[BeaverFever]

BartSimpson BartSimpson:

The bolded part of your comment is a good reason to prohibit democracy altogether. Really, if you can't even trust people to parse their news then how can you trust them to vote?

Parse their news using what, other suspect news? Blogs? Given the amount of misleading advertising and business claims we already have to endure, are you recommending that we all quit our jobs and stop sleeping so that we can spend 100% trying to verify a small fraction of the misleading info that we are constantly bombarded with?

There need to be clear standards since the average citizen really has limited ability and availability to consistently 'parse' news or advertising with any kind of certainty.

[Prof_Chomsky]

Bart just likes the romantic idea that somehow FOX "news" is the product of the free market and somehow the definition of TRUTH can be worked out by market forces...

The 4th Estate was given special powers and freedoms under both our constitutions for a reason. A democracy cannot function without a well informed electorate. And with that freedom comes the responsibility to report the TRUTH. And as for your slippery slope argument about who determines what is true and what happens if the government decides everything against it is untrue, take off the tin foil hat. By your logic we should allow FOX “news” into Canada and let them spew their lies and propaganda to protect us from the possibility that the government will do the same thing “someday”. And let’s be realistic here. IF the government ever decided to start controlling the media like that, this stupid law isn’t going to stop them… it’s designed to stop the rich and powerful like Rupert Murdoch from brainwashing the undereducated and over-armed masses.

There is a reason Canada’s economy is stronger than yours, and our health care covers 100% of people for 1/3rd what you pay for just elderly medicare, and half our country doesn’t hate the other half. We aren’t fed bold faced lies on a daily basis that are designed to divide and distract us from what really matters. Our media isn’t perfect by a LONG shot, but at least they have the fear of God in them if they intentionally make something up. I’d like to keep it that way.

[PublicAnimalNo9]

raydan raydan:

Is it tin-foil hat time, PA9?

Not at all bro. It's not like the media has never been used to try and subdue the masses before. Maybe not in Canada, but it sure don't mean it can't ever happen either, n'est ce pas?

[sandorski]

Prof_Chomsky Prof_Chomsky:

Bart just likes the romantic idea that somehow FOX "news" is the product of the free market and somehow the definition of TRUTH can be worked out by market forces...

The 4th Estate was given special powers and freedoms under both our constitutions for a reason. A democracy cannot function without a well informed electorate. And with that freedom comes the responsibility to report the TRUTH. And as for your slippery slope argument about who determines what is true and what happens if the government decides everything against it is untrue, take off the tin foil hat. By your logic we should allow FOX “news” into Canada and let them spew their lies and propaganda to protect us from the possibility that the government will do the same thing “someday”. And let’s be realistic here. IF the government ever decided to start controlling the media like that, this stupid law isn’t going to stop them… it’s designed to stop the rich and powerful like Rupert Murdoch from brainwashing the undereducated and over-armed masses.

There is a reason Canada’s economy is stronger than yours, and our health care covers 100% of people for 1/3rd what you pay for just elderly medicare, and half our country doesn’t hate the other half. We aren’t fed bold faced lies on a daily basis that are designed to divide and distract us from what really matters. Our media isn’t perfect by a LONG shot, but at least they have the fear of God in them if they intentionally make something up. I’d like to keep it that way.

Indeed.

[raydan]

PublicAnimalNo9 PublicAnimalNo9:

raydan raydan:

Is it tin-foil hat time, PA9?

Not at all bro. It's not like the media has never been used to try and subdue the masses before. Maybe not in Canada, but it sure don't mean it can't ever happen either, n'est ce pas?

I agree with you, PA9.
Media should be accountable and should not broadcast false or misleading news.

Or at least if they do breach this in any way, a note should accompany the piece.
Heck, even TV ads are held to this practice, even though they do get around it once in a while.

[PublicAnimalNo9]

raydan raydan:

PublicAnimalNo9 PublicAnimalNo9:

raydan raydan:

Is it tin-foil hat time, PA9?

Not at all bro. It's not like the media has never been used to try and subdue the masses before. Maybe not in Canada, but it sure don't mean it can't ever happen either, n'est ce pas?

I agree with you, PA9.
Media should be accountable and should not broadcast false or misleading news.

Or at least if they do breach this in any way, a note should accompany the piece.
Heck, even TV ads are held to this practice, even though they do get around it once in a while.

Get around it once in a while? Oooooo don't get me started on advertising and the liberties they've been taking and getting away with lately.

[andyt]

Seems like a double edged sword to me. A totalitarian government can declare anything false or misleading and shut down the press that way. Probably better to have laws that ensure a vigorous, competitive press (prevent monopolies).

[PublicAnimalNo9]

Right, cuz Canada is all about preventing monopolies

[sandorski]

andyt andyt:

Seems like a double edged sword to me. A totalitarian government can declare anything false or misleading and shut down the press that way. Probably better to have laws that ensure a vigorous, competitive press (prevent monopolies).

No one is talking about a front end censoring of the News. Just a disincentive to fabricating the News. If you Lie or propagandize openly, there are consequences.That's been the status quo for a very long time and has worked very well.

[Public_Domain]

[Curtman]

48 hours to save Canadian journalism

$1:

In 48 hours, public protections against false news coverage could be destroyed. The CRTC may pass a huge loophole to the "fair and balanced" rule that currently prevents media from outright lying to the public.

Canada's broadcast journalism standards are an impediment to the new "Fox News North" (Sun TV) network being set up by Prime Minister Harper's cronies, which promises to mimic Fox News -- the poisonous US propaganda network. The CRTC rule change, which allows false news to be blasted across Canadian airwaves, comes just as SunTV is about to launch. We can stop this -- last year, we prevented Harper cronies from pressing the CRTC to fund "Fox News North" with public money. Now, we have just two days to raise another national outcry to save the standards of Canadian journalism, and our democracy. Sign the petition, and then tell everyone about this campaign

48,279 have signed the petition, and counting....

[PostFactum]

Stephen looks scared

[2Cdo]

Curtman Curtman:

48 hours to save Canadian journalism

$1:

In 48 hours, public protections against false news coverage could be destroyed. The CRTC may pass a huge loophole to the "fair and balanced" rule that currently prevents media from outright lying to the public.

Canada's broadcast journalism standards are an impediment to the new "Fox News North" (Sun TV) network being set up by Prime Minister Harper's cronies, which promises to mimic Fox News -- the poisonous US propaganda network. The CRTC rule change, which allows false news to be blasted across Canadian airwaves, comes just as SunTV is about to launch. We can stop this -- last year, we prevented Harper cronies from pressing the CRTC to fund "Fox News North" with public money. Now, we have just two days to raise another national outcry to save the standards of Canadian journalism, and our democracy. Sign the petition, and then tell everyone about this campaign

48,279 have signed the petition, and counting....

48,000 out of 30+million. Quite the groundswell of popular support there.

[sandorski]

signed

[Curtman]

2Cdo 2Cdo:

Curtman Curtman:

48,279 have signed the petition, and counting....

48,000 out of 30+million. Quite the groundswell of popular support there.

Yeah, the popular ones start out with at least 5 million.

52,000