Since I assumed the role of editor of Pique Newsmagazine at the beginning of last year, one of my main priorities has been to grow Pique’s audience online.
That’s because, in the face of ever-changing, increasingly online reader habits, we know the only way we’ll have a continued business model—and the only way local journalism in Whistler will survive—is to ensure a thriving online community.
Underpinning that reality is a different motive.
Being a lover of archival history, and a firm believer in the importance of the printed, permanent record, my one true underlying goal as editor of this publication has always been to ensure we keep printing newspapers long into the future. Call me old fashioned.
Growing our online audience has been an uphill battle, but we are making progress.
Now, all that hard work could be wiped away in an instant.
It is looking increasingly likely that stories published by Pique Newsmagazine—and all news stories in general—will soon disappear from your Facebook news feed.
Not only will we not be able to share our work, but regular Facebook users will also be blocked from sharing our content. So all forms of local Canadian news could effectively be lost in the social media ether in the weeks ahead.
This is due to the federal Liberals’ Bill C-18, passed June 22 and also known as the Online News Act, which will require platforms like Facebook and Google to pay publishers for hosting links to news stories.
In response, those platforms have said they will outright block the sharing of news stories.
Who will blink first? It remains to be seen. But so far this standoff is showing signs of a stalemate.
The early estimates say smaller Canadian news organizations like Pique can expect to lose about 80 per cent of our online traffic. Put simply, this policy will be disastrous for Canadian journalism, if it plays out the way it is now threatening to—despite the supposed good intentions of our federal government.
Meta, Facebook’s parent company, is already blocking news on Facebook and Instagram for some users—and the tech giant has indicated it will remove Canadian news permanently once the Act goes into effect.
But no sense dwelling on things beyond our control. We adapt, as we have always done.
If you value the local news, sports, arts, opinion, weekly longform cover features, letters to the editor, horoscopes, photo spreads, classifieds, and ads from local businesses you see in Pique each week, there are a few key ways you can support us moving forward.
The newest call to action is to help us truly make the shift to a sustainable, reader-supported newsroom by becoming a card-carrying member of the Pique Newsmagazine team (I am not sure if there are actual, physical cards, so that may be a touch of false advertising. But I will get you a card if that’s what it takes).
Whether it’s $5 a month or $50 a month, every contribution helps.
You can consider buying advertising with us, or making a one-time donation. You can also make a habit of visiting our website every morning, and sharing our stories with your friends—or even better, make it your homepage.
You can also sign up for our daily newsletter, which delivers all the local headlines straight to your inbox, and make an effort to open and read it each day (this is a huge one, as newsletters and subscriber-based journalism are crucial for our future).
We may disappear from your Facebook feed, but we’re not going anywhere—it might just take a bit more work to find us.
I’ll admit that in recent years I have personally shied away from Facebook. The human brain was not designed to shoulder endless casual criticism from strangers, it turns out, and the good old days of social media feeling harmless and fun are long since past, in my humble view.
Nevertheless, with close to 3 billion monthly active users, Facebook is still the world’s most popular social media platform, and Mark Zuckerburg is estimated to be worth more than $80 billion—losing local Canadian news is barely a blip on the tech behemoth’s radar.
So if you find yourself missing Pique online, you know where to find us.
In the meantime, here are some other fun and, er, productive ways to use Facebook now that you can’t argue in the comments of news stories, or point out every mistake made by local reporters (who I would remind you are still, for now, human).
Organize your high school reunion. You’ve been putting this off for months, hoping the creeping grasp of Father Time was only a mirage. It’s real, and it’s coming for us all. Better get in touch with Greg and Shirley from the Class of ’94 and get this baby cooking before he wipes us all out for good.
Lowball every seller on Marketplace. They didn’t say OBO, but it was implied. And they might claim they’re firm on the price of those near-brand-new skis they’re trying to sell, but chances are they’ve never met a smooth-talking businessperson like yourself.
Start a Mayor Jack Crompton Fan Club. Because if you don’t, who will?
Initiate a local “debate” in the Whistler Summer Facebook group. What better way to pass the day than by immersing yourself in the joys of respectful, intelligent, well-informed public discourse? Don’t bother doing any research or reading before you begin, though—it’s against the rules.
Message all of your exes and beg them to take you back. You’ve been working hard on yourself, living your best life in Whistler. You’re sending it every day and making epic gains. You’re in a healthier place now, and you look great. Shoot your shot.
Fake your death and start over fresh. We’ve all thought about it—concocting an elaborate scheme to cast off all our worldly responsibilities and escape to the most remote reaches of the world under the assumed pseudonym of Burton Dunphee (your assumed name may differ). Now that Facebook is blocking news, you should have plenty of time to make this dream a reality.
