Community newspapers will have to rely on readers, not advertisers, for support if they want to survive post-pandemic, says the head of Alberta’s weekly newspaper association.
Morinville News publisher Stephen Dafoe published an editorial April 28 saying the online publication could shut down in a month due to low revenues caused by the sagging economy and COVID-19 shutdowns.
The publication is one of the three main news outlets in Morinville, including the Free Press and the St. Albert Gazette, and has been active since 2010.
“It’s not easy times,” Dafoe said in an interview, with his company’s revenues down 60 per cent now relative to last year.
Dafoe, who also serves on town council, said he’d normally support the news side of his outlet with his video and social media operations, but both of those are also struggling nowadays. He’s put off equipment purchases and taken on more work himself, but since his company is basically a one-man show (he has two freelance writers), there’s not much for him to cut.
Dafoe said he’d keep Morinville News active for May and see if he has enough cash at the end of it to stay open for June.
“I’d love very much to continue to June 11 at minimum,” he said, as that would mark 10 full years of operation.
“If there’s support to continue the publication, we’ll do that, but if it’s going to continue to operate at a loss, as it has, then we’re simply going to have to close up.”
Tough times all around
Alberta’s community papers were already struggling with the shift to online ads and readership prior to the pandemic, with many newsrooms merging or (in the case of the Edson Leader and Hinton Parklander) closing entirely, said Dennis Merrell, executive director of the Alberta Weekly Newspaper Association. Most have seen their revenues cut in half since the pandemic started, with many laying off workers or switching to online-only editions as a result.
Ed Cowley, who publishes The Free Press, The Review and Heartland eXtra out of Morinville, said he had to lay off all his part-time staff soon after pandemic restrictions came in in March as ad revenue plunged, and that his company’s future was murky.
“Without a doubt, there are papers that will not be around (later), and you do your best to make sure you’re not one of them,” he said.
The federal government is buying $30 million in ads to support media outlets during the pandemic, some of which will go to community papers, Merrell said. They also announced a 25-per-cent wage tax credit for newspapers last year that is just getting off the ground now.
Long term, Merrell said community news outlets need to develop a sustainable business model as advertisers head online. That will likely mean turning to readers for direct support through donations or subscriptions – something that could be a challenge in smaller markets.
Dafoe said he is encouraging readers to buy ads or make donations, the latter of which he hopes to use to run ads for area non-profits. He has also considered running his publication as a non-profit.
Merrell said the pandemic had solidified the importance of the news media for many, and hopes this would translate into more support for community papers.
“These newspapers are the lifeline of communities and too important to lose,” he said.
Dafoe said local papers capture the pulse of a community and cover the stories the big outlets don’t bother to show, like the kid who gets a garbage truck to come to his home for his birthday.
“We’ve never been here for the money. We’ve been here to provide community news because it’s something I’m passionate about.”
