Canadian journalists say Trudeau gov’t payouts are hurting mainstream media credibility

by Clare Marie Merkowsky

‘There is evidence to suggest subsidies have created an environment in which segments of the public believe media has been bought off,’ one journalist testified to a House of Commons committee last month.

(LifeSiteNews) — Legacy media journalists in Canada have pointed to government subsidies as one of the key reasons Canadians have lost trust in the industry.

On February 27, mainstream media journalists told the House of Commons heritage committee that ongoing media subsidies from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government have only damaged newsrooms’ credibility in the eyes of Canadians, according to information obtained by Blacklock’s Reporter.

“Legacy and new media lobbying for government money and accepting it does little to enhance confidence in their independence or reliability,” former Conservative MP and 1988 chair of the Commons communications committee John Gormley testified.

“Does government funding pay for better journalism? Does it restore credibility and trust?” he questioned.

“I don’t necessarily accept the supposition Canadian media is in trouble because it is underfunded by government,” he responded. “The government has nothing to do with this.”

Similarly, Tara Henley, a Toronto author and host of the Lean Out podcast on current affairs, argued that the government subsidizes have led to a loss of integrity for mainstream media outlets.

“Any funding from the government that flows to media at this point would hinder our attempts to rebuild trust,” she said. “There is evidence to suggest subsidies have created an environment in which segments of the public believe media has been bought off.”

“Without trust we have no audience,” Henley stated. “Without an audience we have no revenue. Without revenue we have no path forward.”

“Canadian media does need to be saved, that is very true,” said Henley. “My message is simple. The government cannot save us. We have to save ourselves.”