Gordon Clark from the Vancouver Province wrote an interesting editorial about the future of the Newspaper industry in today's paper. The editorial is in response to the recent news of job lay offs after the latest media merger recently reported on.
Although I understand that duplication isn't cost effective, journalists losing their jobs is not a good thing for anyone. The Freedom of the Press is a sacred thing. When that is lost we are all diminished. Gordon quotes critics' reference to corporate mainstream media. This is a large public concern. As I have said before, media mergers are concerning because when all the media outlets are owned by one entity, they are easier to control.
We remember the days of Conrad Black who bought up all the newspaper chains and started to censor the press. That was a bad precedent. Although Conrad Black is gone, the media monopoly continues. Although I agree most Canadians watch American movies and television, I for one simply can't stomach American News. The sensational propaganda is repulsive. British tabloids are even worse. I have in the past spoken about how we tend to think newspapers are supposed to be unbiased and how the Murdoch news chain destroyed that fairy tale by admitting they endorse certain candidates during election time.
Gordon Clark claims "the fact that virtually everything people know about corruption, lousy policies or misconduct by government of corporate officials was dug up by a journalist, more often than not some scruffy newspaper reporter with a couple of little kids and a mortgage. If you’re hating on the MSM, you are really hating on those hard-working reporters."
I completely agree that virtually everything people know about corruption, lousy policies or misconduct by government of corporate officials was dug up by a journalist. However, I don't think if someone is hating on the Mainstream Media they are hating on some scruffy newspaper reporter with a couple of little kids and a mortgage. Gary Webb was a scruffy newspaper reporter with a couple of little kids and a mortgage. The MSM killed him. Literally. The movie Kill the Messenger showed the Gary Webb story to the world and sadly, the world barely noticed.
The MSM killed Dan Rather. Figuratively speaking. The persecution a journalist experiences for reporting on a story that goes against the propaganda is a huge concern for everyone. Gordon Clark's conclusion is a bit disappointing. He states Critics of the changes (in print media) have two choices: either buy a subscription or, as Baron would say, “shut the f— up.” That's a little bit extreme. Agree with me and pay me money or shut the f up? Rather short sighted. Perhaps his editor highlighted that when his editorial was rewritten for him. (Mild sarcasm)
I actually like Wayne Moriarty. I think he's fair. Despite the fact that he let that idiot Keith Fraser screw me over. Posting my real name was one thing but posting my home address was unethical. It's pretty easy to black out an address before uploading a court document. I never would have done that to him. I guess that makes us different. I'm not sure if it was jealousy or stupidity. Likely a little of both.
I'm not sure where Gordon Clark's animosity towards the CBC comes from. For a government subsidized news outlet they are one of the best in the country for objectivity. If the main stream media doesn't like them they must be doing something right. Nevertheless, I think bloggers can help save the newspaper industry by linking to their articles and blogging about them. That creates more traffic and potential advertising revenue. Kim Bolan uses a blog. So does Laila. Bloggers generate more traffic on articles of public interest.
Part One: Media Mergers
Part Two: Dan Rather and Gary Webb
there is no future for the print media as we know it. its was taken over by corporate greed a long time ago. In Vancouver, the Sun and Province read more like press releases from the B.C. Lieberals. Its been a long time since the days of Sima Holt and others like her. they actually did investigative reporting.
ReplyDeleteWhat passes for political commentary by Vaughan Palmer, well he must have left his brains somewhere else.
Then when you consider 48% of Post Media is owned by an American Hedge fund, you know why they supported Harper in the last election. Talk about out of touch. They didn't even have the smarts to render no opinion.
Want to know how much people who get provincial contracts, give to the B.C. Lieberals? read a blog. Want to know what the B.C. Lieberals would like you to believe, read the MSM.
Why buy a newspaper or turn on the news when they don't report on it. I can turn on APTN and get more news than I can on the other MSM t.v. stations put together.
Did I find out about the lack of enforcement by the RCMP in Surrey of nasty drug dealers in the MSM? No I read two blogs. Yours and Lailla Yuile.
So until the competition bureau of Canada starts to do something about the lack of competition in the news business, its not going to do anything to get business. Well that was 10 yrs ago and now they don't have any business because they don't offer people anything of interest. Had they done a little "investigage" reporting instead of ensuring they got lots of advertising from the B.C. Lieberals they might have kept some readership.
I quit buying newspapers 15 yrs ago. I found the Comox Valley Record and Echo more interesting and informative. For the rest I read blogs. I am sorry that the Nanaimo Daily News is folding, but the model they are using isn't going to work in this environment.
The newspaper business became too much about business and not enough about the news.
Ah Sima Holt, author of the Devil's Butler, a true champion indeed. Sadly when you say there is no future in the print media that means there is no future in the freedom of the press and that is a tragic loss for democracy.
DeleteI like Laila. She took a lot of heat and persecution from the MSM when she was vocal against the Dianne Watts regime. Now that she writes for legitimate newspapers I think she has to be a bit more careful what she says politically. I'll add more to the post to expound on the issue. Hedge Funds are bad news.
Dennis you must be very young. I remember Sima Hold when she was writing about the Doukaboers in B.C. How the government took their children, the people sent to jail, and the blowing up of power lines. The Doukaboers, back in the day, were the first "terrorists" in B.C. She covered it all.
DeleteMajorie Nickals, was another Vancouver Sun writer, who wrote political opinion columns, which to this day I still think about. Vaughan Palmer is no where in her league.
Me young? I wish. Not very.
Deletefreedom of the press is an illusion as canadian media only repeats the lies of the corrupt canadian government
ReplyDelete