I don't usually post diaries here on DKos, happy to stay in lurker status for the most part. Mostly that comes from fear. People here can be vicious if you aren't perfectly clear in choosing how to express yourself. But this issue has prompted me to come out from the shadows and alert you to what has happened here in Canada today. I don't know if it's big news but I thought it was significant.
Today I saw a story on the CBC website that said the CRTC ( Canada's equivalent to the FCC) had imposed restrictions on cross media ownership to prevent people like Rupert Murdoch and Roger Ailes from controlling all media voices in a single marketplace making it harder for opposing views to be heard.
More on the flipside ...
The new Canadian controls state that you cannot own more than 2 media outlets in a single market. I suppose that doesn't protect us totally from monopolistic views dominating our media but I think it does go some way to help ensure there is more editorial diversity in a community, which can only be a good thing. I am not sure how much influence people like Murdoch are allowed to have in a single marketplace but my impression is he has a virtual free rein in how many newpaper, radio and TV outlets he can control ... if I am wrong I am sure someone will correct me.
Not so in Canada anymore tho :)
The CRTC also said it would impose limits on the ownership of broadcasting licences so that one party would not control more than 45 per cent of the total television audience share as a result of a merger or acquisition.
So far in Canada we have managed to avoid some of the pitfalls you guys from the south have had to suffer under the Bush administration but the wolves are baying at the door and I am hopeful news like this can help us stave off the worst of the Neocon agenda that threatens to seep into our Canadian conciousness.
Full Story can be found here CRTC imposes cross-media ownership restrictions