While, for several days, everyone has been passing the buck about the abolition of the Publisac, we often forget that it is not only circulars that are distributed in this way, but also local newspapers. However, without an affordable mode of distribution and without concrete public aid, we risk witnessing the near and definitive disappearance of the local press.
Posted at 4:00 p.m.
Often considered the main source of information for millions of Quebecers, local weeklies such as neighborhood newspapers provide an essential showcase for events, businesses and organizations in their community, large and small. Without them, many of the communities in which we live would lose their vibrancy and appeal.
Although the abolition of the Publisac is scheduled for May 2023, the City’s announcement had an immediate effect that took everyone by surprise.
The Publisac has been so demonized in recent months that by association, some customers no longer wish to advertise with us, thus causing a significant drop in revenue as sudden as it was unforeseen.
As the vast majority of our newspapers are distributed by the Publisac, one can easily imagine the impact.
To remedy this situation, we could turn to Canada Post, and that is what we are doing in the Verdun–L’Île-des-Sœurs sector as part of a pilot project. However, this option is much more expensive than the Publisac and we estimate that a complete switch to Canada Post would result in additional costs of nearly $2.5 million per year, which is enormous for a small business like ours.
Expensive migration to digital
Another solution lies in a complete transformation to digital, and this is what Métro Média plans to do in the more or less short term. However, such a project is extremely expensive and full of pitfalls. The disappearance of our main current mode of distribution therefore comes too soon. The drop in revenue that results directly from a decision over which we have no control will prevent us from achieving this transformation which represents the future of our publications.
To this day, we salute the decision of the City of Montreal to want to abolish the Publisac – a decision which is unanimous from an environmental point of view. However, Mayor Valérie Plante also announced last April that the City of Montreal was going to set up a form of compensation that would help local weeklies find other distribution methods. This aid would allow local media, like ours, to survive the time to migrate to a new business model that is more digitally oriented. Almost six months have passed and the first draft of what this financial assistance might look like is still pending, as time is running out.
We are therefore today collateral victims of a decision that makes sense from an environmental point of view, but whose perverse effects had been underestimated.
The damage is already visible and we have already made some difficult decisions. Others will follow if nothing is done quickly. The situation is so critical that the local press sector needs help now. Whether through the measures promised by the City of Montreal or through an effort on the part of other levels of government, this assistance is absolutely necessary to allow the local press to survive.
Some will say that this situation is part of an inevitable transformation of our society and that newspapers are a thing of the past. Allow me to disagree with them. The local press is and must remain a central element of a healthy democracy and must continue to reflect our communities. Yes, we have to adapt our ways of doing things and we do. But without help, we’re not going to make it. I therefore ask the question: can we run the risk of seeing a large part of our precious democracy crumble before our eyes? Personally, I don’t think so and I hope I’m not the only one.