Too few commercial broadcasters in Canada due to lack of competition
She was one of Canada's top female journalists, and now she's the former chief of CTV News. , it is a national shame that she was abruptly ousted from her role. she is 58 years old. Thirty-five years later, LaFlamme says her parent company was "blind" to Bell Media's decision, and she announced the news via her social media outlet without a proper on-air signoff.
This is enough to upset her.
What makes the situation even worse is how severely curtailed media competition is in Canada. Losing her job as a CTV anchor is one thing, but the underlying problem that makes LaFlamme's resignation even more devastating is that her journalism options are pretty limited at this point. is. Yes, highly paid roles.
This is not due to her lack of talent or age. It comes down to her one simple reality. There aren't many places she goes other than public broadcasting stations. Unless she eventually goes global, and unless they are lucky to have her, her commercial station options will dwindle rapidly.
LaFlamme I can't wait to see what you do next. A more influential one is a handful of toddler-sized companies fighting for a media environment that doesn't grasp much of the industry.
LaFlamme's outlook It would be a lot better if she was an American anchor with the same fame. In the United States, her personality as a newscaster, journalist and media outlet is constantly changing. Get out of the primetime newscasts. There are also various news programs, news magazine programs, Morning Her shows, news-related talk shows, and special event coverage opportunities. These options are also available in Canada, but are very limited.
This not only allows journalists cut by one employer to retain many career options, but also allows for diversity of opinion and freedom of speech. It also enables gender and racial diversity when everyone is not fighting for status. Scattered spots. It also makes it easier for women, especially, to choose to stay away from toxic work environments.
Her unfortunate negative reaction to LaFlamme's replacement Omar Sachedina illustrates the pitfalls of Canada's winner-takes-all environment. In a healthy media company and a healthy media environment, LaFlamme's career didn't have to face such jarring setbacks for Sachedina's move forward.
The United States has an undeniable demographic advantage, which will always result in a larger media ecosystem, but Canada's limited competition is far from just a demographic problem.It's a choice.
Social A common suggestion in her media was that the CBC hire her LaFlamme. But to ignore that state-owned behemoths that lack clear purpose and have permission to siphon advertising dollars from the private sector are part of what got us to this unfortunate crossroads in the first place. You can not.
CBC should supplement rather than suck from the competitive media industry. Allowing this is a choice.
When it comes to media mergers and acquisitions, it's a choice of barely enforcing competition policy. Her four major broadcasters in Canada, Bell, Corus, Rogers, and Quebecor, are the product of multiple mergers, spinoffs, and many more. Yes, the American market is similarly dominated by four major broadcasters, but with stronger secondary media option offerings and a thriving array of digital media.
In Canada, restrictions on foreign ownership and the cumbersome CanCon of ticking boxes over creating compelling and in-demand content (a healthy competitive basis) and diversification Gender assignment further curbs competition. The federal government's plan to expand the CRTC's regulatory reach to include Internet companies will take root in the same way that government media subsidies always seem to favor legacy media over new competitors. It just helps.
Of course, this sentiment applies to many industries in Canada. In reality, we are all too accustomed to oligopolies and federal governments not only to allow them, but to actively ensure their continued dominance. has a result. There may be an uncertain future for the careers of high-profile women journalists, but more importantly the impact these choices have on our democratic discourse.
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