Winnipeg Free Press rolls out marijuana news site The Leaf to attract readers
A specialized cannabis news website called The Leaf is generating quite a “buzz” since launching earlier this week, according to the editor of the Winnipeg Free Press.
Paul Samyn said the newspaper thinks there is growing reader appetite locally and nationally for news about marijuana as Canada moves toward legalization of recreational pot use next summer.
“What we thought would be a smart thing in this digital age is to try and create a destination that would serve anyone looking for information, not just those who would normally be seen as in the readership footprint for a regional newspaper,” he said.
To serve that need, it has hired a full-time cannabis reporter to generate articles such as the site’s first locally written piece, “So, you want to grow your own (legal) weed.” It’s also looking for advertisers to help offset its costs.