This was OpenMedia’s fix Bill C-18 campaign. It’s unclear if any of this was fixed when it got passed.
Right now, most of the funding goes straight into the pockets of large broadcast media like Corus, Rogers and the CBC. Newspapers? Minority players. Local news that’s already disappeared? Zero help. Startup outlets? Not included. Effective news support should be concentrated on where news is fast disappearing, not on broadcast outlets that don’t need the help.2,3
What about press independence? As written, Bill C-18 hands enormous power to Big Tech and to the CRTC to secretly shape the type of news that gets made in Canada. News organizations enter into secret deals with platforms to get funding; there’s no public reporting on who receives funds, how much they’re receiving, or why some groups wind up approved while others are rejected.4 That’s not good enough. Transparency about who’s funding the news and how they reached their deal is vital for the public to maintain trust in the news industry.5 Any legislation must ensure that eligibility decisions are made publicly, transparently, and without government or platform pressure.
A strong Fourth Estate is essential in preserving democracy. This bill reduces the power of authoritarian supporting anti-democracy billionaires like Zuckerberg and empowers the free press. #BoycottMETA
But it’s OK for independent media in Canada to not get paid?
Just because the majority goes to major news corps doesn’t mean smaller media receives nothing. That’s like complaining that Bell media makes more profit than a Coop owned journal… Get more prints/links, get a bigger piece of the pie because your work is more profitable.
I pay for truth based independent media by donation. Propaganda garbage such as Rebel and the like I refuse to support. The model needs to change – good independent media have already figured it out. Also, I don’t see where I suggested independent media should not get paid. I’ve never suggested such a thing.