Gazette granted a funds award - will hire a writer and a photographer for as long as the funds last.

By Pepper Parr

April 13th, 2020

BURLINGTON, ON

Even in the darkest days, there is a ray of sunshine.

The Local Media Association was asked to manage the distribution of $2 million in grants ($5,000 each) as part of the Facebook Journalism Project.

In October the Gazette will complete its tenth year of publishing news, option and reader comment for the citizens of Burlington.

More than 400 local newsrooms across North America have received grants to support their reporting on the coronavirus.

Many publishers in many provinces and territories will receive a grant of $5,000 USD to cover unexpected costs associated with reporting on the crisis in their communities.

The Canadian branch of the program was run in partnership with News Media Canada.

The grants will help fulfill needs such as remote work, increasing frequency of publishing, combating misinformation and serving vulnerable and at-risk groups.

The program is run in partnership with the Lenfest Institute for Journalism and Local Media Association in the US and News Media Canada and The Independent News Challenge in Canada. This announcement comes after the first round of 50 grant recipients was announced in March.

The Facebook Journalism Project doubled the total grant pool to $2 million after more than 200 publishers applied in the first 48 hours after the application launched. The expansion made it possible to help an even greater number of newsrooms navigate the economic impact of the outbreak.

The list for Ontario includes;
The Auroran Newspaper, Bancroft Times, Bancroft, Burlington Gazette, The Chatham Voice, Chatham, The Chronicle Journal, Fort Frances Times Ltd., Fort Frances, The Georgina Post, The Haldimand Press, The Highlander Newspaper, King Weekly Sentinel, Listowel Banner, The Logic, The Morrisburg Leader, New Canadian Media, New Pathway Publishers Limited, The North Grenville Times, Orangeville Citizen, The Ottawan, Peterborough Currents, The Review, Vankleek Hill, Salam Toronto, Thornhill, The Sarnia Journal, The Standard News Corporation, Port Perry, Temiskaming Printing, New Liskeard, Torstar Local – Torstar Corporation, Toronto, Freelancer – Trent Radio, Village Media Inc., The Voice of Pelham, The Walrus,Toronto, WHA Publications Ltd, Woolwich Observer.

The Gazette will hire a photographer and a writer for as long as the funds last.