McGill’s only French-language student newspaper will survive

A majority of undergraduate students at McGill University voted “yes” in the last few days in a referendum where the future of the OffenseMcGill University’s only French-language student newspaper.

At the end of an online vote held from Tuesday to Friday, 67.7% of undergraduate students at the Montreal university establishment voted in favor of renewing the individual contributions of $6 per year that they pay for fund two independent student newspapers, either The McGill Daily and The offense.

“We would like to thank you for this clear support for independent student media and the creation of a more vibrant student life,” wrote the Société des Publications du Dailythe publisher of these two student newspapers, in a press release issued Friday evening.

In all, 3085 students voted in favor of maintaining contributions to these two newspapers, while 1475 would have preferred to abolish them.

In-Game Survival

Such a referendum takes place every five years, but this year there was great concern among the Offense, since the advertising revenues of the weekly founded in 1977 have melted like snow in the sun in recent years. The newspaper therefore depends more than ever on the contributions of the students of the establishment – ​​which has approximately 20% of French-speaking students – to continue to operate.

“Without this source of income, The offense will not be able to continue to offer the Francophone community at McGill University a platform for expression as well as reputable journalistic coverage and training, as advertising revenues are insufficient to keep us afloat,” the team wrote. from Offense in an editorial published on November 16.

On Saturday, the former journalist from Offense Rafael Miró, who worked for The Press and at Radio-Canada and who is currently in France to complete a master’s degree, he breathed a sigh of relief after learning of the results of this vote. In the last few days, he had decided to campaign to try to motivate students to vote in favor of maintaining this contribution.

“Thank you to all the students who came forward to help us and to mobilize their entourage. Long life to Offense ! he wrote on Twitter on Saturday.

This referendum only concerned undergraduate students. Graduate students will also have the opportunity to vote on the future of these contributions during the winter.

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