OTTAWA – Just as the CEP union did earlier this week, NDP Heritage Critic Charlie Angus Wednesday called for new CRTC hearings into media concentration arising from the CTV/CHUM purchase.
"The Canadian public continues to be shortchanged by the CRTC regarding the serious threats posed by mega-media concentration," says Angus’ release today.
“Who’s kidding who here? Are we expected to think that the CRTC will hold up the single largest corporate merger in Canadian media history simply because they are accepting letters from the public?” asked Angus.
He also mentioned that before the merger goes ahead, the CRTC must undertake a thorough study of the effects of growing media concentration across Canada, despite the fact the Senate already spent three years doing just that, filing its report last year.
“Over the last decade, media concentration has grown dangerously high across this country. The CRTC has consistently been asleep at the switch. They have approved numerous acquisitions without public input. They have rubber-stamped the growth of a few media dynasties while they continue to pay lip service to the need for a multiplicity of voices on the Canadian airwaves,” declared Angus.
“The CRTC should halt this takeover until we can be assured that an iconic station like City TV will retain its editorial independence,” said Toronto MP Peggy Nash. “We cannot allow this station, which has been a symbol of Toronto’s independent opinion, to be drowned out in this tide towards greater media concentration.”
(Ed. Note: Left unsaid is why in the world CTV would want to devalue Citytv Toronto, one of the primary assets it wishes to acquire in the $1.7 billion deal.)
Finally, Angus has called on Heritage Minister Bev Oda to demand that, under section 15 (1) of the Broadcast Act, the CRTC holds a public hearing on ownership policy and that these hearings take place in the key markets that have been hit by major media concentration.
Parliament is currently in the middle of its March Break.
