Skip to main content

“I am a Canadian, free to speak without fear, free to worship in my own way, free to stand for what I think right, free to oppose what I believe wrong, or free to choose those who shall govern my country. This heritage of freedom I pledge to uphold for myself and all mankind.” ~~ John G. Diefenbaker

FELDSTED: The consolidation and integration of our media results in the dull, ‘government-speak’ pap we detest


I recently wrote about the makeup of the Parliamentary Press Gallery.  

We need to know why the “Parliamentary Press Gallery” memberships are controlled by a private corporation. No private corporation should have the right to use Parliament or Parliamentary in its name as it is highly misleading; suggesting that it is a formal part of government.

Our Parliamentary Press Gallery must be an agency of government reporting to the House of Commons, and have an open and transparent means of appeal for any journalist who is refused membership.


A free press must not be managed by a private corporation, particularly not the segment reporting on the events and issues surrounding our government and governance.

Access to the press gallery includes access to house and committee proceedings, as well as some access to Ministers. 

Press Gallery membership is much more than being able to sit in the public galleries to observe proceedings ... otherwise we are being denied access to vital information. 

Part of a free press is access to information that is not managed by vested interests ... government or non-government.


The system may have worked for the century, when we had a highly a competitive media, but since media ownership consolidation began in the 1980s, competition has been strangled. Newsrooms have shrunk and editing has been centralized. A single central editorial staff may approve news stories for dozens of cable, radio, print and television outlets under a single ownership.

The consolidation and integration of our media results in the dull, ‘government-speak’ pap we detest. It also allows media outlets to intensify editorial control during an election campaign. Media owners are aware of the enormous influence they wield, and are mindful of the subsidies they receive or may not receive with a change in government.

Media consolidation is contrary to the public interest. Contrary because we do not receive the same broad range of opinion and views that a competitive media brought us, and we risk the undue influence that a consolidated media can bring to bear.

Governments should fear an independent, competitive free press – a free press is the eyes and ears of the public.

A consolidated media is something governments can pacify rather than fear, and that, is dangerous to a democracy.

Tyrants control the media and hide their plans ... while democracies thrive with a free press, and wither without it.   


John Feldsted
Political Consultant & Strategist
Winnipeg, Manitoba
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

“4.5 million hectares of forest lands have burned since 2023, and the best they can do is point to a 90-hectare block being salvaged?” ~~ Ward Stamer, Kamloops-North Thompson MLA

Today, BC NDP forest Minister Ravi Parmar made this pronouncement; ‘Removing red tape has sped up permitting, allowing for more wood to be salvaged, quicker’. 4.5 million hectares of forest lands have burned since 2023, and the best they can do is point to a 90-hectare block?    ~~ BC Conservative Forests Critic Ward Stamer While acknowledging the NDP government has recognized improvements were needed in permitting and accessing burnt fibre in a timely fashion, the reality is, they are barely making a dent in the problem.  This government's recognition that only seven percent of pulp mill fibre came from burnt timber in 2024-25, quite simply put, is a failure. And the recent announcement, just three weeks ago, that the Crofton Pulp Mill would be permanently closing, is proof of that.     Instead of Premier David Eby’s government addressing core issues being faced by British Columbia’s forest industry, they are doing little more than manipulating the facts, ...
1 comment
Read more

A message from BC Conservative MLA Ward Stamer, and the Kamloops – North Thompson Riding Association

2025 was a busy first year. As a Caucus, we worked very hard to defeat Bills 14 and 15, legislation which allows the provincial government to move ahead without environmental assessments on renewable projects, and that also allows cabinet to build infrastructure projects without getting approval from local municipal governments. This is not acceptable to your BC Conservative caucus, and we will continue to press this government for open and transparent projects in the future.  Two things we had success in were having the first Private Members bill passed in over 40 years. The first was Jody Toors Prenatal and Post Natal Care bill, and then there was my private members Bill M217 Mandatory Dashcams in commercial vehicles (passed second reading unanimously and is heading to Committee in February). Regrettably, much of the legislation passed by the government was little more than housekeeping bills, or opportunities to strengthen the ability of Cabinet Ministers to bypass the BC legi...
Post a Comment
Read more

Wildfire waste plan torched -- Forestry critic Stamer calls BC's wildfire salvage rate 'a failure'

Claims that BC is making progress salvaging wildfire-damaged timber are masking deeper problems in the forest sector, the province’s forestry critic says. Last week, BC’s Ministry of Forests said mills in the province processed more than one million cubic metres of wildfire chips in 2024-25, up from 500,000 cubic metres in 2023 and representing about seven per cent of all processed wood. Kamloops-North Thompson BC Conservative MLA Ward Stamer said those claims of progress ignore the reality that only a fraction of burned timber is being used ... CLICK HERE for the full story
Post a Comment
Read more

Labels

Show more