Re: Government to the newspaper industry’s rescue?
No thanks, Feb. 6
I have been nominated by Terence Corcoran for an award he
calls the Most Pompously Wrongheaded Argument for a Government Bailout of the
Newspaper Industry. My nomination cannot stand, however, because I am actually
opposed to government subsidies for Canada 's
press. Mr. Corcoran quoted me from a CBC panel discussion as pointing
out that Scandinavian countries are highly ranked for press freedom despite
subsidizing their press, but he ignored the following quote: “I have to agree
with Lorne [Gunter], that most self-respecting journalists would not want to
see government funding.” Mr. Corcoran is also incorrect when he states that the
1969 Davey commission on the media proposed a Press Ownership Review Board that
would have issued licences and guidelines. The Davey report made no mention of
licensing, which is anathema to press freedom. The proposed Press Ownership
Review Board, similar to one in the United
Kingdom , was to approve – or, more likely,
disapprove – newspaper sales or mergers. Such a board’s basic guideline,
according to the report, would have been that “all transactions that increase
concentration of ownership in the mass media are undesirable and contrary to
the public interest – unless shown to be otherwise.” Mr. Corcoran’s opinions
might carry more weight if he could get his facts straight.
Marc Edge
University Canada
West
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