Free Press — not Facebook — will always be your trusted news source By: Paul Samyn Posted: 5:32 PM CDT Friday, Jul. 7, 2023

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 07/07/2023 (1172 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

For years, it’s been a common refrain that made newspaper editors shake their collective heads.

“I don’t need to subscribe, I get all my news from Facebook,” was the explanation from those who migrated away from newspapers in favour of the offerings from the social network.

You’d remind them that Facebook was a platform, not a newsroom. You’d point out that Facebook didn’t employ a single reporter, photojournalist or editor. You’d impress upon them that Facebook was never going to ensure there was coverage of key developments in their community. None of that resonated as the free website Mark Zuckerberg founded kept getting bigger and richer, while those in the actual news business continued to struggle.

In a move that belies its mission statement about building community and bringing the world together, Facebook has officially declared it will disconnect Canadians from news on its feeds.

Today, however, Facebook has finally made clear its status regarding news: It has formally unfriended news for Canadians.

In a move that belies its mission statement about building community and bringing the world together, Facebook has officially declared it will disconnect Canadians from news on its feeds. The retaliatory strike launched by Facebook’s parent company, Meta, at the newly passed federal Online News Act will also see Instagram block Canadian news.

Sadly, Facebook and Instagram aren’t alone in this tech tycoon tantrum over the latest efforts to regulate these corporate giants that believe they are above regulation. Google, the world’s most popular search engine, has served notice it will no longer include links to news stories unless Ottawa backs down on its legislative plan to have tech giants compensate Canadian news outlets for the use of their content.

Having swallowed up the advertising revenue newspapers depended upon to underwrite the cost of producing journalism, the two digital juggernauts are intent on inflicting more pain in ways that not only hurt the Free Press and newsrooms from coast to coast, but also the ability of Canadians to find information they can trust.

While no shortage of vile and vice will continue to be welcomed on those platforms, Meta and Google are determined to deny access to independent fact-based journalism produced by Canadian newsrooms.

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Imagine a scenario in which you hear about a horrific highway crash involving a busload of seniors and a semi-trailer. You go to Google and start typing key words such as “Carberry,” “Trans-Canada Highway” and “collision.” Instead of your search yielding stories from the Free Press — including exclusive aerial images that help explain the tragedy — or other Canadian news outlets, you come up with next to nothing.

Similarly, what happens when a neighbourhood is on edge because of coyote attacks that have sent two children to hospital? You want to share news updates on Facebook. You want to ensure your friends and others in the community are aware and can protect themselves and their children. Under Facebook’s edict, that platform will no longer be a means to connect your friends with news links they need to read.

While Google and Meta have made it clear they want out of the news business, the Free Press is doubling down on our commitment to deliver the information needed by our growing audience. In the days ahead, we will reach out to remind everyone we are the search engine Manitobans have trusted since 1872. We will mount a campaign to help light the way for those left in the dark by Facebook, to make sure they realize we have a full suite of free newsletters featuring a wide range of information and analysis. The Free Press will also cease advertising on Facebook.

As always, our website will be there 24/7 with the latest news. You don’t need to rely on Google or Facebook to find our stories if you go directly to the source: winnipegfreepress.com. As always, the oldest newspaper in Western Canada will print a daily edition that builds on our proud legacy of 150 years of service to Winnipeg and Manitoba.

Meta and Google are determined to deny access to independent fact-based journalism produced by Canadian newsrooms.

And as always, we will be forever grateful to our subscribers and eager to welcome new readers willing to pay to support our journalism.

I don’t want to minimize the effect of these developments on those of us who have the job of keeping Canadians informed.

But I also have hope that once Canadians fully understand Silicon Valley is turning its back on news, they will be more willing to support a newspaper such as this one in the Red River Valley.

— Paul Samyn is the Free Press editor

paul.samyn@freepress.mb.ca

@paulsamyn

Paul Samyn
Editor

Paul Samyn is the editor of the Free Press, a role which has him responsible for all this newsroom produces on all platforms.

A former Free Press paperboy, Paul joined the newsroom in 1988 as a cub reporter before moving up the ranks, including ten years as the Free Press bureau chief in Ottawa. He was named the 15th editor in Free Press history in the summer of 2012.

Paul is the chairman of the National Newspaper Awards, a member of the National NewsMedia Council and also serves on the J.W. Dafoe Foundation, named after the legendary Free Press editor. Read more about Paul.

Paul spearheads the Free Press‘s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press’s history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.