TORONTO – Canadian author Margaret Atwood is contributing to the hype around Quebecor’s proposed new Sun TV news channel – whether she means to, or not.
Earlier this week, Atwood tweeted that she’d signed a petition called “Stop Fox News North” at avaaz.org, and encouraged others to join her. The petition, among other allegations, accuses Prime Minister Harper of “trying to push American-style hate media onto our airwaves, and make us all pay for it”, and calls on him to “immediately stop all pressure on the CRTC on this matter”.
This sparked a swift, and sharp, opinion-editorial piece from Kory Teneycke, Harper’s former director of communications who is now VP of development for Quebecor and the head of the new channel. The piece appeared Friday in many Sun Media newspapers across the country.
Entitled “Atwood’s U.S. Sellout: Icon’s ignorant attack confirms just why Canada needs Sun TV News”, Teneycke calls the new channel “as Canadian as the maple leaf — a joint venture between two Quebecor companies: TVA and Sun Media”. He also takes issue with the petition’s accusation that the channel “will be funded with money from our cable TV fees!”
“The final lie most of the media stories, petitions and general ankle-biting from our competitors promote is about money. Sun TV News is not, nor has it ever, asked for “mandatory carriage” by cable or satellite companies”, Teneycke wrote. “As the critics correctly point out, this would be tantamount to a tax on everyone with cable or satellite service. It is what CBC News Network has, but not what we are asking for.”
Earlier this week, Quebecor asked the CRTC to grant SunTV News a category 2 digital license, but with category one benefits such as must-offer for three years, as Cartt.ca reported.
– Lesley Hunter
