Feds Considering Aid for Privates
Heritage Minister James Moore confirmed yesterday the federal government is considering tax and regulatory changes to make the broadcasting environment “more forgiving” for private broadcasters.
The discussions seem to be focused on CanWest, which is flirting with bankruptcy.
The CBC and private broadcaster have been lobbying the government for changes to the regulatory system that would allow the main networks to charge carriage fees. The cable channels already charge carriage fees.
There’s more at the Globe’s site here.
|
Email This Post |
| The Media Landscape |
So let me get this straight. Canwest, a private broadcaster, is getting consideration for government assistance when the CBC, our national public broadcaster doesn’t get the same treatment?
Oh the hypocrites we put in Ottawa…
Cal – you find it hypocritical for the government to help out “the privates.” Where’s the money for the CBC? $1.1 Billion a year is that the CBC gets and don’t hear all that much whining from the privates. Is a billion here or there good enough for you?
Should the government pay for all media in Canada? Even organs that don’t support the left wing?
I partly agree with Mike; the government kneads tremendous amount of dough into the ceeb; the private networks get a big fat doughnut, zilch!
On the other hand, it would be irresponsible for a government to fund all types of Canadian media because it would reduce, if not eliminate any credibility that these organizations may have. Personally, I think that the government should never consider ‘bailing out’ any media organization, whether it be public (like the ceeb) or private (like Global).
This would create a whole ‘nother political creature that in the long run would certainly crush any credibility in this industry. Think about it; if the government had its hands in the pockets of every media organization in this country, how could you declare yourself as an objective organization? All media should be, whether it is or not is up to personal opinion.
Remember those commercials where normal everyday people were going about their daily business with the bankers ‘hands in their pockets’? Every move they made, the bankers got in the way. Now replace the everyday people with media organizations, and the bankers with the government…. Every step they take, every move they make, the feds will be getting in the way.
Propping up private broadcasters is as smart and efficient as propping up the GM, Chrysler et al – we don’t buy the cars because the foreign models are more efficient, less costly and so on. Ad revenues are down in part because the viewing audience is much more segmented – there is no guarantee for the advertisers as to the number of eyeballs seeing the spots – not to mention the down loaders and TIVO bunch who by-pass the commercials entirely.
Until all of this is settled our industry will continue to be in flux and no amount of money thrown hither and yawn will fix that. Doling out cash to broadcasters (public and private) is a losing venture.
I’d rather they let the private networks dissolve back into the locally-owned stations and papers they used to be. Let local coalitions and sole proprietorships reclaim every single TV and radio stations and newspaper.