The City of Montreal has announced a one-time assistance program for printed newspapers, with funding of $2 million.
Posted at 11:47 a.m.
“From the 1er December 2022, the owners of local printed newspapers will be able to apply for subsidies for each local newspaper produced and which meets a few criteria”, indicated in a press briefing Luc Rabouin, responsible for economic and commercial development within the executive committee of the City of Montreal.
Each newspaper that meets the criteria will be eligible to receive a non-refundable grant of $85,000.
“A publisher who has several local newspapers could make a request per local newspaper,” said Luc Rabouin.
To be eligible for the subsidy, the publisher must be the owner or occupant of a building located in the Montreal agglomeration. The subsidized local newspaper must be delivered to the doorsteps of the residents of the territory served. It must have a circulation of at least 3,000 copies, be written by at least one content journalist, and be distributed at least six times a year “for the purpose of informing the local population”.
“We believe that with this financial support of two million dollars, our local printed newspapers will have a breath of fresh air,” said Luc Rabouin. We know that this does not solve all the problems, but it will give them oxygen to start or accelerate their process of transition to business models that are adapted to today’s reality. »
The problems to which he refers relate in particular to the issue of door-to-door distribution of local newspapers in the Publisac.
A municipal by-law adopted last spring stipulates that as of May 2023, the distribution of flyers and other publicity will be restricted to citizens who express the desire. Transcontinental indicated that it could not continue to distribute its Publisac under these conditions. Canada Post could take over, but at higher rates.
With this grant announcement, the city is responding to one of the three recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Local Newspapers of the City of Montreal, in its report submitted in January 2022.
The other two called for the publication of municipal public notices and calls for tenders in local newspapers and the creation of a municipal book of civic and commercial information which would be slipped into local newspapers.
“This is the next step, this is what we have to do, and we should, by the end of the year, specify our plans on this,” informed Luc Rabouin.
Andrew Mulé, president and CEO of Metro Media, publishes 15 local newspapers out of the 20s that the city plans to join with this program.
PHOTO ALAIN ROBERGE, THE PRESS
Andrew Mulé, President and CEO of Metro Media.
“I think it’s a great first step,” he commented. It really shows their willingness to support the local newspaper. This grant, however, does not solve his distribution problem.
“Canada Post’s costs remain four times higher than our current costs,” he says. Today’s announcement is good, but we also have to look to the future. »
A municipal advertising program directed at weeklies would provide additional and long-term support, but would not be the only solution.
“The question of local newspapers is broader than just Montreal, recognized Luc Rabouin. We also hope that the other levels of government will take this issue seriously. »
“We have a new Minister of Culture and Communications. We can’t wait to talk to him. We have also begun representations with the federal government. We would like the government to be able to support the distribution of local newspapers with a preferential rate by Canada Post. »