Nancy Morris introduced our guest speaker for the evening, Mr. Paul Samyn. He has been part of the Free Press newsroom for more than a quarter century, working his way up after starting as a rookie reporter in 1988. And if you count the time spent delivering the newspaper as a boy growing up in St. James, his connection to the Free Press goes back even further.
As a reporter, Paul wrote for every section of the paper, covered elections, wars overseas and the funerals of a Royal Princess and a Prime Minister. The graduate of the University of Winnipeg and Red River College helped lead the Free Press`s political coverage for a decade as its Ottawa bureau chief before being named City Editor in 2007. In the summer of 2012, Paul was promoted to Editor, becoming only the 15th person to hold that office since the Free Press began publishing in 1872.
It is important for a community to have a local daily newspaper to help the community feel connected. The paper provides shared stories and information about decisions that will affect their lives. One can only imagine what could happen if the newspapers were not present to ask the important questions of our representatives. To speak truth to power.
Recently, the New York Times had to let ½ of their newsroom staff go due to falling revenues. The Winnipeg Free Press (WFP) now has a larger newsroom staff than the N.Y.Times. The story is the same locally, when Paul was younger he had a paper delivery route in Silver Heights /St. James. In 1980 he delivered ~100 papers on his route, the same route today has only 61 subscribers to the WFP. When the circulation numbers are crunched, Charleswood has the largest readership in the city. From 1950s through to 2015 the number of households with a WFP subscription is on a constant downward slide. This can be explained by other media sources coming into society. First was television, then the internet. With the reduction of readership comes a falling voter turn-out as well. In the 1977 election there was a 75.6% voter turn-out. For the 2016 election only 50.7% of registered voters came out to vote. When people are not reading and understanding the issues that a community faces, a certain apathy sets in. Senator Keith Davey was quoted as follows. “What happens to the catsup or tiling industry affects us as consumers. What happens in the publishing business affects us as citizens.”
As the Knight Commission on the Information Needs of Communities in a Democracy has stated, news and information "are as vital to the healthy functioning of communities as clean air, safe streets, good schools and public health." Yet in Canada, thousands of journalists have lost their jobs over the past decade. Broadcasters can barely compete with cheap, often free content on the Internet. Venerated newspapers, some as old as Confederation, have shut their doors.”[09/30/2016 WFP]
All papers across Canada have falling revenues. The WFP is at 73% of revenues in 2016 as compared to 2011. The Globe & Mail is 78%, Toronto Star is at 62%. Post Media is on the verge of bankruptcy at 58% of past revenues. If Post Media fails, then Canada will be the only G7 country with no daily paper published in it`s capitol city, Ottawa.
The WFP has seen a 40% drop from 2005 until present. $10 million to $6.5 million. This means a reduction in staff, reduction in travel – new ways to do what we do must be found.
The WFP regularly staffs 5 bureaus, including Parliament Hill. The Free Press is able to report from Ottawa / Parliament Hill due to having a reporter based in Ottawa. Otherwise, the only information available from the Hill would be from the `Canadian Press`.
There are now 6,367 paid digital subscribers to the WFP. Weekly print subscribers have access to the digital platform as well. Advertising revenue is down while readership revenue is up, but not enough. Newspaper publishers are asking Ottawa for funding. The Federal Government already helps to fund national magazines as well as the CBC. There are 28 cities served by Post Media. As stated earlier, Post Media is near bankruptcy.
The Publisher of the Winnipeg Free Press is optimistic about the future of the paper, but worried about the present. A locally published paper is crucial for a community. There must be local reporters providing coverage of the Legislature, Law Courts, Schools, High School sports, Ultimate Frisbee is in town, MTC, Fringe Festival etc.. We need a local paper!
Q/A
1.-Bob Antymniuk asked where did the revenue go?
A. The internet is a great disrupter. The money has flowed to Facebook and Google. 75% of digital revenue is going to them. Ottawa has allowed tax dollars to be lost to South of the border, U.S.A.
2.-Ed Thompson wondered if online access to WFP is monitored?
A. Analytics are able to be followed, such as what is being read, when it is being read. They can follow by the minute this information. If `JETS` is in a headline, the numbers go up. Also, Miss Lonely Hearts is followed by large numbers.
3.-Darven Jasper asked about the advertising income potential in the digital platform of the paper?
A. The income from advertising is based on the `click rate`. Very low return.
4.-Roh Goenka asked if the decline in readership is worldwide?
A. The NY Times and the Wall Street Journal have the benefit of scale. The L.A. Times is big in readership, but not like the NY Times. The simple answer is – Yes. Newspapers are owned by the very rich with kind hearts. Nordic newspapers do very well, ie. Helsinki / Scotland. In India papers are doing well. Latin America doing very well.
5.- Peter Tonge, why print versions at all?
A. Some publishers are considering going digital only. With the cost of distribution and presses being so high. Of note: La Press in Montreal is now only digital.
6.-Bob Eilers questioned if the WFP tracks demographics of who is using the digital form of the paper?
A. Only if male or female. Not age.
7.-Mark Labossiere noted that the younger generations are very digital.
A. Those generations are very used to not paying for anything that they can view online. Paul`s children do not read the paper.
8. Glenda Werbowski noted that the elderly open-up the Obituaries first!
A.- Yes, this is a high revenue stream for the paper.
Mark Labossiere thanked Paul for his informative and thought-provoking presentation. Paul was advised that a donation in his name would be made to ShelterBox.
