'We must rethink local journalism', says new grad who won top prize for this essay

I remember liquor-fumed vomit draining toward my feet on the Red Arrow bus heading to my hometown of Edmonton. I carefully sidestepped the mess pooling near my feet and hogged my luggage off the bus.

It was my last day as a reporter in Bonnyville, a small Alberta town of 6000 people because I had resigned.

The town went months without another journalist. Meanwhile, I eagerly awaited getting accepted into a masters program to pivot careers.

When the industry was more profitable, the town's paper used to have multiple reporters covering different areas of the community. Now, as the only reporter in Bonnyville, I covered everything: school board meetings, Junior A hockey games, and annual holiday events.

Eight to 10 stories were expected each week by the end of each Thursday. Most weeks were a struggle to make the deadline. 

The isolation was brutal, with barely anyone around my age to socialize with. I couldn't even tell you the name of a single person who lived in my apartment during the entire time I lived there. To make matters worse, most people I talked to barely seemed to recognize the local newspaper's name.

At $42,000 per year, I didn't think it was worth sacrificing my mental health.

My story is a microcosm of the greater state of Canada's journalism industry: underpaid reporters, long hours, and an under-informed public.

Over the last 15 years, more than 500 local news operations have shut down in nearly 300 communities across Canada.

When I heard I was accepted into Western University's Master of Media in Journalism and Communication (MMJC) program In London, Ontario, I was over the moon. 

I took the MMJC program to transition to a career in communications, but I've realized we have everything we need to change the journalism industry.

There are so many amazing local stories that don't get covered simply because Canadian newsrooms don't have enough resources or staff.- Kieran Fong

All students take the same five courses during our first semester, including a video storytelling class. For my story, I decided to cover a sustainable fashion show that first-year Fanshawe College Design students put on. The design students crafted beautiful outfits made from upcycling materials from stores like Goodwill and modelled their looks on a makeshift runway at the Covent Garden Market.

At the fashion show, professors and students alike described the power of the social impact they were making when I interviewed them. I left that event feeling empowered, knowing there were people actively looking to improve their community in a meaningful way.

My classmates were the only journalists to cover the event. Mainstream media was nowhere to be found.

There are so many amazing local stories that don't get covered simply because Canadian newsrooms don't have enough resources or staff. According to the Reuters Institute Digital News Report, from 2015 to 2024, the proportion of 18-24 year olds who were extremely or very interested in the news dropped from 55 per cent to 33 per cent.

During an era where all age demographics are increasingly becoming news-avoidant, we cannot afford to continue with the status quo.

Local journalism is essential for community and democracy. When nearly six in ten Canadians feel little or no sense of community, something is profoundly wrong in our society. 

Every single city in Canada should have multiple papers covering local issues and not just one owned by an American hedge fund (I'm looking at you, Postmedia).

Here are a few of my solutions:

• Journalism organizations should be able to register as non-profits for charitable donations, as seen with The Local in Toronto.
• Independent journalists should consider forming coops and creating new outlets funded by readers, like The Rover in Montreal.
• Futile legislation like the Online News Act, which bans all legitimate news posted on Instagram and Facebook, should be overturned.
• Finally, more government funding is needed for public broadcasters like the CBC.

By embracing these solutions, we can revitalize local journalism, strengthen our communities, and ensure a healthier democracy.