Some of the bought & paid for media

[brihard]

There is no way that is all semantics, and that the fortunes of BCE directly impact CTV news... Just like the PM and the Clerk of the Privy Council have never tried to influence the AG...

Ok. But I’m simply asking if there is evidence that CTV receives any government subsidy? They claim not to, and claim to be entirely advertising funded. Ownership of a business within a larger corporate conglomerate doesn’t mean you subsidize them or their operations; if anything, companies that buy media outlets seem to constantly slash and seek savings. BCE specifically did that to CTV.

I’m completely open to any credible evidence that CTV receives government subsidy. I’m just not actually seeing any presented. Nothing you’ve said so far goes farther than simple supposition, and it’s directly contradicted by the company’s claims. Given how many people like to ‘gotcha’ the media, if CTV was receiving government money, I don’t think it would be hard to find that stated directly somewhere, with receipts.

 

[SeaKingTacco]

The allegation from Chris Selley, based on evidence from tweets from Government MPs actually made, is that CTV is not in the wrong for stitching together two quotes of PP to make a third thing that he never said- they are in the wrong for firing the two story editors and for not backing the LPC, since they receive subsidies. The implication is already out there that some (maybe all Liberal MPs) believe that because “the media” get government subsidies, brought in by Liberals, the media “owes them”.

This is exactly a big of a disaster for the media landscape in Canada as I predicted would occur when the Liberals were stupid enough to bring in media subsidies and most media outlets were stupid enough to accept them.

 

[Furniture]

I’m completely open to any credible evidence that CTV receives government subsidy. I’m just not actually seeing any presented. Nothing you’ve said so far goes farther than simple supposition, and it’s directly contradicted by the company’s claims. Given how many people like to ‘gotcha’ the media, if CTV was receiving government money, I don’t think it would be hard to find that stated directly somewhere, with receipts.

It's easy to be "open" to things you know aren't openly available on the internet.

The people CTV executives report to are paid by the government, it's not hard to see how that impacts what they do. If you choose to ignore that, that's entirely on you. I refuse to imagine that tens of millions of dollars of government "relief" have no impact on them.

 

[brihard]

It's easy to be "open" to things you know aren't openly available on the internet.

The people CTV executives report to are paid by the government, it's not hard to see how that impacts what they do. If you choose to ignore that, that's entirely on you. I refuse to imagine that tens of millions of dollars of government "relief" have no impact on them.

They are? Because what you’ve pointed to is them receiving the wage subsidy temporarily a few years ago, which a vast number of employers did, and which no longer exists or continues to offer them any benefit or incentive for anything.

What we CAN see is BCE making huge cuts to CTV when they bought them. Again, all I’m seeing is supposition, nothing remotely close to evidence.

 

[Remius]

There is no way that is all semantics, and that the fortunes of BCE directly impact CTV news... Just like the PM and the Clerk of the Privy Council have never tried to influence the AG...

Since BCE are part owners of the Maple leafs and the Montreal Canadians does that also mean they received government subsidies with significant impact? When you look at a massive conglomerate like BCE, And then spread their share of of the fortunes (which isn’t really how it is spread out anyways but I’ll indulge) that comes from government money it doesn’t amount to much.

It’s just that some are assuming that ALL that money MUST be supporting their media enterprise. Given the major cuts bell media has been doing it would seem that they aren’t investing as much as you think they are.

 

[ModlrMike]

Whether CTV gets government subsidy or not is a red herring argument. They deserve every ounce of condemnation for what they did, and if the LPC can't see the wrong in that, then that's just one more reason people should consider their choices carefully.

 

[brihard]

Whether CTV gets government subsidy or not is a red herring argument. They deserve every ounce of condemnation for what they did, and if the LPC can't see the wrong in that, then that's just one more reason people should consider their choices carefully.

100%, and I’m glad to see CTV fired the two people they determined were responsible. CTV deserves whatever hit to their business comes from this. Upholding a standard against deceptive video cropping is unequivocally a good thing. Expecting integrity from all who talk about our parliamentary and electoral politics is a good thing.

 

[Remius]

100%, and I’m glad to see CTV fired the two people they determined were responsible. CTV deserves whatever hit to their business comes from this. Upholding a standard against deceptive video cropping is unequivocally a good thing. Expecting integrity from all who talk about our parliamentary and electoral politics is a good thing.

And despite what some think about legacy media, they do subscribe to a a code of journalistic standards that when violated can lead to consequences and accountability.

 

[Furniture]

Since BCE are part owners of the Maple leafs and the Montreal Canadians does that also mean they received government subsidies with significant impact? When you look at a massive conglomerate like BCE, And then spread their share of of the fortunes (which isn’t really how it is spread out anyways but I’ll indulge) that comes from government money it doesn’t amount to much.

It’s just that some are assuming that ALL that money MUST be supporting their media enterprise. Given the major cuts bell media has been doing it would seem that they aren’t investing as much as you think they are.

When the Leafs or Canadiens become the most popular source for broadcast news, I'll concern myself more with their degree of government subsidization/influence via the parent company. Pretending that the Leafs and CTV News are similar in any way is disingenuous.

Last week the CRCN directed that no RCN members were to attend a LM event being held in Ottawa, because it would appear improper. If a CPO 2 or LCdr can't even attend an event because it looks bad, what does that say about the government handing out tens of millions of dollars to media companies? If a LCdr might be influenced to sway things in LM's favour by a canape, would $40M influence how a company favours a government?

 

[Remius]

When the Leafs or Canadiens become the most popular source for broadcast news, I'll concern myself more with their degree of government subsidization/influence via the parent company. Pretending that the Leafs and CTV News are similar in any way is disingenuous.

Except they belong to the same parent company but the assumption is that ONLY the media division somehow benefitting.

 

[Furniture]

Except they belong to the same parent company but the assumption is that ONLY the media division somehow benefitting.

I never said or implied that at all.

I don't care if the Leafs, Canadiens, or the Corner Gas animated show benefit from, or are influenced by a government subsidy. I care that the people who frame the public discussion on events and politics are influenced by government money. People who make public declarations of not being biased, and have very blatantly aired biased content. Firing a couple of people after the fact does not absolve them of suspicion, or blame in what they have done.