The Huron Chamber of Commerce is disappointed by this week’s sudden closure of six Rogers radio stations across Canada, including 570 NewsRadio in Kitchener.
Local media matters. For businesses, it provides practical and accessible ways to reach customers, tell their stories, promote events, share milestones, and build recognition through both advertising and earned media. For communities, local media provides something even broader: a trusted source of local information, a record of public decisions, and a means of helping governments at the local, provincial, and federal levels remain visible and accountable to the people they serve.
“The loss of local newsrooms should concern everyone who cares about strong communities,” said Colin Carmichael, Executive Director of the Huron Chamber of Commerce. “Local journalism helps people understand what is happening around them, and it gives businesses, organizations, councils, and residents a shared public space. That is especially important in rural communities, where local stories can too easily be overlooked.”
Huron County is fortunate to continue to have a strong local media presence, including several Chamber members involved in local news, publishing, broadcasting, and community programming. In radio, those members include Shoreline Classics 99.7 FM, as well as Blackburn Media’s CKNX News 920 AM, 94.5 Cool FM, and 101.7 The One. In print and publications, they include the Exeter Examiner and the Goderich Sun, both published by Grant Haven Media; The Citizen, published by North Huron Publishing; and Goderich Living Magazine, published by Best Version Media. Chamber members HuronTel and Hay Communications also operate community channels on their TV platforms, and Lake Affect Media also contributes to the local media landscape.
All of their work is an important reminder that making local media profitable is not impossible, but it does require local investment and sustained support from advertisers. Businesses and organizations that advertise with local media help ensure that Huron County continues to have the news, information, promotion, and public accountability that strong communities rely on.
The Huron Chamber of Commerce is proud to support these local businesses and is grateful for the work they do to help ensure that Huron County remains served by a strong, independent, and locally engaged media landscape.
The Huron Chamber of Commerce is one of Canada’s fastest growing Chambers, connecting community leaders since 1990. Representing businesses across Huron County, the Chamber focuses on growing the local economy, supporting business success, and strengthening our towns and villages. As an independent, non-profit organization, the Chamber advocates for business and community interests, facilitates collaboration, and convenes stakeholders to develop and support a vibrant and thriving county.
