Coun. Dawn Luhning asked council to review its allocation of funds for advertising recently, a request that council agreed to do.
Luhning claimed that print newspapers are “ancient and outdated” and the city needs to consider advertising in other forms of communication.
While not naming any social media, it is obvious she meant online forums and social media such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
Her claim that print media are “ancient and outdated” was contradicted by two councillors, both of whom voted for the review.
Coun. Doug Blanc rightfully pointed out that a large part of the population doesn’t make use of online advertising sources and relies on print media.
As he said, many of the seniors who have computers use them only to communicate with grandchildren.
Coun. Heather Eby went along with the review but suggested not much would change.
We do live in a world where more people, especially younger people, rely on social media for information. Prediction: the review, if objective, will recommend increasing the budget with most of the increase going to online media.
Some comments in online forums have paired Coun. Luhning’s comments about newspapers being outdated with another comment she made in a closed door council meeting. A Freedom of Information Request discovered Luhning told council she “doesn't give a rat’s ass about” what the Moose Jaw Express thinks.
We’ll let our readers make up their own mind about the online forum pairing.
In another issue that same meeting, Mayor Fraser Tolmie convinced council to set up a city beautification committee.
His motion was approved over the objections of Coun. Crystal Froese. She pointed out her involvement with a committee already doing the same work and other local initiatives.
The mayor’s move raises some questions.
Was he aware of the existing beautification work? Or was he undercutting Coun. Froese and her committee’s work?
Or was he grandstanding so he has an achievement to brag about at the next election?
The beautification matter brings to mind the time council disbanded the longstanding Downtown Business Association (DBA) a few years ago.
The DBA, according to Coun. Luhning, who was council representative on the board, wasn’t working adequately. Council agreed and ended the association some 30 years after it had started.
Within a year council decided to look at forming another downtown association.
The whole turn of events made little sense, like the beautification committee replacing existing groups with the same goal.
Ron Walter can be reached at ronjoy@sasktel.net
