CSUR LA TÉLÉ General Manager Chantal Bédard has written an open letter on Facebook's blocking of news media.

Over the past few weeks, in reaction to the federal government's new Bill C-18 on online news, Meta began announcing in early August that media content would soon be blocked on Facebook and Instagram in Canada. Once said, once done, the CSUR LA TÉLÉ account is already inaccessible to many.

Here's the full text of the letter she sent to Néomédia Vaudreuil-Soulanges in the last few days: 

Hello Vaudreuil-Soulanges,

I've been working on the development of CSUR LA TÉLÉ since 2010. This ambitious project was born out of the desire of citizens to give the Vaudreuil-Soulanges MRC a media platform.

For those who don't yet know CSUR LA TÉLÉ, we're the community television of Vaudreuil-Soulanges. Our content is available on cable 609 Vidéotron and 555 Cogeco, as well as on our web TV csur.tv. We produce and broadcast information programs about the region.

The phrase "Bonjour Vaudreuil-Soulanges", which you can see at the beginning of my letter, is the header of our digital newsletter, which we send to over 2,000 people a week.

This "Hello" is addressed to you, who are at least a little bit interested in what's going on around you. That's right! I'm talking to you, the father or mother of a family, the entrepreneur of a small business, the student, the politician, the artist, the person in charge of an NPO... who lives in Vaudreuil-Soulanges.

Since our founding, we've weathered many storms: the decline of television to the web giants, labor shortages, the digital shift, COVID and the list goes on. It's with great dedication, professionalism and passion that, after 13 years, we're still here. Our little non-profit social economy business model works. As proof, the phone is always ringing with requests to cover local events.

But now we're faced with a new challenge. In response to the federal government's new Bill C-18 on online news, Meta began announcing in early August that media content would soon be blocked on Facebook and Instagram in Canada. Meta wants to avoid having to pay Canadian media for sharing their content on its platforms. Once said, once done, the CSUR LA TÉLÉ account is already inaccessible to many.

I have to admit, I didn't think the small local media outlets that work hard to get noticed would be affected so quickly. The question is no longer who no longer sees the news on Facebook, but rather who still does?

So, "Vaudreuil-Soulanges", what do you do when the news disappears from social networks? Yes, yes! I'm talking to you, the father or mother of a family, the entrepreneur of a small business, the student, the politician, the artist, the person in charge of an NPO...

Why have you abandoned your local media to join American platforms to stay informed or buy your advertising?

There are many reasons, you may ask? However, in talking to everyone, I've noticed that, in general, people are very well informed about what's going on internationally, but very little locally. In this age of hyperconnectivity, I find that we're disconnected from home. And yet, the Vaudreuil-Soulanges region is hyperdynamic!

So let's make a bet together that Facebook's blocking of Csur la télé isn't a fatality, but rather an opportunity to reconnect with your local TV.

I invite you to subscribe to our newsletter so you don't miss out on any of our content!

Go to csur.tv

And if you pass me on the way, say "Hello".

Chantal Bédard

General Manager and Digital Producer CSUR LA TÉLÉ

Télévision communautaire de Vaudreuil-Soulanges