Robert Barron, Phil Melnychuk/Black Press
Expensive, unnecessary relic of a dying era, or a crucial component in the fight to keep the public informed and local government accountable?
That defines how the lines are being drawn on B.C.B次元官网网址檚 latest media battle front.
Politicians want to end the statutory practice of local government advertising in local newspapers.
As it stands today, the Local Government Act requires municipalities and regional districts to notify the public of many pending changes or decisions through a paid ad.
But last fall, the Union of B.C. Municipalities endorsed a motion to change that requirement.
Instead, it wants the government to allow communities to use a variety of media to circulate their notices, providing they prove that they can reach the same or more residents as newspapers.
B次元官网网址淚 think the newspaper avenue for advertising is almost past and I think we should look at other venues for notification,B次元官网网址� Maple Ridge Coun. Craig Speirs said. B次元官网网址淚 think weB次元官网网址檙e wasting our money with newspaper advertising, quite frankly.B次元官网网址�
Closer to home, the Cowichan Valley Regional District recently endorsed a policy shift that would enable local governments to choose their own manner of providing public notice B次元官网网址渢ailored to best serve their local communities.B次元官网网址�
The CVRDB次元官网网址檚 motion, which will be forwarded to the Association of Vancouver Island Municipalities for endorsement, comes with a slightly different motivation.
B次元官网网址paper circulation areas that do not necessarily align with regional district boundaries make it B次元官网网址渃hallengingB次元官网网址� to meet the legal requirement, the CVRD states, adding the closure of regional papers is also a factor.
A Vancouver Island seniors advocate said the proposed change indicates a disregard for seniors.
B次元官网网址淢any seniors are not connected online and still look to the newspapers for information thatB次元官网网址檚 important to them,B次元官网网址� Vicki Holman, executive director of the Cowichan Seniors Community Foundation said.
B次元官网网址淚f they take the public notices out of the local newspapers, many of our seniors will be oblivious to what the regional district is doing, including its hospital development programs which are very important to seniors,B次元官网网址� she said.
The preamble to the resolution endorsed by the UBCM says that, B次元官网网址減rinted newspapers are no longer the only or most effective means of giving public notice.B次元官网网址�
Tim Shoults, president of the B.C. and Yukon Community B次元官网网址papers Association, disputes that.
He said engagement is three times higher from print compared to online material.
And online notices are only effective if people know where to look, he added. However, he agrees there should be a mix of media used for notifying the public.
B次元官网网址淩educing statutory advertising in newspapers B次元官网网址� will harm the newspaperB次元官网网址檚 ability to serve those communities and cover local government.B次元官网网址�
Social media companies such as Facebook and Google B次元官网网址渄onB次元官网网址檛 create any local content and they donB次元官网网址檛 pay professionals to create the local content and to cover local government.B次元官网网址�
He said 79 per cent of English speaking adults in B.C. have read a community paper in the past week.
Statutory advertising B次元官网网址渒eeps local government accountable,B次元官网网址� he said.B次元官网网址淲e still have the best reach in the community,B次元官网网址� Maple Ridge B次元官网网址 publisher Jim Coulter said. B次元官网网址淲e get to every door step. Who else does that?B次元官网网址�
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