New radio ads call on Ottawa to stop subsidizing junk news sites that are killing real journalism

(Toronto) Friends of Canadian Broadcasting has released a series of radio ads that will air in Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto and Vancouver starting next week.

The ads offer a humourous look into a likely future where social media is our only source of news. The spots alert Canadians to the fact that government policy advantages social media companies that distribute false or misleading information, at the expense of credible Canadian journalism.

“There is no such thing as democracy without journalism, and Canadian journalism is dying. We are trying to inform voters that this is not a natural death: Ottawa makes the problem worse with billions in subsidies and exemptions for foreign internet media companies – the same corporations that are driving professional and reliable journalism outfits into the ground,” says FRIENDS of Canadian Broadcasting Executive Director Daniel Bernhard.

FRIENDS is urging all of federal parties to publicly commit to ending special treatment for Facebook, Google, Netflix and other large foreign online media companies, and to impose the same tax, regulatory and legal requirements that Canadian companies comply with. FRIENDS’ research estimates that closing one tax loophole could repatriate as much as $500 million to the Canadian media sector, at no cost to taxpayers.

“Right now, the federal government allows Facebook, Google, Netflix and other foreign online media companies to write the rules. This is our house. We should call the shots. Any party that wants to form government should show they know how to act like one,” Bernhard said.

The English language ads are available at these links:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_Pz1TOZ-58

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YwxB4uTwVfo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AnLudpAfzIY

The French language ads are available at these links:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ym8xRSF7zu0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yl94sEtipVA

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For more information contact Jim Thompson at [email protected] or 613-447-9592.