Latest news with #GlacierMedia
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Former Unifor members laid off from Glacier Media papers launch their own newspaper co-op
VANCOUVER, BC, June 4, 2025 /CNW/ - Following the closure of Glacier Media's digital community newspapers in April and May, which affected the jobs of Unifor Local 2000 members, journalists are now banding together to form a worker co-op with the goal of launching a newspaper in regions of British Columbia. "This grassroots project exemplifies the tenacity and dedication of journalists who care about their communities and the work they produce," said Unifor National President Lana Payne. "This is not just a fight against news deserts, but a battle for democracy." Four longtime community news reporters have joined forces with Unifor and the Union Cooperative Initiative to launch the Save Our Local News campaign. This bold initiative aims to create a fresh, trusted and reliable news publication in the growing communities of New Westminster, Burnaby and the Tri-Cities. The Glacier Media closures affected the communities of Burnaby, New Westminster, Port Moody, Anmore, Belcarra, Coquitlam and Port Coquitlam, contributing to the troubling news deserts in Metro Vancouver. Glacier Media said it is keeping all non-union websites online and will continue to print the non-union publications North Shore News and Delta Optimist. "Thousands of residents and organizations in the Tri-Cities, Burnaby and New Westminster communities have lost access to their longstanding local news publications with the recent closures of the New Westminster Record, Burnaby Now and Tri-City News," said Unifor Western Regional Director Gavin McGarrigle. "This has sparked interest in developing a new worker-led and community driven model for local news — one that puts communities over profits." Unifor is donating $5,000 to this project. The co-op is asking the community to support their campaign and fundraising efforts by signing up at Unifor represents more than 10,000 media workers, including journalists in the broadcast and print news industry. Unifor is Canada's largest union in the private sector, representing 320,000 workers in every major area of the economy. The union advocates for all working people and their rights, fights for equality and social justice in Canada and abroad and strives to create progressive change for a better future. SOURCE Unifor View original content to download multimedia: Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Cision Canada
04-06-2025
- Business
- Cision Canada
Former Unifor members laid off from Glacier Media papers launch their own newspaper co-op
VANCOUVER, BC, June 4, 2025 /CNW/ - Following the closure of Glacier Media's digital community newspapers in April and May, which affected the jobs of Unifor Local 2000 members, journalists are now banding together to form a worker co-op with the goal of launching a newspaper in regions of British Columbia. "This grassroots project exemplifies the tenacity and dedication of journalists who care about their communities and the work they produce," said Unifor National President Lana Payne. "This is not just a fight against news deserts, but a battle for democracy." Four longtime community news reporters have joined forces with Unifor and the Union Cooperative Initiative to launch the Save Our Local News campaign. This bold initiative aims to create a fresh, trusted and reliable news publication in the growing communities of New Westminster, Burnaby and the Tri-Cities. The Glacier Media closures affected the communities of Burnaby, New Westminster, Port Moody, Anmore, Belcarra, Coquitlam and Port Coquitlam, contributing to the troubling news deserts in Metro Vancouver. Glacier Media said it is keeping all non-union websites online and will continue to print the non-union publications North Shore News and Delta Optimist. "Thousands of residents and organizations in the Tri-Cities, Burnaby and New Westminster communities have lost access to their longstanding local news publications with the recent closures of the New Westminster Record, Burnaby Now and Tri-City News," said Unifor Western Regional Director Gavin McGarrigle. "This has sparked interest in developing a new worker-led and community driven model for local news — one that puts communities over profits." Unifor is donating $5,000 to this project. The co-op is asking the community to support their campaign and fundraising efforts by signing up at Unifor represents more than 10,000 media workers, including journalists in the broadcast and print news industry. Unifor is Canada's largest union in the private sector, representing 320,000 workers in every major area of the economy. The union advocates for all working people and their rights, fights for equality and social justice in Canada and abroad and strives to create progressive change for a better future.
CTV News
23-05-2025
- Business
- CTV News
‘Nobody to tell those stories': Concern over news deprivation after Metro Vancouver closures
Mario Bartel has spent decades covering local news in Metro Vancouver, capturing the voices that connect us. 'We're all very invested in our communities,' he said, referring to his and his colleagues' work at the now defunct Tri-City News. In February, Glacier Media announced the outlet, as well the Burnaby Now and the New Westminster Record would be shuttering. A statement posted online by the company said Glacier Media, 'explored all possible options to maintain operations' but the industry's 'ongoing financial challenges have made it unsustainable.' The three publications spent decades as print newspapers but in August 2023 transitioned to online-only. Bartel had worked at the Tri-City News for eight years with stints at other local papers. 'I'm sad for the people, for our communities, because they won't have us to share their stories,' Bartel said. 'I'm scared' In April, the online outlets published their final digital articles. The dearth in local reporting is already being felt at a municipal level. In New Westminster, there are no longer any journalists covering city council, according to Patrick Johnstone, the city's mayor. 'I'm scared, actually,' he said. 'I'm scared for what it means for our community, and what it means for our ability to talk about what's happening in our community.' Municipalities respond Some municipalities, including Port Moody, are trying to fill this gap. In April, city council approved a new communications approach to share what it's working on with residents. Staff are also finding ways to address the spread of conflicting information online. While Johnstone understands why municipalities may be taking this approach, he doesn't think it can replace the role of journalists. 'We're not journalists,' he said. 'It's a very different thing for us to communicate to the community, but to have journalists actually vetting the information that's coming out and, you know, holding us to task and keeping us truthful.' News deprivation The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives published a database in March, looking into how news deprived communities across the country are. It found that about 2.5 million Canadians live in a postal code with no local news. David Macdonald, a senior economist with the institute, said, the decline in publications covering local news is leaving the public news deprived. 'That's the real danger here, is if you don't have local journalists covering it, someone else will substitute for it, often with misinformation.' For Bartel, he's worried who will cover city council, school board meetings and those who shape our cities. 'There's nobody to tell those stories,' he said. 'And you wonder what the cost of that is going to be.'
Mint
28-04-2025
- Mint
Who is Kai-Ji Adam Lo? Suspect of Vancouver Lapu Lapu festival tragedy that killed 11
Vancouver's Lapu Lapu festival saw a disturbing event on April 27, when a car ploughed into a crowd, resulting in deaths and injuries of people. According to the police, the incident happened after 8 pm (local time) near E. 41st Avenue and Fraser, where Filipino members had gathered to celebrate. Kai-Ji Adam Lo is a 30-year old resident of Vancouver. He reportedly has a history related to mental health issues. After ramming an SUV through a crowd at a Filipino community festival in the western Canadian city, Canadian prosecutors have charged him for killing 11 people aged between 5 and 65 and injuring dozens. He faces eight counts of second-degree murder, including more charges anticipated. According to NYT, the authorities arrested him at the scene and he "was known' to law enforcement and mental health care professionals prior to the incident, police said. There were no exchange between police and Lo 'immediately leading up to this event. This is the darkest day in our city's history,' Steve Rai, Vancouver Police Chief, said. Lo allegedly hit the race down the street in a black SUV. 'He just slammed the pedal down and rammed into hundreds of people. It was like seeing a bowling ball hit — all the bowling pins and all the pins flying up in the air,' festivalgoer Kris Pangilinan informed CBC. 'We're all OK physically, but honestly, I'm still very shaken up. I'm in shock and have been experiencing panic attacks after witnessing everything that happened,' Jen Idaba-Castaneto, one of those who participated in the festival, told Glacier Media. Eyewitness Dale Selipe told the Vancouver Sun that she witnessed injured children on the street after the vehicle crashed into the crowd. She stated, 'There was a lady with her eyes staring up, one of her legs was already broken. One person was holding her hand, trying to comfort her.' Festival security guard Jen Idaba-Castaneto informed a local news site that she saw bodies everywhere. "You don't know who to help, here or there," she stated. First Published: 28 Apr 2025, 11:54 AM IST
Mint
28-04-2025
- Mint
Vancouver Lapu Lapu festival tragedy: Eyewitness recounts horror, ‘bodies everywhere, lady with eyes staring'
Vancouver saw a disturbing incident where a car rammed over crowd at Lapu Lapu festival around 8 pm (local time), claiming eleven lives. According to police, incident took place as Filipino community members gathered in huge to celebrate it. They have taken the driver into custody. 'A number of people have been killed and multiple others are injured after a driver drove into a crowd at a street festival at E. 41st Avenue and Fraser shortly after 8 p.m. tonight. The driver is in custody. We will provide more information as the investigation unfolds,' the Vancouver police said on X. Local media cited eyewitnesses saying that a black SUV sped through the festival, striking several people as it moved through the crowd. They described the driver as a young Asian man who appeared to have mental health challenges. Videos surface on social media show bodies lying on the street post the car attack, as emergency crews rushed to rescue those alive. 3. Canada PM Mark Carney extended his condolences to those killed. He assured the federal government's full support after speaking to Mayor Sim. He said, 'I spoke with Mayor Sim this afternoon following the attack at last night's Lapu Lapu festival. I offered my condolences and the federal government's full support. We will be there for the people of Vancouver and the Filipino-Canadian community as you heal from this tragedy.' 4. Attendees shared their shocking experience. 'We're all OK physically, but honestly, I'm still very shaken up. I'm in shock and have been experiencing panic attacks after witnessing everything that happened,' Jen Idaba-Castaneto, one of those who took part in the festival, told Glacier Media. 5. The Vancouver police ruled out an act of terrorism. 'At this time, we are confident that this incident was not an act of terrorism,' it posted. 6. According to the police, the suspect, identified as Kai-Ji Adam Lo, 30, of Vancouver, was charged with eight counts of second-degree murder, with more charges anticipated. 7. Eyewitness Dale Selipe shared with the Vancouver Sun that she observed injured children on the street after the vehicle crashed into the crowd. She said, 'There was a lady with her eyes staring up, one of her legs was already broken. One person was holding her hand trying to comfort her.' Festival security guard Jen Idaba-Castaneto informed a local news site that she saw bodies everywhere. "You don't know who to help, here or there," she stated. 8. The police arrested Lo and he appeared in the court following it. Authorities termed Lo as having had a "significant history" of interactions with authorities, including mental health. 9. Police stated two dozen people were injured, some critically, and admonished that the death toll could increase in coming days and weeks, Bloomber reported. 10. Vancouver Police Department (VPD) has set-up a 24-hour assistance centre at the Douglas Park Community Centre, 801 West 22nd Avenue. It said, 'Anyone who cannot attend in person can call 604-717-3321 to speak with a victim-liaison officer. Witnesses who have not yet come forward are asked to contact the Vancouver Police Department's Homicide Unit at 604-717-2500 and speak with investigators.' The festival honours the Filipino anti-colonial leader from the 16th century, Lapu Lapu, and this year, it coincides with the weekend before Canada's election. The event included a parade, a film screening, dancing, and a concert, with two members of the Black Eyed Peas listed among the performers, according to the organisers. Lapu Lapu Day is observed in the Philippines to commemorate the indigenous chief who led his forces to defeat Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan in battle in 1521. First Published: 28 Apr 2025, 09:14 AM IST
