From layoffs and budget cuts to insufficient amounts of funding and public engagement, public broadcasting media from our news channels like CTV, CBC/Radio-Canada, The Globe and Mail, the Ottawa Citizen, and the National Post, may cease to exist. Let this article be a way to learn more about them, how their future is at stake, and how we can help them today.
Where are they headed?
News companies are currently trying to find the happy medium between Westernized engaging content that most consume today on their socials, and factual information for times of crisis and daily updates so they aren’t steering too far from their mandate, history, and purpose. In my public broadcasting course this year I’ve learnt that they might be improperly funded to keep them afloat and see positive changes to their audience’s levels of engagement. This includes government funding as well as any sponsorships or partnerships that they may have. With people of our generation preferring to rely on their own understanding of the world around them using their electronic devices and today’s newer applications, the future of news media is looking a little rough. Unless another pandemic happens that takes the world by storm as they patiently wait and are continuously checking in for updates on recent happenings and updates on what’s next, news media might cease to exist.
What Can they do?
They could figure out a way to gain profit from social media platforms by partnering with them or their well-acclaimed content creators as opposed to simply creating social media platforms for each of their channels. They could create Canadian content like shows, commercials, and movies that are true to their purpose and character as well as the population of today and stream them on their websites, sure, but also platforms like Netflix. All in all, the possibilities are endless and I’m sure they’re aware of all if not most of them. As long as they have the money and the help, maybe their future will be longer lived.
What Can We do?
While they may someday cease to exist as we choose to get our news elsewhere and we are their future audience, the only thing we really can do is support them as much as we can today. Whether that be tuning in to their broadcasting times on the radio every morning on our commute to work or school or watching and reading the news on our devices any time of the day when we can spare a few minutes of our time, I think anything could help them so that we don’t lose their presence entirely in our day-to-day lives. So, what’re you waiting for? Have you seen what the news has been saying lately about the weather, conflicts, and other trending topics?