Giving Compass' Take:

• H.G. Watson reports that Mary Brown’s Chicken & Taters is sponsoring Postmedia to give Canadians free access to journalism from 16 newspapers for the month of April. 

• Local journalism, already struggling, is suffering from the impacts of COVID-19 even though it is more important than ever. This example stands as one model for preserving and increasing access to local news. 

• Learn more about how philanthropy can support media and journalism. 

We live in unprecedented times. Communities world over have willingly isolated themselves in their homes to stop the spread of a virus. Travel and socializing has ground to a halt, leaving parks, arenas, and bars empty.

And a fried chicken chain is stepping in to make sure Canadians can access journalism.

On April 1, Postmedia announced it is partnering with Mary Brown’s Chicken & Taters, a Canadian fast-food restaurant with 170 locations, to drop its paywall on all content for the entire month. “We’re pleased and gratified by this generous vote of confidence in our journalism,” wrote Lucinda Chodan, senior vice president of editorial, on the National Post’s website.

The COVID-19 pandemic has worsened what was already a precarious situation for the journalism industry. News organizations in Canada and beyond have laid off staff or cut salaries, while some resorted to reducing — or simply eliminating — print publishing.

Read the full article about supporting Candian journalism by H.G. Watson at Nieman Lab.