Federal Lobby Week
November 30th – December 4, 2020
News Media Canada is spearheading an industry initiative to level the digital playing field for newspapers, and the industry needs your help.
Newspaper publishers are encouraged to join News Media Canada’s Federal Lobby Week to promote industry calls for action found in the Levelling the Digital Playing Field report.
View the publisher toolkit online here or click the links below for resource material. Newspapers can provide support in the following ways:
- Set up a virtual meeting with your MP:
- Click here to find your MP contact info
- Click here to download a meeting request email template
- Click here to join a virtual briefing call with News Media Canada and H&K on Thursday November 26 at 5pm Eastern
- Click here to join a virtual briefing call with News Media Canada and H&K on Friday November 27 at 10am Eastern
- Access resources to help guide your MP meeting:
- Click here for the fact sheet
- Click here for an executive summary of the report
- Click here for a meeting script
- Run a house print ad the week of November 30:
- Click here to download print ad material – PDFs and source files available (InDesign available to create custom sizes)
- Publish an op-ed or editorial cartoon to educate your readers:
- Download material here
The time to act for local newspapers is now.
The Issue:
Google and Facebook are global monopolies that are abusing their power and control against news media around the world. In Canada, they’re using their monopoly power to scoop up 80% of online advertising revenues and given a free ride on the news content produced by hardworking journalists and publishers across the country.
We know that real news costs real money to report. But the monopolies are deliberately cutting newspapers off from the sources of revenue to pay for it.
Our Solution:
Governments in other democracies are fighting back. In Australia, they’re putting in place a comprehensive solution to allow their newspapers to negotiate fair compensation with the monopolies. They’re doing it with support from all the main political parties.
The Australian approach is the perfect solution for Canada. It levels the playing field – and does so without relying on government funding or new taxes or user fees. That’s why we are proposing that Canada adopt it.
