Google, Facebook vow to block Canadian news after Bill C-18: What it means for The CJN and you

It’s an uncertain time for the future of journalism in Canada. Bell Media announced layoffs and closed radio stations; Postmedia and the Toronto Star’s parent company are talking about merging; and Google and Meta, the company that owns Facebook and Instagram, threatened to block Canadian news from their platforms because of an ongoing feud with the federal government. That move leaves Canadians, including The CJN’s audience, in danger of having less access to vital information about our world, and threatens the country’s journalism industry as a whole—which relies heavily on visibility on social platforms and search engines to reach our audiences. So what does the future hold, and how will it impact what you can read, hear and watch? We’ve assembled a panel of experts to break it all down and offer tips for what you can do while the dust settles. On The CJN Daily, we’re joined by three key players in the country’s media landscape: Paul Godfrey, the former executive chairman and founder of Postmedia; Yoni Goldstein, the CEO and editor in chief of The CJN; and author Jeffrey Dvorkin, currently a lecturer at Massey College in Toronto, who has formerly been the head of CBC Radio and the ombudsman at NPR. What we talked about Learn how you can bypass Facebook and Google by supporting The CJN directly. Read about how The CJN pivoted during the pandemic to a new business model, in The CJN Learn more about Jeffrey Dvorkin’s book, Trusting the News in a Digital Age, and where to buy it Credits The CJN Daily is written and hosted by Ellin Bessner (@ebessner on Twitter). Zachary Kauffman is the producer. Michael Fraiman is the executive producer. Our intern is Ashok Lamichhane (@jesterschest on Twitter).Our theme music is by Dov Beck-Levine. Our title sponsor is Metropia. We’re a member of The CJN Podcast Network. To subscribe to this podcast, please watch this video. Donate to The CJN and receive a charitable tax receipt by clicking here.