Where do you turn for reliable local news? The answer is not always obvious.

Finding reliable and independent local journalism can depend on where you live in Canada. A new project led by a group of veteran journalism professors aims to make it easier for people to identify news outlets that serve their communities. The Canadian Local News Finder, funded by Heritage Canada, will create a bilingual, open-source directory […]

All news is local: Why local journalism is critical infrastructure that builds trust

When local newsrooms disappear, the resulting vacuum doesn’t stay empty. It is filled with rumour, imported outrage and foreign-manipulated narratives engineered to divide. As reported by The Globe and Mail, researchers at the University of Regina tracking the Alberta separatism debate found roughly 80 per cent of flagged disinformation was linked to Russia. Brian McQuinn, […]

The line between criticizing the press and trying to undermine it

Just what was said: “Having press freedom comes with a tremendous responsibility,” then-president of the White House Correspondents’ Association Weijia Jiang said at the WHCA Dinner on July 24 as she introduced U.S. President Donald Trump. The annual dinner had been cut short three months earlier after a gunman attacked the gathering in an alleged […]

What should Dispatch cover next?

Thank you for being a loyal reader of Dispatch, World Press Freedom Canada’s newsletter. Our mission is to keep readers informed about press freedom in Canada and abroad. A new chapter: As we approach the publication’s fourth anniversary, we’re planning to publish Dispatch monthly. We’d like your input: What would you like to see more […]

Afghan women journalists are being erased

Freshta Hemmati and Shogofa Danish are refugees from Afghanistan and permanent residents in Canada. They — along with colleagues in Germany, France and the United States — are the co-founders of Women Organization for Rights, Dignity and Speech, a non-profit advocacy group based in Calgary. Five years after the fall of Kabul, women journalists face […]

Nothing to see here

A monthly peek at the records Canada releases — and what it withholds: As shared by Dean Beeby, a World Press Freedom Canada board member and author of the Substack newsletter Journalism, Transparency, and the Art of FOI. Got an ATI response that says almost nothing? We want to see it! Send it our way.

‘It’s absolutely vital.’ U.K. envoy Rob Tinline on why press freedom matters

The spread of misinformation and disinformation in the age of AI, coupled with the decline of local news, poses a “really significant challenge” to press freedom, says Rob Tinline, the British high commissioner to Canada. Tinline spoke to Dispatch ahead of the fifth annual media freedom dinner, which the high commission will host later this […]

On World News Day, stand with journalists

World News Day takes place Sept. 28. Join us in recognizing the journalists and media workers committed to truth and fact-based reporting. In an era of misinformation, AI-generated content, threats and growing pressure on the press, protecting journalists and defending their freedom to report without fear has never been more important. World Press Freedom Canada […]

Pakistan tightens restrictions on international media

Pakistan has imposed sweeping restrictions on international media, requiring journalists to obtain permission to report anywhere in the country except Islamabad, Karachi and Lahore. The rules, introduced after international outlets reported on deadly protests in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, have drawn strong criticism from journalists and press freedom advocates. Nasir Zaidi, a former secretary-general of the Pakistan […]

Safety fears silence U.K. journalists

Growing threats and harassment are prompting journalists to self-censor their coverage of right-wing protests, Donald Trump’s administration and trans issues, according to a government-backed investigation in the United Kingdom. Nearly half of those surveyed say safety concerns affected their reporting. The study, based on 531 journalists and 55 interviews, found that women face particularly severe […]