Struggle in daily brings eyes to weekly

By Ryan Jones

While daily newspapers are cutting costs and laying off reporters, weekly papers remain largely unaffected.

On Jan.24 Postmedia announced a layoff notice for the Windsor Star cutting six positions, five including editorial. An article on Postmedia’s website stated that a loss in ad revenue due to social media was the cause of the cost cuts that lead to the layoffs.

When asked about the situation, Windsor Star’s assistant managing digital editor Donald McArthur had no comment.

The functions of daily and weekly newspapers differ. Tina Ongkeko, managing director of Newspapers Canada, said there are more departments and employees at a daily compared to community weekly newspapers.

“With the community newspaper you’ve got a smaller staff and you’re covering a lot more at the local level,” said Ongkeko. “At the daily newspaper you’re covering local as well as regional, national and international.”

Compared to daily publications, ad revenues are not as much of an issue for weekly newspapers. According to the Connecting to Canadians with Community Newspapers 2013 study by Newspapers Canada, 73 per cent of Canadians in non-urban centres read a community newspaper.

Peggy Thompson, advertising sales representative and publisher for River Town Times in Amherstburg said weekly papers find strength through the community while daily papers must adjust to cost cuts.

“There are many theories on why daily newspapers are struggling and weekly newspapers are thriving,” said Thompson. “Weekly newspapers are much more involved in their communities than daily [papers]. The only newspaper that will give you local stories, [local] news and [local] opinions is your local weekly.”

The River Town Times delivers to 9,400 dwellings, free of charge, in Amherstburg, River Canard, McGregor and Colchester.