World Press Freedom Canada is disturbed by news of 16 layoffs at Ontario’s public broadcaster, TVO, with online journalists among those impacted. It’s a decision described by now-laid off TVO Today editor-in-chief Graeme Bayliss as a “move almost entirely away from written journalism.”
“Ontarians need more sources of trustworthy information and analysis right now, not fewer. Having said that, I’m proud of what my former colleagues were able to accomplish over the past few years,” Bayliss told The Trillium. “We told the stories that mattered, and we held our political leaders to account. That’s what journalism is about, and I look forward to doing more of it — without fear or favour — wherever I end up next.”
The number of journalists and the resources available to them continue to shrink in newsrooms across the country. Yet the demand for them to maintain the quality, and often the quantity, of their reporting increases.
We know that a robust and well-resourced press is in the best position to speak truth to power, and serve its intended function as a democratic watchdog. How much longer will Canadian media last if layoffs continue at their current pace?
