Disappearing Headlines
News companies across Canada are going out of business and journalism jobs are disappearing. And we've seen what happens when reliable news sources go away – "fake news" and disinformation prosper. It’s time to take action.
Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau’s office on February 4, 2021
On February 4, Canadians across the country woke up to something different: a blank front page of their newspaper that posed a simple question: what if the news wasn’t there when we needed it?
While news companies across Canada are going out of business and journalism jobs are disappearing, Google and Facebook – two of the richest companies in history - use their monopoly power to pocket 80% of online advertising revenues. These corporate giants benefit from the news content produced by Canadian journalists and publishers via the traffic they provide – without paying for it.
Toronto Star wanted to develop a campaign that would speak to Canadians and their elected policy-makers, so that they felt invested in media industry regulation. Not a sexy topic and not a simple ask, however we needed Canadians to take notice. The approach: rather than preach about the importance of journalism, we demonstrated the consequences of its absence. Partnering with News Media Canada, we shared the campaign assets culminating in nearly 100 newspapers creating a united rallying cry across the industry and country. The campaign sent a clear signal to Ottawa and our Canadian government that it is time to step up and support the journalism industry in Canada.
Media:
Global News - https://lnkd.in/gH-Q_r5
