Earlier this month, we shared our appreciation that the federal government had agreed to renew the Local Journalism Initiative for an additional three years.
Further to this, News Media Canada is pleased to announce the renewal of its Local Journalism Initiative program. The association has received approval from the Department of Canadian Heritage as an Administrator Organization for the 2024-2025 cycle.
News Media Canada is currently working with Canadian Heritage to prepare for the next cycle of LJI project funding. We will be sure to provide an update on specific application dates in the coming weeks.
The renewal process will take time and there may be a gap in funding for publishers with LJI projects that end on March 31, 2024. News Media Canada is mindful of the hardship this would impose and is working to minimize this gap.
In the meantime, some publishers may choose to keep their LJI reporter and continue to produce and share the content described in their current funding agreement. Should their project be renewed, they will be able to use the new funds towards their LJI reporter’s salary starting from April 1, 2024.
Please be advised, however, that just because a project received funding in a previous cycle, it does not guarantee it will be renewed. News Media Canada’s LJI program uses a competitive application process, and several factors are considered when determining the approval of any project.
Ultimately, the decision on appropriate next steps remains with individual publishers, who have a keen awareness of the health and bandwidth of their respective organizations. We look forward to sharing more information on funding applications as soon as they are available.