{{Short description|Canadian media company}} {{Infobox company | name = Village Media Inc. | hq_location = 298 Queen Street East<br>Sault Ste. Marie, ON<br>P6A 1Y7 | website = {{URL|villagemedia.ca}} }} '''Village Media''' is a Canadian media company which operates a number of hyperlocal online news and community websites throughout Ontario.<ref name=partner>[http://www.northernontariobusiness.com/Regional-News/sudbury/2014/10/Media-outlets-partner-to-expand-Northern-news-network.aspx "Media outlets partner to expand Northern news network"]. ''Northern Ontario Business'', October 2, 2014.</ref>
Village Media's news sites focus on providing local stories written by local journalists in the communities that they serve.<ref>"Taking a village to build a news network". ''Northern Ontario Business'', April 2018.</ref> In addition to local news, the sites offer weather, events, obituaries, and a wide range of community information. Village Media is known for supporting local events and charitable causes.
The company also maintains content and marketing partnerships with community newspapers in several other Ontario cities, including ''TBNewswatch.com'' in Thunder Bay and ''Manitoulin.ca'' on Manitoulin Island. Village Media was also a partner with the defunct ''LocalXpress'' in Halifax, providing them with the publication platform.
==History== SooToday.com was originally launched in 2000 as a regional tabloid shopping and business directory,<ref name=hit>"Sootoday.com a hit". ''Northern Ontario Business'', April 1, 2004.</ref> owned by former broadcaster Dick Peplow.
Following significant news cutbacks at MCTV, which merged all of the region's local television newscasts into a single regional program produced in Sudbury, SooToday began producing locally focused news content. In doing so, they became one of the first prominent Canadian ventures in hyperlocal web-only media.<ref name=hit/> Peplow launched sister site BayToday.ca in 2003.<ref name=hit/>
Following Peplow's death in 2007,<ref name=peplow>[http://www.nnsl.com/frames/newspapers/2007-07/jul18_07de.html "Peplow left a legacy"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141205014940/http://www.nnsl.com/frames/newspapers/2007-07/jul18_07de.html |date=2014-12-05 }}. ''Northern News Services'', July 18, 2007.</ref> local IT consultant Jeff Elgie, formerly a minority investor in the site, increased his ownership stake, and eventually became CEO.
Inspired by the SooToday.com model, a different company launched TimminsToday.com, which was acquired by Village Media in 2014.<ref>[http://chmt.moosefm.com/news/timmins-today-sold/ "Timmins Today sold"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141220103833/http://chmt.moosefm.com/news/timmins-today-sold/ |date=2014-12-20 }}. 93.1 Moose FM, May 15, 2014.</ref>
The company's recent expansion efforts have concentrated on midsized cities in Southern Ontario, typically launching soon after the closure of the community's prior daily newspaper.<ref name=orillia>[https://www.sudbury.com/around-the-north/village-media-expands-to-orillia-804307 "Village Media expands to Orillia"]. ''Northern Life'', January 4, 2018.</ref> It launched BarrieToday.com in October 2015 in Barrie, GuelphToday.com in February 2016 in Guelph,<ref name=rushes>[https://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/village-media-to-enter-local-news-void-left-by-guelph-mercury/article28640255/ "Village Media rushes to fill local news void left by Guelph Mercury"]. ''The Globe and Mail'', February 7, 2016.</ref> and OrilliaMatters.com in Orillia in 2018.<ref name=orillia/>
Village Media also operated '''HalifaxToday.ca''' in Halifax,<ref>[http://mediaincanada.com/2017/10/17/rogers-zeroes-in-on-hyper-local-in-halifax/ "Rogers zeroes in on hyper-local in Halifax"]. ''Media in Canada'', October 17, 2017.</ref> '''OttawaMatters.com''' in Ottawa<ref>[http://mediaincanada.com/2018/03/05/village-media-expands-rogers-partnership-to-ottawa/ "Village Media expands Rogers partnership to Ottawa"]. ''Media in Canada'', March 5, 2018.</ref> and '''KitchenerToday.com''' in Kitchener,<ref>[http://mediaincanada.com/2018/06/19/village-media-extends-rogers-relationship-to-kitchener/ "Village Media extends Rogers relationship to Kitchener"]. ''Media in Canada'', June 21, 2018.</ref> in conjunction with Rogers Radio-owned news radio stations in those markets, although all have since been converted to the Rogers-owned CityNews brand.
In 2020, the company acquired the assets of Laurentian Media Group, including the '''Sudbury.com''' news website and the business magazine ''Northern Ontario Business''.<ref>[https://www.thesudburystar.com/news/local-news/sudbury-com-sold-to-village-media-northern-life-to-print-last-edition-on-march-26 "Sudbury.com sold to Village Media, Northern Life to print last edition on March 26"]. ''Sudbury Star'', March 20, 2020.</ref> Village Media ceased publication of Laurentian's twice-weekly print newspaper ''Northern Life'' while retaining the Sudbury.com web edition.
In early 2021, the company expanded into the United States for the first time, with the acquisition of ''The Longmont Leader'' in Longmont, Colorado.<ref>Ken Amundson, [https://www.timescall.com/2021/02/05/longmont-news-startup-changes-hands/ "Longmont news startup changes hands"]. ''Longmont Times-Call'', February 5, 2021.</ref> The news website was shuttered in 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hutchins |first=Corey |date=2024-06-06 |title=Longmont Leader news site closes: 'A day I hoped would never come' |url=https://coloradomedia.substack.com/p/longmont-leader-news-site-closes |access-date=2024-06-06 |website=Inside the News in Colorado}}</ref>
In February 2023, the company launched '''The Trillium,''' an outlet that focuses on Ontario politics.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Kolm |first=Josh |title=Village Media hires former QP Briefing staff to lead its new politics site |url=https://mediaincanada.com/2023/02/21/village-media-hires-former-qp-briefing-staff-to-lead-its-new-politics-site/ |access-date=2026-02-08}}</ref> They hired iPolitics's alumnus Jessica Smith Cross, the editor of publication and Charlie Pinkerton, a reporter, after they resigned over allegations that iPolitics suppressed on developers attending a stag and doe party for Ontario Premier Doug Ford's daughter's wedding.<ref name=":0" />
The company formerly operated the video news portal '''local2.ca''' in Sault Ste. Marie, and the '''VM Radio''' network of internet radio streams.<ref name=partner /> Local2 was fully integrated into SooToday.<ref>[https://www.sootoday.com/local-news/sootoday-will-now-be-home-to-all-the-great-programming-from-local2-275714 "SooToday will now be home to all the great programming from LOCAL2"]. ''Soo Today'', April 8, 2016.</ref> VM Radio was shut down.
In 2024 the company announced plans to launch '''Spaces''', a localized social networking platform that will enable users to join customized groups to discuss topics of community interest, such as local sports and history.<ref>Connie Thiessen, [https://broadcastdialogue.com/broadcast-dialogue-the-podcast-lacy-atalick-on-village-medias-spaces-social-network/ "Broadcast Dialogue – The Podcast: Lacy Atalick on Village Media’s ‘Spaces’ social network"]. ''Broadcast Dialogue'', September 25, 2024.</ref>
==Assets owned by Village Media==
===Ontario=== {{columns-list|colwidth=30em| *''Aurora Today'' — Aurora *''Barrie Today'' — Barrie *''Bay Today'' — North Bay *''Bradford Today'' — Bradford *''Burlington Today'' — Burlington *''Cambridge Today'' — Cambridge *''Collingwood Today'' — Collingwood *''Elliot Lake Today'' — Elliot Lake *''Elora Fergus Today'' — Centre Wellington *''Flamborough Today'' — Flamborough *''Guelph Today'' — Guelph *''Halton Hills Today'' — Halton Hills *''Innisfil Today'' — Innisfil *''Midland Today'' — Midland *''Milton Today'' — Milton *''Newmarket Today'' — Newmarket *''Niagara on the Lake Local'' — Niagara-on-the-Lake *''Oakville News'' — Oakville *''Orillia Matters'' — Orillia *''Pelham Today'' — Pelham *''Soo Today'' — Sault Ste. Marie *''Stratford Today'' — Stratford *''Sudbury.com'' — Sudbury *''Thorold Today'' — Thorold *''Timmins Today'' — Timmins *''Toronto Today'' — Toronto }}
===International=== *''Alimosho Today'' — Alimosho, Nigeria *''Soo Leader'' — Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan
===Specialty publications=== *''Northern Ontario Business'': Business news in the Northern Ontario region. *''The Trillium'': Reportage on Ontario provincial politics. *''Village Report'': National news portal comprising reportage from other Village Media titles and Canadian Press. *''Village Life'': Lifestyle news.
==References== {{reflist|2}}
==External links== * {{Official website|http://www.villagemedia.ca/}} {{City of Greater Sudbury}}{{SaultOntario}} {{Canadian journalism}}
Category:Mass media in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario Category:Internet properties established in 2000 Category:Canadian news websites Category:2000 establishments in Ontario Category:Internet radio in Canada Category:Newspaper companies of Canada Category:Companies based in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario