News Media Canada, the national association representing print and digital news media in Canada, today announced the appointment of Paul Deegan as President and Chief Executive Officer.
In his new role, Mr. Deegan will be accountable for the day-to-day operations of News Media Canada and the provision of a broad range of programs and services to its members. He will also be accountable for News Media Canada’s critical policy files and advancing its positions on a range of important policy matters facing the news media industry, including taxation, employment standards, recycling, freedom of information, privacy, and copyright, as well as threats to the industry posed by unregulated digital players such as Google and Facebook.
“Canadians rely on their newspapers and news media to be their trusted sources of information, helping them make informed choices and holding people and institutions accountable. Our industry remains under threat arising from the unregulated and unchecked digital players in the news space,” said Jamie Irving, Chair of the board of directors of News Media Canada. “Paul Deegan will be a strong voice for the industry and will champion our work to promote strong, independent, and viable news media in Canada by lobbying for legislation to support a healthy industry.”
“Now, more than ever, trusted, fiercely independent journalism is vital to our democracy,” said Mr. Deegan. “Canada’s print and digital titles should be well-funded and operate on a level playing field with the big technology platforms, so we can reinvest in excellence in Canadian journalism in communities from coast to coast to coast.”
Mr. Deegan has held several senior executive and leadership roles at Canadian National Railway and BMO Financial Group and is a director of the Canadian Journalism Foundation and the Michener Awards Foundation. He also served as Deputy Executive Director of the National Economic Council in the Clinton White House and worked for the Government of Ontario’s Cabinet Office. Mr. Deegan assumes his new role effective immediately.
