Like Politics, Should All ProMedia Be Local?

TippingTowardsO'Neill
ButNotGoreVille


Not entirely sure about that header question.

But I am all for locally-focused (and maybe monied) proMedia.

Regardless....

Longtime journo and jouster with Paul Willcocks, Marc Edge, has some pretty provocative stuff to say in a piece in today's Tyee.

I found this bit to be particularly interesting:

...As a long-time journalist, I am leery of subsides because of the possibilities they create for government influence over the news media. Any program of assistance should be well insulated from editorial control, but that doesn’t mean tax incentives can’t be provided to encourage the establishment and assist the operation of local media outlets dedicated to serving the news needs of Canadians. Such incentives could also render ownership of Canada’s existing news media more diverse. Local ownership of news media was one of the first things that fell by the wayside in the rush to consolidation starting in the 1960s and ’70s, when absentee chain ownership became the norm. Tax incentives could be provided that would make advertising in locally owned, independent media more cost effective than in chain-owned publications...

The entire piece is well worth the read (unfortunately the comments, at least so far, are relatively insight-free)


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