You are asking the right question, JP

From CARTT: “Commission Chairman Jean-Pierre Blais seemed at several points during the hearing to be worried of having a the CRTC (an arms-length government body) directing cash for local news production”


 

“I’m a bit surprised that we’re going down a path where, if not government and an agency of government, part of the executive arm of government, would suddenly be financing news and nobody seems to be saying, ‘Wait a minute; is that a good idea?” he said while questioning the owners of CHCH, who proposed a new news fund.

Exactly. And thank you for asking it, Mr Chairman. I perceive a man concerned with an important principle.

As I said, if the Broadcasting Act’s licensing requirements extended to all “broadcasters”, which would by the CRTC’s interpretation include newspapers that post video clips on their websites, would the newspaper owners be clamoring for freedom of the press and no government licensing, or for subsidies, or both?

The answer is obvious. Both.

To top