An update on CJC’s application process to receive compensation pursuant to the Online News Act

News businesses that missed the previous open call conducted by Google may also apply, but their eligibility to receive funds is subject to a pending decision by the CRTC.

Apply to share in compensation from the Online News Act – Deadline November 1, 2024. Click here to apply.

CLARIFICATIONS
To follow up on last week’s Q&A session we would like to share the following clarifications to our FTE Calculation and Payment Distribution Policy.

If you have already submitted your application and these clarifications affect the total number of employee hours or freelance fees please contact info@cjc-ccj.ca for support.

Local Journalism Initiative (LJI) Journalists
Please include the total number of all employee hours spent creating original news content, regardless of the source of funding for their position.

Columnists
Many columnists include original reporting, interviews and research in their columns. These are tasks that qualify as original news production and should be counted towards the total employee hours spent on original news production or freelance fees dedicated to original news production.

Analytics
In the policy published on October 1, monitoring analytics was included in the list of tasks that qualify as the original news production but we’ve heard clearly from our stakeholders that these tasks should not qualify. Analytics and monitoring and tracking the reception and impact of the story has been removed from the list of tasks that qualify as original news production.

In the policy published on October 1, vacation hours were not eligible to be counted in the total number of employee hours. We have heard clearly that vacation hours should be included.

When calculating employee hours spent creating original news content, vacation hours must be counted proportionally to the amount of hours the employee spends producing original news content.

For example, if an employee works 40 hours per week and spends 20 hours per week creating original news content, a news business can include half of the hours they spend on vacation in the total number of employee hours spent creating news content.

We would like to clarify that photography and photojournalism is now included in the list of tasks that qualify as original news production.

Translation
Translation is now included in the list of tasks that qualify as original news production.

Interpretation is now included in the list of tasks that qualify as original news production.

Advertorial
Advertorial content is now included in the tasks that do not qualify as original news production.

We are seeking clarification from the CRTC on this point. In the meantime, we encourage news businesses who publish online via PDF or issuu to apply but your eligibility to receive funds is subject to clarification by the CRTC.

The CJC board commits to a robust policy and procedure to protect the confidentiality of news business data internally. Data will only be handled by staff tasked with administering funds, not board directors or corporate members.

In the case that a news business is being audited to verify eligibility or claims in its attestation, that audit will be conducted by a third party accounting firm. Data will only be provided to directors when needed, such as making a decision regarding eligibility rejection or funding clawback due to a misrepresentation found in the news business’ attestation.

In these hopefully rare cases, data will only be provided on a need-to-know basis and strict conflict of interest policies will require competitors to recuse themselves. These principles will be documented formally in our policies and procedures before any work is done with the data submitted for membership.

In regards to what is shared publicly, we note that the CJC will only make public the amount of funding it awards to individual businesses. No other data specific to a news business will be made public. This requirement is a key part of the agreement with Google and a non-profit best practice.

If you have questions or would like to share your thoughts, please contact info@cjc-ccj.ca.