger that much of the information being distributed might underline hidden agendas and lead to an increase in misinformation.

La persévérance de l’équipe journalistique de la Télévision communautaire des Érables (TVCE) a permis la diffusion en direct des séances de consultation publique sur l’éventualité d’une fusion municipale entre la Ville et de la paroisse de Plessisville. Refusée au début, les demandes de diffusions ont été approuvées par les maires concernés et ont eu un impact positif pour la population locale.

The series "Civic Platform" has given Winnipeg non-profit organizations numerous opportunities over the past few months to have their thoughts heard publicly, including their challenges and their progress in helping the city's various immigrant communities.