Cornwall Ontario – In 2017 news outlets simply are folding under the financial pressures of the industry. Pressure from an essentially unregulated industry. Pressure from a digital takeover of media ads via US conglomerates in anti-social media, and simply a loss of two streams of revenue have seen older established newspapers fold or on life support as media struggles with ways to have the resources to do its job.
Small communities, like Cornwall, suffer the most. When media outlets are fiscally limited it means they don’t have the resources to cover the stories they want to, or in many cases need to. It also allows government’s and special interest groups more leverage over media such as the time that a particular lawyer, who’s now a judge, saw their family business threaten a local paper over their domestic charges which the public still isn’t aware of.
Today, a viewer sent me an email and informed me that they were making a donation. Any donation is wonderful, even the tiniest, but Mr. Steven Forrest, ex military personnel here in Cornwall who volunteers in several organizations and is a key supporter of Friends of Vets and local pride activities shocked yours truly with an extremely generous Gold level donation. In fact it was the largest personal donation we’ve received to date. I even asked Steve if it was from one of the groups he works with rather than himself personally!
He provided the following statement:
We hear plenty about Shopping and Buying Local. Cornwall Free News is Locally Owned and Operated. Competition for good news articles is Tough and Political. Cornwall Free News raises awareness on matters that we should know about. The news published on Cornwall Free News is not fluffed and has no alliances with Groups and Organizations. That is what makes Cornwall Free News great news. No Clicks here or Old Boys Club.
I have seen Jamie in difficult situations trying to get News. Also then Rising above and giving his abilities to help. It’s a tough Business. My Gift of Donation is my showing thanks for giving us some really good news to talk about.
Frankly Mr. Forrest’s donation is touching in that he’s not a wealthy person. His donation would be akin to Gerry Benson or just about anyone named Kaneb donating $100K. There are good people that truly care about their community and truly give. Not just go to council and ask for cash for vanity projects while they push for lumpy loafs like David Murphy to become a puppet mayor.
There are over 40,000 people in Cornwall and this newspaper averages over 65,000 unique visitors per month which translates to over 100,000 actual visitors (UV are based on IP numbers, essentially like a home phone having more than one person using it in a residence or business). If 2% of them donated as little as $25 per year we’d be able to hire another writer, and expand our coverage and service.
Local news is important. After all it’s where we live. If you care about your community it’s important to support your local media which you can do in more ways than just clicking the donate button because after all, nothing truly of value is truly for free.
Support them on anti-social media. Interact. Leave relevant, civilized, and thoughtful comments. Share the content you like. Productively criticize the content you don’t.
What many forget is that digital media means every facet is counted. We know what you click on and what you don’t. We can’t force you to read. But this newspaper does listen. Our valued viewers send us in stories. They come to us for help. Sometimes, like Mr. Forrest today, they help us.
A good newspaper is a reflection of its community. Not all are as open as CFN. Just read our Mission & Vision statements. It’s truly an asset worth supporting and having because there are days we all need help and CFN has been here to help many even if we rarely write about most of those we do help.
So if you care about your community and want us to do more and keep rolling please click that donate button below that will take you to our Paypal donation page.
And thanks to all who read us as frequently as you do from all over Canada and the World!
Good on you Steven Forrest, you’re an example for us all!
A wonderful gift to CFN and thank you Mr. Forest. Jamie you have the best paper in town and I said that over and over again and I mean it. Keep up the great work.