COMMUNITY
The People’s Press
Across the country, independent local newspapers are holding up a mirror to their communities.
By Melanie Morassutti | Illustrations by LeeAndra Cianci
IF YOU FIND YOURSELF visiting a small town in Canada this summer, the quickest way to read its pulse is by parting the pages of the local paper. It’s where you’ll get the scoop on what animates public life there — council news, arena repair updates, an exclusive on the urn found at a local thrift shop, the ashes still inside. Then there’s birth and death notices, classifieds and, of course, the advertising that holds a paper together, paying its staff and flagging spots to get breakfast, buy drywall or see a play.
That is, if that town is lucky enough to have a newspaper. According to a report released earlier this year by the Public Policy Forum think tank, local news providers in more than 340 Canadian communities have folded since 2008. The impact runs deeper than just leaving tourists wondering where to get bacon and eggs. The hazards of losing the “shared commons” of a local newspaper, written about a place by the people who live there, include voter atrophy, less volunteerism and an increase in polarization.
But in many regions across the country, local newspapers continue to beat the odds, publishing independent, locally owned papers that are critical in keeping their communities healthy and informed.
“A viable part of our community”
In 2019, when the owners of The Biggar Independent retired, local resident Dale Buxton didn’t want to lose the town’s paper. It had been a staple for 100 years in his central Saskatchewan community. As a former councillor of Biggar — as well as its marriage commissioner, first aid instructor, print-shop owner and local DJ — Buxton was well acquainted with the inner workings of Biggar. “So, instead of retiring myself,” he says, “I decided to buy [the newspaper].” He hasn’t regretted the decision to oversee the town’s chronicling. “It’s still a pretty viable part of our community.”
Buxton prints 1,000 papers a week, and readership is about 1,600 in a town of 2,000. Some read the paper online, but the bulk of its readers are devoted to the print edition. “There’s something about a Sunday morning coffee break, reading the newspaper,” he says. That also holds for former Biggar residents who want to stay in touch with their hometown by getting their subscriptions mailed to them. The Independent is mailed to subscribers in every province, from B.C. to Nova Scotia, with the exception of Manitoba next door. “I don’t have any subscribers there — yet,” Buxton says.
“Helping put this town on the map”
A little farther west, in Brooks, Alta., Jamie Nesbitt runs The Brooks Bulletin. He’s a third-generation newspaper publisher who has worked in the business for 49 years; his grandfather took the reins of the paper in 1911. These days, the beef plant in town brings growth to the community, offering the Nesbitts an expanding readership — 7,600 papers go out every Wednesday via local carriers, through retail partners and the mail. “[Every week], we put 100 papers in the front entryway [of the office and] they’re gone by noon,” he says.
According to Nesbitt, COVID significantly reduced the paper's staff size, and Google and other online platforms have sucked up ad revenue. But the distribution numbers of The Bulletin show that its value to its community has remained strong. And, as Nesbitt points out, it’s a relationship. “[In return for publishing], we expect the community to support us through advertising. It’s a great trade-off because, you know, we’re at every meeting. I think our greatest accomplishment is helping put this town on the map.”
“Something they can’t get anywhere else”
Matt Goerzen, managing editor of The Brandon Sun, has come to a similar conclusion after spending time in the Manitoba daily’s 143-year archive. “We used to be a source for world news. What’s changed is that readers have so much access to the world now,” Goerzen says. To hold onto local readers, “you better give them something they can’t get anywhere else” — that is, what’s happening on council, or down the block.
One evening this past February, Brandon police had established a perimeter on Princess Avenue and brought in the K-9 unit and an armoured rescue vehicle. Facebook groups buzzed with best guesses about what was going down. “[But] social media only gives you a shallow understanding of what’s going on,” Goerzen points out. When the tip came in, he grabbed a camera and went to talk to an officer and eyewitnesses. The next day, he ran a story that revealed what actually happened. (A shotgun was fired on Fifth Street, two suspects charged.)
Getting tips from locals is a common occurrence. “People come off the sidewalk and tell us what happened to them or they send me a text or write us online anonymously,” Goerzen says. “You’re only as good as your connections in town.” Those include ties to First Nations in the area, a dedicated beat that ensures consistent coverage.
So, what can readers do to keep their paper alive? It’s simple, says Goerzen. “Buy it and read it. And talk to us about it. Be a part of what we’re trying to do, so we can tell your stories even better.” CAA
How to keep the presses rolling
GET A SUBSCRIPTION
A year’s worth of the weekly Biggar Independent costs $50 — “$65 if I have to mail it out,” says publisher Dale Buxton. Those contributions help cover production and staffing costs, effectively keeping the lights on.
BUY AN AD
“Our paper reaches more people in our town than Facebook ads do,” notes Buxton. It’s better access than the algorithm can promise, “and businesses should pay for that,” he says.
GIVE LOCAL BUSINESSES A NUDGE
“I would like to see the local community tell shop owners, ‘Support the paper,’ ” says Brooks Bulletin publisher Jamie Nesbitt. That goes for the government too, he says. “Lobby your provincial and federal representatives to get them to advertise with community weeklies.”
SOUND OFF
“Tell us what we were wrong about. Let us know what we missed,” says Matt Goerzen, managing editor of The Brandon Sun. Interacting with your local paper builds the muscle tissue of community connection.