From Newspapers to Newsfeeds: Who Tells Caribbean-Canadian Stories Now?
Recently, I came across discussions about the challenges facing traditional Caribbean newspapers as more people turn to social media for news and information. It got me thinking about how much the way we stay connected to our communities has changed, especially for those of us living in the diaspora. 📰 CLICK HERE TO READ
For many Caribbean families, newspapers, radio stations, and community publications were once the heartbeat of the community. They shared local achievements, cultural celebrations, and stories that helped people stay connected to home, even when home was thousands of kilometres away.
Today, that connection often looks very different.
Instead of waiting for the next newspaper edition, many of us open Instagram. We watch Carnival highlights on TikTok. We hear about community events through Facebook groups. Family updates travel through WhatsApp chats before they ever make it anywhere else.
In many ways, social media has become the new lime.
For Caribbean Canadians, these platforms are more than entertainment. They have become digital gathering spaces where culture continues to live and grow. Whether it is a creator sharing a recipe, a small business promoting Caribbean products, or someone posting videos from Carnival, social media helps bridge the distance between where we live and where our roots began.
I see this often within my own feeds. Some days I am watching content from Toronto, and minutes later I am seeing updates from Trinidad, Guyana, Jamaica, or Barbados. The distance feels smaller. The connection feels stronger.
At the same time, social media moves fast. A post can go viral in the morning and disappear from conversations by the evening. Unlike traditional newspapers, which create a lasting record of a community's history, social platforms are built around what is trending right now.
That is why storytelling still matters.
Whether those stories appear in a newspaper, a blog, a podcast, or an Instagram post, documenting Caribbean experiences helps preserve culture for future generations. It ensures that our successes, traditions, businesses, and communities are not lost in the endless scroll.
Maybe the conversation is not about choosing between traditional media and social media. Perhaps it is about recognizing that both have a role to play.
The platform may change, but the goal remains the same: keeping Caribbean stories alive, sharing them with pride, and making sure the next generation knows where they come from.
Because no matter where we call home today, there will always be something powerful about seeing our stories reflected back to us!