Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons

By Mel Rothenburger

ARMCHAIR MAYOR

ROTHENBURGER: Media shouldn’t decide their own bailouts

May 22, 2019 | 10:03 PM

KAMLOOPS — FEDERAL TAX SUBSIDIES to the media no doubt began with the best of intentions but they promise to end badly.

Eight news organizations have been invited to sit on a panel to decide which media outlets will be eligible for support valued in total at $595 million. Apparently, the people who consume the news don’t qualify for this group.

How a panel made up entirely of representatives from the industry that’s going to get the lolly is supposed to be impartial, I have no idea. Certainly, the media should be represented, but not to the exclusion of the public.

1000 Ways to Heal

1000 Ways to Heal: Moons

Dec 10, 2024

Question of the Week

Should Mayor Reid Hamer-Jackson apologize or resign after it was found he breached a section of council's code of conduct for allowing false or misleading information to be communicated?

Dec 09, 2024

One Man's Opinion

COLLINS: Donald has it wrong - again

Dec 08, 2024

There’s no doubt mainstream media are struggling. Revenues are down as people rely more and more on non-traditional news sources. That, in turn, has led to drastic cuts in newsrooms, which impacts the quality of reporting.

Accusations that the Liberals are trying to buy off the media with these subsidies in hopes the government will get favourable news coverage ahead of the October election are somewhat ridiculous. Respectable media don’t work that way and, if I know anything about the media, if anything they’d be more inclined to be extra critical to ensure the appearance of independence.

But that doesn’t make the idea of subsidies any more palatable. If the mainstream media are to survive, they should be doing it on their own without bailouts. Let them provide the kind of product people want. Let them explore new business models that bring in the public as full partners.

A free, responsible and healthy press is more important now than ever. But giving them hundreds of millions of dollars in tax credits and incentives — and letting the media themselves decide who will be eligible — isn’t the way to get there.

I’m Mel Rothenburger, the Armchair Mayor.

Editor’s Note: This opinion piece reflects the views of its author, and does not necessarily represent the views of CFJC Today or the Jim Pattison Broadcast Group.