City Hurts Itself With Bulldog Ad Boycott: QUOTABLE

“I wish we weren’t having this conversation. I don’t think it belongs at this table in the first place, but we’re here now. I think the solution that’s been put forward is performative in my view and it’s going to affect our residents in a negative way. This is a federal government issue.”

Capital Councillor Shawn Menard

As much as The Bulldog is concerned about the fight between Meta and the federal government over Bill C-18, Menard is right.

This isn’t a municipal issue. And not advertising in Meta is likely to hurt some city programs but not Meta.

And in the final analysis, Meta couldn’t care less about whether the City of Ottawa advertises. Doubtful the giant would ever notice. An advertising boycott would be ineffective.

Now if Menard could only confine himself to municipal issues as he suggests here, perhaps this would be a better city. Rather the time spent on issues outside the powers of the municipality could be used on issues within its jurisdiction.

Lousy City Planning Report Inadequate: BENN

The C-18 debate is a waste of city time. Better councillors fill a few potholes rather than wasting their time on this issue.

Furthermore, there is the massive hypocrisy. The person who brought forth the motion was none other than Orleans West-Innes Councillor Laura Dudas who recently cancelled her email subscription to The Bulldog in an overwhelming show of support to independent and local journalism.

As well, one wonders why for the past 12 years the City of Ottawa has never taken out an ad in this publication. Perchance a boycott by the former proprietor of the mayor’s chair? Why would the City of Ottawa not want to advertise in a publication that is pushing 100,000 page views a week from people concerned about local municipal public policy. This publication serves the municipal government’s market perfectly and is a great bargain to boot.

So we look forward to the mayor and council introducing a motion (perhaps brought forward by Dudas) calling for staff to advertise in the most appropriate place in the city for its advertising. It also rather gives lie to the city’s supposed support for local business. The Bulldog is not just journalism, but a small business, too.

Anyway, we at Bulldog World Headquarters look forward to the Dudas motion calling for the city to advertise in The Bulldog. We will support her strong stand for not just journalism but for local journalism.

Imagine. Fourteen years ago The Bulldog started with zero readers and now it’s near 100,000 page views a week. During this time, local traditional media outlets have been crushed by diminishing advertising and circulation problems. Yet during that same period, The Bulldog has flourished.

Would it be immodest to suggest that The Bulldog might be doing something right? However, might we also suggest that the city is doing something wrong by boycotting The Bulldog as a media outlet and as a small business?

City Council Virtue Signals On Overdrive

What do you think, Ottawa? Should your tax money support Meta or Ottawa’s own Bulldog which exactly serves the municipal government’s audience?

The Bulldog boycott is not just bad for journalism, it also hurts municipal government’s marketing very badly.

So councillor, we look forward to your motion at the next council meeting demanding the city advertise as it should in The Bulldog.

Let’s call it the Dudas motion. Thank you, councillor, on behalf of local journalism and small business.

Ken Gray

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