CBC Communities in Focus comes to Steinbach

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This article was published 01/03/2023 (856 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

For CBC journalist Ian Froese, a posting to a temporary news bureau in Steinbach is a homecoming of sorts.

A Grunthal native, Froese had his start in journalism at The Carillon, and while he’s reported on stories in his home region before, he’s happy to come back for a six week stint as part of Communities in Focus, a CBC Manitoba initiative.

“It’s really exciting,” he said. “I have those connections and I’ve also told stories from this area.”

He, along with Nadia Kidwai, Manitoba’s senior producer of community connection, is based in a space at Clearspring Centre.

They celebrated with a kick-off breakfast last Tuesday in what is the fourth Communities in Focus community news bureau, after Fox Lake, Thompson and Norway House.

“This is the third largest city in Manitoba so naturally just based on that there’s a lot of stories that we think could be told,” he said.

While the morning breakfast had a strong turnout, the reaction on social media following a CBC announcement of the plan on a local Facebook group was less than welcoming, with some criticizing CBC for disseminating propaganda, or being in the pocket of the Trudeau Liberals.

“I think we are aware of some of the concerns that are out there,” Froese said. “By coming here and showing that we’re invested in the region and these stories and these people we can share some of the richness of life here.”

“We’re all part of the Canada experience,” he added.

Froese said they hope to share the local stories with their larger audience.

“Some of the stories of growth and stories of how the city is changing, some of those stories maybe don’t get too much attention outside the region,” he said. “Obviously the local media does a great job but you know, sometimes it doesn’t get out there beyond.”

CBC Manitoba is based in Winnipeg and currently utilizes a one-person bureau in Brandon and Thompson.

“We’re hoping, by having a little office space here at the Clearspring Centre that we sort of open the door in a sense,” he said. “By the end of March, hopefully down the road we’ll still have some of those connections and CBC will come back and do stories that aren’t always when there’s a tragedy or an emergency.”

“There’s a lot of good, as you guys do at The Carillon, that shows the depth and all the joys of the region and it’s a chance for us to step into it,” he said. “People do tell us there’s a lot of good here and hopefully we can share some of that.”

CBC’s Communities in Focus bureau will be at Clearspring Centre until March 31 and will be open to the public from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays.

“We do want people to stop by,” Froese said.