Wednesday, October 19, 2011

National Post shilling for the CBC

Glen McGregor at NP:
... In an unusual move, the CBC posted a “Get the Facts” news release on its website that alleges the Quebecor chain has received more than $500-million in public grants and subsidies over the past three years.
... The public subsidies have allowed Quebecor to make profits, yet it “complains that its TVA television network ‘competes’ against Radio-Canada,” CBC claims.
... A document attached to the news release ... itemizes $61-million received through the Canadian Media Fund and $13-million that flowed through the Canadian Periodicals Fund to Quebecor magazine titles such as 7 Jours, TV Hebdo and Clin d’Oeil.
... Quebecor’s Sun papers and TV channel rail against the CBC on a nightly basis.
Sun responds:
... "We are totally astonished; flabbergasted that CBC would do this on the eve of Quebecor's CEO appearing before a parliamentary committee," said Quebecor spokesman Luc Lavoie. "It's contempt of Parliament by a creature of Parliament."
... Of the more than $500 million in "benefits" that CBC claims Quebecor has received, it cites $333 million in "savings" from a wireless spectrum auction. In 2008, the federal government set aside a certain segment of the wireless phone market for new companies in the hope of fostering competition.
... CBC also claims Quebecor's TVA television network receives millions of dollars from the Canadian Media Fund (CMF), but does not note that Videotron, also owned by Quebecor, pays more into the system than TVA takes out.
... CBC is also a beneficiary of the CMF, but does not pay into it. The monies received from that fund are on top of the annual $1.1 billion subsidy....
Now, for his next assignment, maybe McGregor can write a column detailing how much business the National Post does with the CBC. How much of that $1.1 billion subsidy is the Post raking in?

Update [via Xanthippa]: Ezra Levant on The Source today. And here on YouTube from blazingcatfur.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

That deal about the Post and others getting CBC advertising dollars is going to turnout to be a big issue.

Anonymous said...

If the Sun would be more like the CBC, we would not need the CBC.

JR said...

Anon2,
You mean if Sun got a billion dollar gov't subsidy and produced crap it would be like the CBC? No sh*t Sherlock.
And, for the record, nobody "needs" the CBC.

Alain said...

Having caught the scent of its death, the state broadcaster is getting desperate. They know they could never make it on their own dime and are fighting tooth-and-nail to hold on to the public teat.

Patsplace said...

This is going to get really interesting. Now that it's out in the open, CBC can lose big time. Sun not so much.

JR said...

I just watched Ezra Levant's show today. He really rips the CBC a new one over this. He includes video of Pierre Karl Peladeaux raking the CBC over the coals before the committee.

I hope it's published on YouTube.

Xanthippa said...

Is this the clip?
http://vladtepesblog.com/?p=39248

JR said...

That's it! Thanks, Xanthippa.
And I just found it on YouTube from blazingcatfur.

Xanthippa said...

Ezra just keeps up the pressure: let's hope he gets good results!

Rivaskvzs said...

That deal about the Post and others getting CBC advertising dollars is going to turnout to be a big issue.