FELDSTED: We have lost the diversity of media opinion through consolidation, and the concentration of media reporters, to a few multiple media outlets

Justin Trudeau Says Politicians Should Work On Their Social Media Skills -- He said some leaders are dividing people with technology.

Jordan Press  ~~  Canadian Press / Huff Post  ~~  11/12/2018

PARIS — Politicians working to harness the power of social media to connect with voters need to figure out how to do so positively in the face of leaders using those platforms to undermine democracy, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says.

Without mentioning anyone by name at an event in Paris on Monday morning, Trudeau suggested there are politicians who are trying to use platforms like Twitter to foster polarization and controversy in the electorate.

The medium is not without its benefits, Trudeau said, pointing to the ease of putting out a tweet of condolence or support being easier, more direct and resonating more with citizens than issuing a press statement carried by traditional media.

That same ease and directness that Trudeau said can be used to build confidence in government and democratic institutions can just as easily be used by politicians trying to "make you angry or make you divided or make you hate your neighbour" — pitting one kind of social media politician against the other.

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Great advice – let’s move political discourse to social media sites where unfounded gossip, rumours and trolls posting fake news rule. That will ensure that the public is baffled by conflicting opinion, some truth sprinkled with innuendo and outright lies and no way to sort out facts from fiction.

In the meantime, media consolidation in Canada, through acquisitions by conglomerates has stifled fair and balanced news that is fact checked and accurate. Through consolidation we have lost rational diversity of opinion. The option of turning to social media is even worse than the opinionated pap we get through our newspapers and the TV now. 

Defending freedom of the press -- while allowing five conglomerates (Bell, Rogers, Telus, Shaw and Quebecor, in that order when ranked by income) to dominate (71.1%) of the telecom, media and internet industries in Canada -- is ridiculous.

Competition creates diversity of opinion and attention to accuracy.

Today, far too many articles in our media originate with the Canadian Press whose reporters send their stories to all major media owners.  From there we get the same unchecked, and unverified, pap from media outlets coast to coast.

Trudeau will never try to break up the media conglomerates – they could turn on him and destroy his chance of re-election.

That, in a nutshell, is the danger of media concentration and influence.

John Feldsted

Political Consultant & Strategist

Winnipeg, Manitoba