TORONTO—  The 84th National Newspaper Week, an annual opportunity to recognize the critically important role that newspapers play in an active and healthy democracy. This year, News Media Canada is ‘Keeping it Real’ by honouring the real people that produce real news in Canadian newspapers – content that is researched and verified before it is published, unlike AI generated content. Canadian newspapers are powered by humans, for humans. Journalists check the facts so that readers can trust the local, original news content that, in many cases, cannot be found anywhere else. Local newspapers deliver vital information to Canadians every day, connecting local communities across the country. In fact, four in five people in Canada (81%) read newspapers each week in either traditional or online formats.  Canadians are encouraged to reflect on the importance of local, independent news media, the incredible public service newspapers undertake and our collective responsibility to combat misinformation.