Members Area

Benefits of Membership

  • Industry advancement
  • Membership in News Media Canada
  • Membership in the National News Media Council
  • Revenue opportunity
  • Involvement in the annual Ma Murray Awards
  • Free membership for newspapertraining.ca

To apply for membership, please click the membership box on the homepage.

 

Elections BC Guide 2020

BCYCNA members need to be aware of some basic advertising guidelines. Please take the time to review this guide put out by Elections BC:

https://www.elections.bc.ca/docs/guidebooks/870.pdf

Below are some relevant points and excerpts:

In short, until the campaign period (which starts 29 days before election day), papers can run what they like. After that time, any third party advertiser who spends any money needs to register and follow the rules.

“Except for candidates, registered political parties and registered constituency associations, any individual or organization that sponsors election advertising must first register with Elections BC. Individuals and organizations that do so are called registered election advertising sponsors, or more commonly, third party advertisers.”

-“Election advertising sponsors must be independent. Registered election advertising sponsors must not sponsor election advertising together with or on behalf of registered political parties or constituency associations, candidates and their financial and official agents. This means that election advertising sponsors must not do any of the following with a candidate’s or political party’s campaign:

     -share strategies and information
     -share campaign material
     -provide or receive direction or suggestions
     -distribute each other’s materials
     -coordinate or cooperate”

As far as social media, “Internet pay-per-click ads, banner ads, display ads, pop-up or pop-under ads, pre-roll video ads, promoted search results, etc.” can all count as election advertising, and therefore the rules would apply.

“Types of activities that are not election advertising: 

The definition of election advertising only captures advertising communications which are transmitted to the public, and does not capture other types of non-advertising communication. Conducting the following activities does not require registration as an election advertising sponsor:  

-any transmission of personal or private communications between individuals 

-any message sent by a person who is engaged in commercial or charitable activity with the receiver and the message consists solely of an inquiry or application related to that activity.  

-any communication on the Internet which does not and would not normally have a placement cost, including social media messages, websites and videos. Examples of messages that are not election advertising include: Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat posts, tweets, YouTube videos, and websites.  

-the publication without charge of news, an editorial, an interview, a column, a letter, a debate, a speech or a commentary in a bona fide periodical publication or a radio or television program, including publication without charge in a bona fide Internet publication or program.”

To view the guide in its entirety: https://www.elections.bc.ca/docs/guidebooks/870.pdf

Member Downloads

All publications are free to our members. To order any of the publications, contact the BCYCNA office directly.

Email: info@bccommunitynews.com

Phone: 604-669-9222

Toll-free: 1-866-669-9222

 

BCYCNA Marketing Materials: Content You Can Trust

Just in time for National Newspaper Week, the BCYCNA has created these ads for members to use, to focus on our message that community media is Content You Can Trust.

Click here to download the print ads (10 MB zipped folder of multiple sizes, colour and black and white options)

Click here to download the digital ads (119 KB zipped folder of multiple sizes – please link to http://www.contentyoucantrust.ca]

Click here to download the video pack (146MB zipped folder of multiple lengths of video – please link to http://www.contentyoucantrust.ca)

 

BCYCNA Media Guide

In 2015, the BCYCNA created this BC-centric media guide for our members. From copyright to defamation, and court reporting to election advertising, we’ve got you covered. Note: Election info starts on page 30.

Click here to access the Media Guide PDF.

 

Paper Trails: A History of BC and Yukon Community Newspapers

By George Affleck, 1999 (paperback)

For more than 100 years, the history-making events in British Columbia and the Yukon have been captured in our member newspapers. This book celebrates our industry and introduces you to the many characters who helped build it.

 

Newspaper Carriers: Distributors and other individuals working under contract

By BCYCNA and Schiller Coutts Weiler & Gibson, 2000 (paperback)

Over the past several years, many publishers have asked the BCYCNA office and Board of Directors for information about government rules and regulations that pertain to delivery personnel. This handbook explains relevant sections of the Employment Insurance Act, Employment Standards Act, Labour Relations Code, and Workers Compensation Act.

 

Logos for Display

BCYCNA members are required to display the BCYCNA logo, the News Media Canada logo, and their relevant auditor logo or information. As members of the National News Media Council, you may also like to display their logo too.

Please download the logos below:

BCYCNA logo – PDF colour (*new logo Sept 2018)

BCYCNA logo – PDF black & white (*new logo Sept 2018)

– News Media Canada logo

– CMCA logo

– National News Media Council