By Laura Steiner, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Milton Reporter
As we close National Newspaper Week, Milton Reporter Publisher Mohsin Abbas is gearing up for a print edition after the town’s only print newspaper closed due to the financial crisis.
Abbas has spent his career fighting for the truth as an investigative journalist, acclaimed documentary filmmaker and newspaper publisher.
Recently, News Media Canada has recognized Abbas’s work as part of its book, Champions of The Truth, published to mark this year’s National Newspaper Week. The book profiles 24 inspiring professionals who have championed the truth through their contributions to the news media industry and positive impacts in their communities. Abbas’ profile features artwork that connects him to the community and his heritage while depicting his journey to Canada.
“Local journalism is vital to our democracy, providing local, original content that cannot be found anywhere else,” said Paul Deegan, president and CEO of News Media Canada. “The Champions book is a snapshot of some of the incredible people whose work keeps our society thriving and communicates essential information to Canadians each and every day. They stand up for our communities, raise their hands to ask tough questions and uncover the truth.”
‘Champions’ celebrates the people in the book and countless others who work in Canadian news media, keeping their communities informed and connected from coast to coast to coast.
“As someone has said, we make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give. As an immigrant, it’s an honour to be recognized in Canada as part of this book, along with great people who have devoted their lives to the Canadian news media. It’s been my distinct privilege to serve Canadians over the last 21 years, and to be recognized by my readers, mentors and peers in this way is a particular time for me. I would love to acknowledge and dedicate this honour to those who believed in me,” said Abbas.
Abbas has another achievement to his credit as his documentary ‘The Accused: Damned or Devoted?” was nominated for the prestigious Primetime Emmy Award in the exceptional merit in documentary filmmaking category. With over two decades of experience in documentary filmmaking and a reputation as an accomplished investigative journalist, Abbas’s nomination is a testament to his talent and dedication to shedding light on compelling and thought-provoking subjects. ‘The Accused: Damned or Devoted?’ provides a gripping exploration of Pakistan’s draconian blasphemy laws through the lens of Cleric Khadim Hussain Rizvi.
Abbas’ journalism career started with the Daily Pakistan in the early nineties. In 2002, he was forced to move to Canada from Pakistan during military dictator Musharraf’s regime. He started his independent publications and worked in big and small newsrooms — in Ontario, Saskatchewan and British Columbia. His award-winning experience in Canadian media started with the Hamilton Spectator and Toronto as part of a program giving foreign-trained journalists Canadian experience. Later, he worked in mainstream Canadian media outlets from Saskatchewan and British Columbia provinces.
He moved to Victoria, BC, in 2008, where he started a weekly print newspaper, Diversity Reporter, a multilingual newspaper promoting inclusivity. This newspaper was published in seven different languages, including English. With a motto of “Connecting Communities,” The idea behind this publication was to connect ethnocultural communities with mainstream Canada across Vancouver Island. In 2011, this publication won an inaugural innovation award for best innovative practices reflecting Canada’s diversity by the Canadian Ethnic Media Association (CEMA). In 2013, Abbas was nominated for British Columbia’s prestigious Nesika Awards for excellence in cultural diversity.
He has been fearless in the pursuit of the truth, facing death threats for a column criticizing Pakistani Canadian political candidates in Ontario municipal elections in 2014. He brought Malala Yousafzai’s story to the world in Malala: A Girl from Paradise.
Abbas continues spotlighting the day’s issues for the South-Asian community through his freelance work with BBC News’s global audience for Hindi, Urdu and Punjabi language Services. He runs four small community publications, including the Milton Reporter website. COVID-19 forced Abbas to turn his focus from the global to the local perspective. In early 2022, he was inspired by a CBC News report to help the revival of Tilbury Times and two other publications, the Lakeshore News Reporter and the LaSalle News Reporter.
“I know the importance of local journalism. It’s our social responsibility. People want to see their stories, their concerns reflected in their local paper,” he said.
Abbas sees his hyperlocal news publications as being part of the solution. So far, the feedback on his papers has been positive.
“Revivals like this are “rare,” April Lindgren, journalism Professor at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU), said. In cooperation with the Local News Research Project and J-Source, Lindgren created a crowd-sourced map tracking COVID-19’s impact on the news industry. According to their data, between November 2021- August 2022, 62 community newspapers were permanently closed, 24 of which are in Ontario.
He wants to give back to the community, offering mentorship to local and internationally trained journalists and students.
“The Covid-19 pandemic was a turning point for us. Large corporations shuttered many small community newspapers across Canada, including the century-old Tilbury Times. A tiny Milton Reporter team revived three community newspapers in Southwestern Ontario. Now we are gearing up to help a few small communities that lost their local community print newspapers, including the town of Milton,” he added.
Milton Reporter is the last to come to print, following the closure of the local print newspaper Canadian Champion in September after over a century in print, leaving the community with only digital options. Residents have been using Facebook message boards to voice their confusion about where to get local news and information. Facebook has blocked all sharing and posting of news articles in response to the federal government’s Online News Act. Last month, Metroland announced it would stop printing 70 local newspapers. Quebec-based Metro Media announced it would stop publishing its commuter papers after suspending operations at 30 hyper-local publications.
“I am enjoying small-town communities with big hearts. Seeing these young reporters fulfil their dreams is the most satisfactory thing for me,” added Abbas, hopeful of receiving a similar welcome in Milton.
“To many, printed news is more desirable than digital simply because it is a physical presence. You are more likely to read it through than scan and swipe to the next. You can clip an article and save physically while most e-resources are just left to fade into time and space,” Milton Resident John Ford said.
“I was born, raised, and have worked in developing countries. I know the value of freedom of expression. I have witnessed General Musharraf’s dictatorship and always felt the need to work to give voice to the oppressed,” added Abbas.
“These days, a print publication is like swimming upstream, but we are doing it. We are smaller in circulation but good enough to make a difference. We are one-person newsrooms where one person reports, edits, designs and delivers. Thanks to a handful of local advertisers who are helping us run the show. As an immigrant, if I can do this thousands of kilometres away from my hometown in Pakistan, anyone can do it,” said Abbas.
When people ask Abbas what keeps him going, his answer is straightforward: “Drive.”
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