‘Keep local voices heard’: Concerns about the future of Okanagan news outlets grow

As the future of local news in the Okanagan looks bleak, one Kelowna city councillor with ties to the industry is sounding the alarm.

Mohini Singh spent years covering the Okanagan Valley with CHBC news (now Global Okanagan) and the recent job cuts at the local station have her concerned for its future and the future of other outlets.

“That station was a big part of my life, you know, over one-third of my life,” said Singh.

“I’m very passionate about local news and local information and the clear process and the clear channelling of information to the public.”

Singh recently stopped by the NowMedia studio to discuss her concerns surrounding changes at the local TV station after job cuts were announced late in July.

“As part of our efficiency review process across Corus, we have made some difficult but necessary changes to create a more sustainable future for the company. As a result, certain roles have been impacted across our news and audio business,” a Corus spokesperson told NowMedia in July.

“In the news division, we have reimagined our broadcast schedule in Kelowna, Kingston and Peterborough with a focus on supper hour and late-night weekday news programming.”

While the details surrounding how this will affect the Okanagan are still hazy, sources previously told NowMedia that the remaining reporters in the Okanagan will send their work to the Lower Mainland, where a pre-recorded newscast will then be anchored from Global BC five days a week.

“I’m like you, a viewer, with a heightened sense of passion for Global Okanagan,” said Singh.

“But we do not know what the plan is. We do not know why. We do not know how. We don’t know the implications on our community. These are questions that we as the public want to know.”

Clarity could be on the horizon as the Global BC news director is expected to visit Kelowna next week to clear the air on the future of the Global Okanagan station.

Singh also discussed the state of other local media companies following the Meta news ban and a recent study that shined a light on the impact of the ban.

“Overall, Canadians are simply seeing less news online – an estimated reduction of 11 million views per day across Instagram and Facebook – due to the ban,” the Media Ecosystem Observatory stated in a summary of its study.

“Canadians continue to learn about politics and current events through Facebook and Instagram, but through a more biased and less factual lens than before and many Canadians do not even realize the shift has occurred."

Singh added that local organizations are “facing death by a thousand cuts,” before mentioning her gratitude for local outlets that are “doing everything to keep local voices heard.”

Click the above video for the in-depth conversation Singh had with NowMedia video host Jim Csek.