On our forum, we often talk about media bias and how that relates to various outlets. However, I am not aware of Media Bias/Fact Check addressing this issue: Link: https://archive.is/f3ZMF "More than a third of many Canadian journalists’ salaries are now effectively being paid by Justin Trudeau’s government—an arrangement that’s created an obvious conflict of interest." "As reported by Michael Geist of the University of Ottawa, “Qualified Canadian Journalism Organizations” (as that term is defined by the government) can now claim 35 percent of their journalists’ salaries as tax credits—up to a salary limit of $85,000 per employee. Put another way, $29,750 of the annual gross pay earned by senior Canadian journalists—including the ones seeking to put microphones in front of opposition politicians such as Mr. Poilievre—is now effectively provided by the federal government." "And if you’re wondering how the government came up with that figure, there’s a simple answer: It corresponds exactly to what Canada’s newspaper lobby group, News Media Canada, asked for in 2023. Indeed, Mr Trudeau’s government has exceeded the demands of corporate lobbyists. According to calculations supplied by Rudyard Griffiths—executive director of The Hub, an (unsubsidised) Canadian news and opinion site—additional contributions made under the auspices of Canada’s recent agreement with Google have brought the real annual figure to about $40,000 for every $85,000/year journalist—almost half of his or her salary." "For all the edifying talk one hears from subsidised Canadian journalists about “a free press” and “healthy liberal democracy,” it’s notable that an atmosphere of self-censorship often surrounds the topic of how they themselves remain gainfully employed. Canadian journalists who support the subsidies generally are reluctant to defend them publicly because they (rightly) fear that such talk might encourage public distrust in their reporting—while those journalists who oppose them (again, rightly) fear incurring the wrath of their corporate bosses." "By the same token, Mr Trudeau has little interest in drawing attention to the fact that his government is effectively bankrolling the reporters who are supposed to be holding him to account—just as Mr Poilievre presumably has little interest in emphasising the possibility that those same reporters will have more difficulty making their mortgage and car payments should his Conservatives win the next election." "Does any of this sound conducive to maintaining the checks, balances, political transparency, and robust political discourse required by, as the Globe & Mail puts it, “a healthy liberal democracy”?
Indeed, this appears as conflict of interest. Still better than what Putin did, he simply shut down any opposition reporting in his country. I think for Canada, a democratic country, the reporting should be independent.
"Better than Putin" is a hurdle so low that an ant could jump it. This is a clear and present conflict of interest meant to neutralize an independent press, which is a societal institution of governmental oversight necessary to maintain a free society. It will be interesting to see whether this impacts Canada's score in next year's Press Freedom Index from Reporters Without Borders. (And RWB isn't afraid to tell it like it is, for example in their index the US keeps falling and is now 55th in the world.)
I would not be surprised if the PM doesn't understand what the issue even is. Sort of how he genuinely seemed to think there is no issue with him taking a private helicopter ride to a private island vacation courtesy of His Highness the Aga Khan. "But he's a long time family friend!". Canadians seem to have... relaxed attitude to ethical leaps like this.
Now here's an issue I'm nationalist about, but even so I come down on the other side from @tadj ! Sustaining a fair-sized population of working journalists in your country is a reasonable national policy goal. At first glance this tax credit looks like a broadly transparent and non-preferential means to this end. It's available to Canadian news organizations of every ideological position. Many legacy newspapers – very possibly most legacy dailies – who will be major beneficiaries have consistently strongly editorially opposed the Trudeau government before and since this policy, including the conservative Postmedia and Sun chains and the conservative-Québec nationalist Quebecor chain. I wouldn't implement every detail the same, for instance that I'd extend it to radio journalists and maybe TV journalists at least for outlets independent of the telecom companies. I consider the telecom companies' wireline and spectrum licenses amply big subsidies already.
I would find this sort of thing (practical outworkings) troubling, even if I thought that the subsidies were a good idea, at least in theory. Link: https://thehub.ca/2024/08/18/peter-menzies-subsidized-journalists-are-praising-the-government-hand-that-feeds/
Hmm. While I agree that a functioning, independent fourth estate is a good thing, that doesn't mean that all good things must necessarily be national policy goals.
