Prior to the Leader’s Debates, the Debate Commission decided that The Rebel News and True North Centre where not journalists worthy of the press credentials required to cover the debate and attend the press conference that followed.
The two media outlets fought back in court and won an injunction, permitting them to attend and pose questions to the leaders of each party. They even won an award of costs that was to be reimbursed to them by the commission.
However, on October 25th, their lawyers were served with notice of an appeal. With the debates over and done with, you might be inclined to think it is about our the government of Canada not wanting to pay those costs. Nothing could be further from the truth. The costs of launching an appeal, will quickly cost the government more than they would have had to pay out. What they are doing is seeking to set a precedent. One which can be used in the future against not only The Rebel and TNC, but against all independent media outlets, and even freelance journalists. A precedent that is going to trickle down to many other levels of government, and even the private sector, creating barriers for all journalists not affiliated with the big corporate media.
As the owner of a independent digital media outlet I implore all of you to set aside your judgments of @RebelNewsOnline or @TrueNorthCentre and understand the ramifications this appeal could have on the future of journalism.
It is not relevant that the Commission justified their objection by claiming the media outlets participated in what they referred to as “advocacy work that goes beyond the scope of ethical journalism”. What needs to be acknowledged is that, in Canada, there is no certification of journalists. And there never should be. The moment any one entity gets to decide who is and isn’t a journalist, is the moment we forfeit freedom of the press.
The true irony is seeing so many members of the mainstream media cheering this dog and pony show in the background. Should we succumb to a strict guideline that relegates journalists who’s “advocacy work goes beyond the scope of ethical journalism”, there are many in the mainstream media who would need to be revising their own practices to keep their coveted “journalist” status.
Even going beyond the journalists to the media outlets themselves, the rampant use of op-eds written by activists and advocates is already done it’s damage to their own credibility. The MSM readily offer up their platforms not only to advocates, but those with no journalist experience and no accountability. Billed as “Opinion”, these pieces rarely cite sources nor back claims made. The MSM needs to take a long hard look in the mirror if they want to look down on independent media and claim the high and mighty throne of ethical journalism.
You won’t feel the devastating effect on your local news outlets until they are gone.
As the big syndicates continue to buy up your local town papers and shut them down, or amalgamate them with those from neighbouring towns, your news will become less focused on your home town. Small regional digital only news media are slowly trying to fill that void.
They are independent and often owner operated, bringing you the local news that is of no interest to the mainstream media. And the media industry has many studies that show, where local news coverage is not available, municipal corruption is on the rise. They are your watch dogs.
Resistance to these independents is already very high. Even the most credible face an ongoing battle and it has nothing to do with their quality of journalism.
A ruling on this appeal against The Rebel or TNC places another barrier in front of all independent news media. When federal politicians get to pick and choose who covers their actions, municipalities will jump on that bandwagon.
I can assure you, they already do.
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