Manitoba’s Special Legislative Committee on Local Journalism is in the middle of a historic public hearing process that may reshape how local news is supported across the province.

Formed in response to the growing crisis in journalism, including shrinking newsrooms, media closures, and rising “news deserts” in both rural and urban areas, the committee is tasked with reviewing the state of local media and making recommendations to ensure its survival and renewal.

Among the organizations presenting this week was U Multicultural, Manitoba’s only ethnocultural community TV and radio broadcaster licensed by the CRTC. Founder and Executive Director Taya Rtichsheva delivered a message, calling on the province to direct more of its advertising budget toward small, local, and community-run outlets that reflect Manitoba’s full diversity.

“We’ve heard the message from the provincial government to ‘Buy Local,’ but when the government spends millions on advertising campaigns, they don’t include stations like ours,” said Rtichsheva. “We serve Indigenous and newcomer audiences in multiple languages. Yet we were left out of major campaigns intended to reach the very communities we work with daily.”

Why These Hearings Matter

The hearings were launched earlier this year following growing concern about the state of local journalism in Manitoba. The decline of print media, loss of regional newsrooms, and the dominance of large corporate broadcasters have led to a lack of relevant local news in many parts of the province, particularly in smaller towns and marginalized communities.

The committee’s goal is to hear directly from people working in journalism, education, policy, and media production to better understand what’s missing, what’s working, and what can be done. So far, testimonies have come from newspaper editors, journalism professors, rural reporters, and community broadcasters, all pointing to a need for bold, structural change.

One widely supported idea is the earmarking of 25% of Manitoba’s total advertising budget for local media, a concept modeled after federal recommendations and Quebec’s own provincial strategy. Advocates argue that even a small shift in ad spending could stabilize dozens of community media organizations and help rebuild trust with audiences.

U Multicultural’s Call to Action

During her presentation, Rtichsheva offered a clear and urgent message: community broadcasters are doing essential work, but they’re doing it without sustainable funding, infrastructure, or consistent inclusion in government outreach.

U Multicultural is a non-profit, licensed broadcaster based in Winnipeg, that serves more than 30 ethnocultural and Indigenous communities, producing content in five Indigenous languages, Inuktitut, Ojibwe, Cree, Dakota, and Oji-Cree, as well as multiple immigrant languages. It’s also a training ground: since 2019, the organization has helped over 300 individuals, including newcomers and Indigenous youth, develop media and journalism skills.

“We are a gateway,” Rtichsheva explained. “Many of the people who come to us were journalists, editors, or producers in their home countries. They’re here now, in Manitoba, ready to contribute, but there’s no system in place to support their transition into the local media landscape.”

Key Proposals

In addition to asking for a share of government advertising, U Multicultural proposed three long-term strategies:

1. A Manitoba Community/Local News Media Fund
   Inspired by Quebec and Australia, this fund would offer operational support to nonprofit community broadcasters across the province. It would allow stations to cover basic costs, invest in training, and produce consistent local content.
2. Workforce Development for Journalism and Media
   While Manitoba supports workforce training in the film industry, there is currently no equivalent funding for community journalism, audio production, or multilingual broadcasting. U Multicultural is advocating for a dedicated training fund for journalists and media workers, particularly for underrepresented communities.
3. Support for Indigenous-Led Media Production
   U Multicultural is working to establish the Reclamation Studio, a new television and FM radio production space that would be fully operated and managed by Indigenous professionals. The initiative is designed to give Indigenous communities control over their narratives and provide opportunities for cultural preservation through media. A proposed site has been identified in Winnipeg’s historic Hudson’s Bay building. Despite meetings with government officials, the project has yet to receive a formal response or support.
   

A Larger Conversation

U Multicultural is not alone in its call for change. Presenters at the hearings described the damage caused by shrinking ad revenue, limited access to government messaging, and lack of local presence by national broadcasters. Some rural papers have not received provincial ads in years. Others warned that without targeted government intervention, dozens of community newsrooms could disappear in the next five years.

Rtichsheva urged the committee to recognize that community media is not an add-on or niche; it is foundational to a functioning democracy.

“Local journalism isn’t just news. It’s how people see themselves reflected in society. It’s how they connect, speak, and are heard,” she said. “And unless we invest in these platforms, we will keep silencing entire communities.”

What’s Next

The committee will continue hearing from presenters throughout the summer and is expected to deliver a report with formal recommendations to the Legislature by the end of the year.

For U Multicultural, the hearings represent a critical opportunity to be seen, not just as a broadcaster, but as a builder of democratic infrastructure.

“We hope to hear from other community media outlets as the hearings go on,” Rtichsheva said. “The future of journalism in this province depends on all of us being at the table.”

The post OP-ED: U Multicultural urges Manitoba to rethink government ad spending appeared first on Broadcast Dialogue.

Submitted by Taya Rtichsheva, founder and executive director of U Multicultural, a Canadian ethnocultural community multimedia platform. U Multicultural operates as a television and radio broadcaster as well as a media training centre, with headquarters located in Winnipeg, Manitoba. 

The Government of Canada has identified community television and radio broadcasters as essential pillars of the nation’s media landscape. These community media outlets are uniquely positioned, offering irreplaceable services that commercial broadcasters cannot match. Unlike commercial media, community media are owned and governed by volunteer boards of directors and managed by a combination of staff and volunteers. Content is produced by professional journalists, producers, and community members eager to share their voices.

Despite being owned by commercial broadcasters and operating under the obligation to provide community access to comply with CRTC regulations, community access services do not meet the definition of community broadcasters. These access studios, often under-utilized and poorly promoted, predominantly air repeat content, failing to serve their communities effectively.

In contrast, community media platforms such as U Multicultural, actively engage with local communities, delivering content on a wide range of local issues, news, and other topics. Additionally, nonprofit community media also provide training opportunities for individuals interested in broadcasting, allowing them to produce and air their segments on TV and radio. These media hubs serve as vital resources for ethnocultural, Indigenous, and racialized communities. U Multicultural offers services to over 30 ethnic and Indigenous communities, and much of its content is produced by community members the organization has trained. Many of these community producers have found employment with U Multicultural, becoming official voices for the ethnocultural communities of Manitoba.

While community access studios rely on commercial funding, community services like U Multicultural sustain themselves through diverse revenue streams, leveraging tools, including social media platforms and streaming services. However, U Multicultural has faced significant challenges due to the recent implementation of the Online News Act, which has led Meta to block Canadian media outlets from its platforms, including Facebook and Instagram. This blockade has severed U Multicultural’s connection with over 30 ethnocultural and Indigenous communities, highlighting a critical gap in the support for community media.

During the CRTC’s recent efforts to modernize Canada’s broadcasting framework, there were discussions on how to better engage Indigenous and ethnocultural communities in the media sector. Preliminary engagement sessions with industry stakeholders and creators were held to shape a future public consultation. Despite U Multicultural’s Executive Director and Founder Taya Rtichsheva, and Chair Paulo Bergantim providing concrete recommendations to the CRTC, their input was not included in the subsequent steps.

U Multicultural representatives also attended CRTC public hearings in Ottawa in November, advocating for the support of community, ethnocultural, and Indigenous broadcasters. Despite these efforts, the CRTC’s recent decisions have demonstrated a lack of recognition for the contributions of community media. Community broadcasters have been excluded from basic contributions to the Canadian broadcasting system required from online streaming services.

Despite their acknowledged importance, questions remain unanswered regarding the exclusion of nonprofit community media from annual funding. U Multicultural serves over 30 ethnocultural and Indigenous communities by providing media training and helping produce diverse content in various languages. The CRTC’s framework does not address how it will support this engagement or why these groups have been excluded from funding plans. Additionally, community broadcasters carried by commercial cable providers do not receive contributions from these services, even though they are included in commercial cable packages sold to customers. This exclusion places community broadcasters at a significant disadvantage compared to commercial channels, which receive a percentage of revenue to reinvest in production and operations.

These issues raise serious doubts about the “effectiveness” and “inclusivity” of the proposed broadcasting framework revisions. With U Multicultural being conveniently excluded from crucial platforms and funding, one has to wonder if the CRTC will ever actually consider the needs and recommendations of ethnocultural and Indigenous communities in shaping Canada’s media landscape. After all, actions speak louder than words, right?

The post OP-ED: Government claims to support media diversity but leaves community broadcasters in the dark appeared first on Broadcast Dialogue.