Home

Application Process Open for “Local Journalism Initiative”

CACTUS and the Fédération des télévisions communautaires autonomes du Québec (the Fédération) will take applications from community television organizations until September 6th to hire a journalist under Heritage Canada's Local Journalism Initiatve (the LJI). The Initiative will fund “civic journalism” in underserved communities, to address the gaps in local news coverage that have arisen in the wake of community newspaper closures, and the outflow of local ad dollars onto international platforms such as Google and Facebook.

According to the LJI web site “Civic journalism covers the activities of the country’s civic institutions (for example, courthouses, city halls, band councils, school boards, federal Parliament or provincial legislatures) or subjects of public importance to society.” Coverage of sports, arts, and entertainment will not be funded.

The content produced with LJI funding will be made available to media outlets across the country free of charge under a Creative Commons License.

CACTUS will disperse funds to not-for-profit community TV organizations that have the capacity to produce video and television content, and to distribute it to their local communities. Program participants must have a mandate and capacity to train and include citizens and local organizations in the production process. CACTUS' goal is that hosting LJI journalists will not only boost the news production of program participants for the 18 months of the pilot project, but build their capacity for the long haul.

To download an application form to hire a journalist, click here:

If you have questions about the program or the application process, contact:

  • lji@cactusmedia.ca or (819) 456-2237 or (705) 279-5729 in all provinces and territories except Quebec

  • fedetvc@fedetvc.qc.ca or (888) 739-1616 in Quebec

Besides CACTUS and the Fédération, six other “Administrative Organizations" will disperse funding under the Local Journalism Initiative to news organizations that specialize in radio, print, online and ethnic media. For more information, see click here.

This project has been made possible by the Government of Canada.