Small publications are feeling the pain of Meta's news block

Small and local news publishers in Saskatchewan say they're feeling the pain ofMeta's decision to block news in Canada on their social media platform.

Kerry Benjoe is the editor of Eagle Feather News, a publication that focuses on providingnews to First Nation and Mtis communities.

Benjoe says they distribute10,000 papers throughout province.

"A lot of those papers go into smaller communities and so we don't distribute our papers into larger urban settings and that's where social media played a really big role because there's a limited amount of papers," Benjoe told Stefani Langenegger, host of CBC's The Morning Edition

The effects of the news block have been devastating, according to Benjoe, who hoped Eagle Feather Newswould be small enough to "slip through the cracks."

Before it went into place, news stories would be posted on social media and then shared hundreds of times.

"So instead of 10,000, maybe we got 400,000 views. That was reaching audiences not just here in Saskatchewan, but nationally and worldwide. Some of our stories were read in areas like Switzerlandand so to not have this access anymore, it's really concerning."

Saskatoon Morning8:04Meta's decision to cut access to Canadian news stories is impacting small news outlets like Eagle Feather News

Candice Lipski talks with Kerry Benjoe, editor of Eagle Feather News, about Meta's decision cut access to Canadian news stories on its platforms, including Facebook and Instagram.

How didCanadaget here?

The federal government passed Bill C-18, orCanada's new Online News Act, in June. It's expected to take effect by the end of the year.

Once it does, the legislation would require companies like Meta and Google to pay media outlets for the news content shared on their platforms.

Earlier this month, social media giant Meta put their foot downand blocked news on theirFacebook and Instagramplatforms.

News organizations includingCBC/Radio-Canada have asked Canada's Competition Bureau to investigate Meta's decision to block Canadian news, calling it "anti-competitive."

Audiences can still reach Canadian digital news directly by going straight tonews sitesthemselves, or using anappon mobile devices.

• Get the news you need without restrictions. Download ourfree CBC News App.

But for many outlets, which rely on the distribution of their stories on social media, the block has revealed a painful reality.

Kevin Weedmark isis the publisher of the Moosomin World-Spectator, a newspaper in the small town of fewer than 3,000 people located 225 kilometres east of Regina.

He says the most views they've ever gotten on Facebook is in the 300,000 range. Once the block came into affect views have dropped to around 60,000 and even lower.

"It's obviously having a a significant impact and that'll hurt our community and our our ability to to communicate with our community," Weedmark told CBC earlier this week.

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Wildfire evacuees frustrated, angry at Metas Canadian news ban

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Fire evacuees say the block on Canadian news content on Facebook and Instagram makes it even harder to get crucial wildfire information. Many in Canadas North rely on the platforms, and some are now looking for workarounds to share info.

Stephen Whitworth, editor of the Prairie Dog and Planet S publications in Regina and Saskatoon, recalled thinking that Bill C-18 was more convoluted and more complicated than he would've liked.

"The principle of a bill that forces social media topay news outlets like us, like larger outlets? That's not only greatthat's essential," Whitworth said.

Whitworthfeels the federal government is doing its best with this bill, even if it's not perfect.He hopes they can reach some kind of deal soon.

Benjoe says her readers have been left confused by what is happening and are unsure who is at fault.

"This is just another hurdle we have to jump through just to get the news out there," she said.

Weedmark says this isn't a fight that many newspaper or publishers wanted.

He alsodoesn't believe the federal government crafted an effective piece of legislation.

"If they gave you a choice of "would you like to spend hundreds of millions of dollars subsidizing not only publishers but broadcasters of all sorts, and which don't even do news? Or would you like to just block their contentand pay nothing? I think most people choose the same thing," Weedmark said.