Stagwell partners with The Globe and Mail to unveil the research at event bringing together Canadian journalists and industry leaders for discussions around the importance of investing in news advertising

Stagwell, the challenger network built to transform marketing, today released new research in partnership with The Globe and Mail, highlighting a major opportunity for brands to connect with a valuable yet often overlooked audience: Canadian news junkies.

Key Findings Include:

• 22% of Canadians are ‘news junkies,’ checking the news an average of five times per day and reading an average of 8.8 news articles per day.
• An even larger share, 71%, are news readers, reading an average of 6.5 news articles/stories per day.
• Canadians are just as likely to follow news as they are sports (22% vs. 21%, respectively).
• Canadians are more likely to follow news (22%) than they are entertainment (14%).
• No brand safety issues were detected among key demographic groups for advertisers, including Gen Z, moms, high earners and university-educated adults.
• Among Gen Z, the average purchase intent for brands whose ads were placed next to news articles on domestic political content was 61%, compared to 59% for sports and 61% for crime—differences that are statistically insignificant.
• Among high earners, the average purchase intent for brands whose ads were placed next to news articles on global politics was 65%, compared to 69% for business, and 64% for entertainment—differences that are also statistically insignificant.

This latest study, conducted by Stagwell’s research consultancy HarrisX, builds on Stagwell’s Future of News initiative, prior U.S. and U.K News Advertising studies, and research into how CEOs and board directors view news media as a powerful advertising tool.

“As we expand our brand safety research to Canada, the message remains clear: advertisers shouldn’t avoid news—they should embrace it. Trusted news delivers engaged audiences and stronger returns worldwide,” said Mark Penn, Chairman and CEO of Stagwell.

“We’re proud to partner with Stagwell to bring the Future of News initiative to Canada. This research underscores the essential role of news media in upholding a healthy democracy, while also offering brands a trusted environment to build meaningful engagement with Canadians,” shared Andrew Saunders, President and CEO, The Globe and Mail.

Stagwell and The Globe and Mail will explore these findings and more at the Future of News Canada Summit today.

Call Muskoka411 – 705-706-7411

E-mail Muskoka411 – info@muskoka411.com

The post Canadians Echo The Trend: News Advertising Study Reveals Brands Can And Should Advertise In Trusted News Environments appeared first on Muskoka411.

The first ever GHS Pathways Week matched local professionals with subject-aligned classes, to present on topics applicable to the class. Muskoka411 presented on the topic of journalism to English students.

Students learned about careers in the field, and received insight into the day-to-day aspects of working in journalism, media, and communications. They were then tasked with writing a news story, based on a fictitious Holiday-themed press release.

“The community will always see the content we produce but if we can show or teach people how it all works it might benefit them to see if they are interested in a media career,” said Stefan Ottenbrite, Muskoka411 President and CEO. “It takes a village for small towns to collaborate and work well together, and I feel it’s important the media step up and help in any way we can.”

Winners of the news story writing task were awarded local Muskoka Springs craft sodas, and a Muskoka411 pen, to inspire their budding journalism careers.

The post Muskoka411 Visits Gravenhurst High School For Pathways Week appeared first on Muskoka411.

Today, the CRTC is advancing its regulatory plan to modernize Canada’s broadcasting framework and ensure online streaming services make meaningful contributions to Canadian and Indigenous content.

On May 12, 2023, the CRTC launched its first public consultations. After thoroughly examining all the evidence on the public record, including over 200 interventions, the CRTC is issuing its first two decisions.

First, the CRTC is setting out which online streaming services need to provide information about their activities in Canada. Online streaming services that operate in Canada, offer broadcasting content, and earn $10 million or more in annual revenues will need to complete a registration form by November 28, 2023. Registration collects basic information, is only required once and can be completed in just a few steps.

Second, the CRTC is setting conditions for online streaming services to operate in Canada. These conditions take effect today and require certain online streaming services to provide the CRTC with information related to their content and subscribership. The decision also requires those services to make content available in a way that is not tied to a specific mobile or Internet service.

A third consultation is ongoing. It considers contributions traditional broadcasters and online streaming services will need to make to support Canadian and Indigenous content. The CRTC will hold a three-week public proceeding starting on November 20, 2023, and will hear from 129 intervenors representing a broad range of interests.

The post CRTC Will Require Podcasts, Online Streaming To Register With Government appeared first on Muskoka411.

A strong, independent, and free press is fundamental to our democracy. The Online News Act, passed into law this spring, help newsrooms across Canada negotiate fair compensation when their work appears on the dominant digital platforms.

Today the Honorable Pascale St. Onge, Minister of Canadian Heritage, announced proposed regulations to implement the Online News Act.

The proposed regulations provide clarity on which platforms are subject to the Act and greater certainty on what they need to do to obtain an exemption from the mandatory bargaining process. To obtain an exemption, platforms must enter into agreements supporting the diverse production of Canadian news in communities across Canada. The total value of agreements must meet a certain threshold in order to qualify for an exemption.

The regulations and accompanying Regulatory Impact Analysis Statement will be published in the Canada Gazette, Part I for a 30-day public consultation period beginning on Saturday, September 2, 2023. The government welcomes the participation of businesses, academics, civil society and all Canadians. Following the public consultation, the final regulations will be published in the Canada Gazette, Part II. Once finalized, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) will be bound by the regulations.

This process of consultation will further allow respondents to provide their views on the proposed regulations that lay out the thresholds for who the regulations will apply to, the contribution formula to be considered as part of granting exemptions from mandatory bargaining, and how such platforms will contribute fairly to a diversity of news organizations in their contributions.

The CRTC will further define the mandatory bargaining process, the code of conduct to support fairness and transparency, the rules on undue preference or discrimination, and the eligibility of news businesses through their own separate regulatory process. The CRTC recently published details on how it will consult on the implementation of the Online News Act. Information about how to participate is available on the CRTC website.

“Canadians rely on digital platforms to access their news and information, but these tech platforms have to act responsibly and support the news sharing they and Canadians both benefit from. The Online News Act requires these dominant platforms to bargain fairly with news businesses—both big and small. The consultation on the proposed regulations today helps to provide clarity for platforms and news organizations while opening a dialogue toward real results. I look forward to engaging with platforms in a constructive way. I believe we share the goal of ensuring quality access to information and news for Canadians. Tech giants can and must contribute their fair share—nothing more. Canadians expect a vibrant news landscape where we can get the facts when we need them.”

—The Honourable Pascale St-Onge, Minister of Canadian Heritage

No News Is Bad News For Canada: CAJ Urges Meta, Google, Government, And News Organizations To Uphold The Public’s Right To Know

Informing Canadians About Changes To Local News

The post Feds Outline Proposed Regulations For The Online News Act appeared first on Muskoka411.

With the adoption of the Online News Act (Bill C-18), the CRTC is sharing its plan for setting up the bargaining framework for fair negotiations between news organizations in Canada and the largest online platforms.

The CRTC will launch a public consultation this fall to gather views. All comments received will form part of the public record and inform the CRTC’s decision. Everyone who is interested should check out the CRTC’s plan and participate in the upcoming consultation.

• The CRTC will:
  • oversee negotiations once the bargaining framework is in place; and
  • publish an annual report prepared by an independent auditor on its website on the impact of the Online News Act.

• Learn more about the CRTC’s regulatory plan
• Statement by the CRTC Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer, Vicky Eatrides, on the Online News Act

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Informing Canadians About Changes To Local News

No News Is Bad News For Canada: CAJ Urges Meta, Google, Government, And News Organizations To Uphold The Public’s Right To Know

The post CRTC Announces Plan To Implement Online News Act appeared first on Muskoka411.

The Canadian Association of Journalists (CAJ) calls on Meta to reverse its reckless, ill-advised decision, announced yesterday, to soon prevent Canadians from viewing or sharing news articles on its Facebook and Instagram platforms.

“Democracy cannot flourish, let alone exist, without its citizens having access to accurate and quality information to help them make important decisions about how to live their lives,” said Brent Jolly, president of the CAJ.

It’s a chilling irony that after Facebook and Instagram have extracted so much wealth from Canadian communities, their parent company has chosen this nuclear option in response to laws allowing news publishers, big and small, to negotiate with them for fair compensation for the hard work of Canadian journalists.

Meta declaring that it would remove access to news on its platform is not without precedent. In 2021, for example, the company temporarily cut off access to news for users in Australia in response to the country’s News Media Bargaining Code. Within a week, the California-based social media company reversed course and began to negotiate with news organizations.

“For more than a decade, journalism has been engaged in a complicated and unbalanced relationship with tech platforms,” Jolly said. “It is our hope that cooler heads will prevail and all parties will engage in good-faith efforts to implement a regulatory framework that supports freedom of information and reflects the critical role journalism plays in keeping Canadians informed of decisions that affect their everyday lives.”

In June, the federal government enacted Bill C-18, the Online News Act, which would compel tech platforms to negotiate with news organizations for financial remuneration for news content shared on their platforms. A report published by the Parliamentary Budget Office last year estimated the Online News Act would bring in over $300 million annually for Canadian news organizations.

Shortly after the bill received Royal Assent, however, Meta and Google responded swiftly and with an iron fist. Meta announced it was unfriending news organizations, from publishers as large as CBC-Radio Canada and The Canadian Press to smaller players, such as The Tyee and CHEK News. It also unilaterally cancelled licensing deals and other pre-existing financial agreements with news organizations. Google, for its part, has said it plans to eventually end agreements with news organizations and restrict Canadians’ access to Google News and Showcase pages.

“It is extremely troubling that the moment these private companies are subjected to democratic oversight, and other collective bargaining obligations, their immediate reaction is to set fire to their lofty and long-held rhetoric about building an informed public,” Jolly said. “Like any autocratic government, these powerful tech giants are limiting freedom of speech and thought to get their way.”

We note there is little chance of unanimous thinking with regards to the potential impacts of the Online News Act, particularly across our association’s diverse membership. That said, the CAJ strongly believes Google, Meta and other social media platforms must play a role in strengthening journalism in Canada.

While critics of the legislation have frequently labelled the Online News Act as a “link tax,” one factor that is seldom discussed in greater detail is the reality that tech platforms are currently using news content, produced by journalists, to train artificial intelligence models in order to compete for the trillions of dollars in potential AI revenue.

With the actions Google and Meta are taking in Canada, they are showing the world that they are willing to limit a nation’s access to information rather than risk current and future revenue.

“What has become obvious is Meta and Google refuse to provide fair compensation for the news content on their platforms that is integral to their business models despite the fact that every country in the world that respects copyright has laws around payment for use of content,” Jolly said.

“Radio stations pay to play songs. Broadcast news organizations buy video to use in newscasts. Newspapers pay photographers for their photos. Tech platforms should not be exempt from paying for content that feeds algorithms and helps their bottom line.”

In the coming weeks, the federal government will be publishing important details that will be critical to establish a fair and transparent regulatory process. This exercise will have a considerable impact on shaping the future of Canada’s journalistic and information ecosystem.

While Meta has said it is not interested in participating in the process, this does not change the fact that Canadians have the fundamental right to a free press. Governments, similarly, have the obligation and the right to create policies that will support journalism.

Ottawa has responded to these threats from tech platforms by pulling government advertising dollars from Meta, an action that has been re-doubled by media organizations, labour groups, and other provincial governments alike.

If Canada is truly keen to lead the world in this stare-down with Google and Meta, a two-track approach is needed.

The first is a longer-term task that will address the need for Canada to undertake a comprehensive review of its copyright laws, such as the one recently undertaken by the European Union. Around the world, governments and individual lawmakers are only beginning to understand the sweeping changes coming from the exponential growth of generative artificial intelligence.

Second, and more pressing, is the need for Ottawa to ensure that the regulations associated with the Online News Act are implemented fairly, equitably and transparently.

The CAJ maintains that any financial remuneration extracted from tech platforms be directed towards expanding the number of editorial positions available in what are rapidly-contracting Canadian newsrooms. The public interest is best served through the production of more public service journalism.

“Our message to the federal government is simple: Don’t back down or cave into pressure tactics,” said Jolly.

“Platforms will, no doubt undertake complex strategies to seek exemptions, particularly as it relates to small, start-up, BIPOC-led news organizations. Foreign-owned tech companies, however, cannot be allowed to dictate winners and losers when it comes to the right to know of Canadians. The eyes of the world are looking to Canada to see how this process plays out.”

The Canadian Association of Journalists is the country’s largest professional organization that serves to advance the interests of journalists from coast to coast to coast. The CAJ’s primary roles are public-interest advocacy work and professional development for its members.

The views and opinions expressed in this press release are those of the CAJ and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Muskoka411.

The post No News Is Bad News For Canada: CAJ Urges Meta, Google, Government, And News Organizations To Uphold The Public’s Right To Know appeared first on Muskoka411.

You might not be aware of this, but the way you get your news in Canada is going to change, and it’s changing fast, right before your eyes.

The Federal Government has passed Bill C-18, the Online News Act. This bill will make it increasingly difficult for you to find out what’s going on in your community. You will no longer be able to find your favourite news outlets on Facebook, Instagram and Google. If there’s something big happening in your community, you will not be able to “Google it” or check Facebook for trustworthy news sources.

The government claims the bill “introduces a new bargaining framework intended to support news businesses to secure fair compensation when their news content is made available by dominant digital news intermediaries and generates economic gain.” Simply put, the bill will require companies like Google and Meta to pay Canadian news outlets for distributing articles and other news content on their platforms.

The way the bill is written will make it impossible for local online news outlets to be financially feasible. We were hoping that the Federal Government would work with Google and Meta to come up with a plan that everyone involved could work with. That didn’t happen, and today we find ourselves dealing with the full removal of all news from Facebook, Instagram and Google. That’s why Google and Meta are fighting back.

We want to be very clear: we do not want or need any government intervention. Our businesses are flourishing in the social media environment the way things are right now. We hope that the government and these companies can work together to come up with a solution so we can be left alone to operate our business as we see fit.

Here’s what we do for you that you won’t see anymore: Traffic, road closures, fire bans, severe weather alerts, threats to public safety, active police incidents, small business advertising, local sports and community organizations, community barbecues and events, fundraisers and local feel-good stories that we enjoy writing and you enjoy reading, etc.

If there’s a particular news outlet that you enjoy, please subscribe to their mailing list to ensure you don’t miss out on local news. You can contact your local MP and ask them to work with Google and Meta to find a solution. You can also contact the minister responsible for the bill, Pablo Rodriguez, at pablo.rodriguez@parl.gc.ca.

We are already feeling the impact of Bill C-18 with some popular online news outlets having their content removed from view in Canada. We were told this was not going to happen until at least the end of the year, but it’s already happening.

Please join our team and do your part so that Canadians can continue to enjoy local news. If you are unable to see any local news content, please report it to Google and Meta.

Thank you,

Click Here to sign up for our daily newsletter

The post Informing Canadians About Changes To Local News appeared first on Muskoka411.

We join other Canadian media organizations that are calling for Canadians’ access to news to be protected

CBC/Radio-Canada is pausing its advertising on Meta’s platforms, Facebook and Instagram, as some other Canadian news organizations announced earlier today. Last month, Meta announced its intention to block access to all news content prior to the Online News Act (C-18) coming into effect at the end of this year.

Access to news, a plurality of voices and a diversity of viewpoints are all cornerstones of a healthy democracy. We join other Canadian media organizations that are calling for Canadians’ access to news — all news, from all outlets, both public and private — to be protected.

The post CBC/Radio-Canada Pausing Advertising On Facebook And Instagram appeared first on Muskoka411.

In light of unusual trading activity, Postmedia Network Canada Corp. (“Postmedia”) today confirmed that Nordstar Capital LP (“Nordstar”), owner of Metroland Media Group and the Toronto Star, and Postmedia have entered into non-binding discussions to consider a combination of Postmedia, together with the Metroland newspapers and certain operational assets of the Toronto Star, through a potential merger transaction.

The merged entity, which is yet to be named, would be jointly owned and jointly controlled by Nordstar (which would have a 50% voting interest and 44% economic interest) and existing Postmedia shareholders (who would have a combined voting interest of 50% and a combined economic interest of 56%).

Jordan Bitove, Publisher of the Toronto Star and owner of Nordstar, would be Chairman of the merged entity and Andrew MacLeod, CEO of Postmedia, would be CEO.

The Toronto Star would maintain its editorial independence from the merged entity through the incorporation of a new company, Toronto Star Inc., which would manage editorial operations of the Toronto Star. Nordstar would retain a 65% interest in Toronto Star Inc., and Jordan Bitove would remain Publisher of the Toronto Star.

The merger contemplates a significant reduction in overall debt through a conversion of a portion of the outstanding debt to equity, resulting in significant economic dilution to existing shareholders. This will result in an overall reduction in debt of the merged entity, providing it with stability to preserve and grow a strong national editorial infrastructure and maintain important brands.

“The core rationale for the proposed merger is to create a new entity with reduced debt, national digital scale to compete with the global technology giants and economies of scale in the business model. The proposed merged entity would provide the best opportunity to ensure strong news media coverage for Canadians from coast to coast,” said Andrew Macleod, President and Chief Executive Officer of Postmedia. “The news media industry in Canada and around the world is under existential threat, new models are urgently required. Scale, reach and efficiency are all prerequisites for future success and to compete with the global technology platforms. Canadians deserve and expect world-class journalism from trusted sources, and we are committed to preserving the editorial independence of all our newsrooms,” added Mr. MacLeod.

“The viability of the newspaper industry in Canada is at an extreme risk, especially in the small towns and communities that are important to this nation. By pooling resources and working collaboratively, we can ensure that more Canadians have access to trusted journalism and quality reporting. This will strengthen our democracy and protect the fabric of our country,” said Jordan Bitove, Publisher of the Toronto Star. “Preserving the editorial independence of our newsrooms, including the Toronto Star, is of particular importance to this arrangement going forward.”

The companies stress that the negotiation of this transaction is ongoing and is currently in the form of a non-binding Letter of Intent. There can be no assurance that definitive agreements will be entered into and on what terms. Any definitive agreement, if entered into, would be subject to a number of closing conditions and there are no assurances that such conditions will be satisfied or waived and the transaction will close.

Postmedia does not currently intend to disclose further developments with respect to the potential merger unless and until a transaction is entered into or negotiations otherwise conclude without a transaction being entered into.

The post Postmedia And Toronto Star In Talks To Merge appeared first on Muskoka411.

The annual CJF Tribute recognizes media luminaries who have made an exceptional journalistic impact on the international stage. Past recipients include André Picard, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Anna Maria Tremonti, Nobelist Maria Ressa, Jodi Kantor with Megan Twohey, Jake Tapper, Tina Brown with Sir Harold Evans, Malcolm Gladwell and David Suzuki.

The Tribute will be presented at the CJF annual Awards evening on June 13 at the Fairmont Royal York in Toronto.

“Lisa LaFlamme is a powerful voice in journalism in Canada and beyond; a force for good who represents journalism’s power to make a difference in telling stories that matter,” says CJF chair, Kathy English. “On this global day to celebrate women, the CJF is thrilled to announce Lisa as our 2023 Tribute honoree.

“In her professional excellence and integrity, Lisa has long been a role model, mentor and friend to so many women in journalism. There is no one more deserving of the CJF’s 2023 Tribute.”

Visit the CJF Awards Site for details on the June 13 ceremony.

An award-winning journalist and broadcaster, LaFlamme began her broadcasting career in 1989 at CKCO in Kitchener, where she became the co-host of the station’s evening and nightly newscasts. In 1997, she was hired to work on Newsnet, CTV’s new 24-hour news channel. Just a year later, she became Newsnet’s primary news anchor and then, following a stint on the CTV’s flagship morning show, Canada AM, LaFlamme was named national affairs correspondent for the prime-time CTV National News, where she eventually became chief anchor and senior editor.

Throughout her career, LaFlamme has brought the world into Canadians’ homes, covering events of global significance, including the 9/11 attacks, the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, Hurricane Katrina, and wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. A trusted presence across Canada, LaFlamme has covered national elections, Royal weddings, papal visits and every Olympic Games from 2006 to the present. In 2019, she became an Officer of the Order of Canada. Following her departure from CTV last year, LaFlamme has continued to personify excellence in Canadian journalism, covering the death and funeral of Queen Elizabeth II as a special correspondent for CityNews and travelling to Kenya, Tunisia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo with Journalists for Human Rights to promote the work of reporters telling stories of gender-based violence.

LaFlamme’s former boss, Wendy Freeman, past head, CTV News, and current CJF Board Member says: “Lisa is a true champion for women in journalism and a passionate advocate in promoting women’s rights worldwide. She has inspired and continues to inspire an entire generation of women journalists.”

Farah Nasser, anchor of Global News at 5:30 & 6, will host this year’s CJF Awards Ceremony.

Other awards to be presented at the ceremony include:

• CJF Jackman Awards for Excellence in Journalism;
• CJF Edward Burtynsky Award for Climate Photojournalism;
• CJF Lifetime Achievement Award;
• The Landsberg Award;
• CJF Award for Climate Solutions Reporting;
• The Martin Wise Goodman Canadian Nieman Fellowship; and
• CJF-Meta Journalism Project Digital News Innovation Award.

Fellowships to be recognized include:

• CJF-CBC Indigenous Journalism Fellowships;
• CJF Black Journalism Fellowships Program; and
• Tom Hanson Photojournalism Award.

The CJF is grateful to 2023 Tribute sponsor Google News Initiative.

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