Tonight Ezra Levant is exploring the impact of a little-known quasi judicial body. The Canadian broadcast standards Council. Its job is to self regulate television and radio broadcasts throughout Canada. Now, I’ve always been a bit weary of a group of appointed. literati telling Canadians what constitutes acceptable and unacceptable speech in Canada.
Of course no one would dispute that any community needs a general outline of best practices. However, when good intentions are cloaked in the supple hand of agenda driven politics, That’s when Canadians should start asking question’s . For example, one of the clauses in the code of conduct for the CBSC, subtly slips in the concept of a fairness doctrine.
Clause 6 – Full, Fair and Proper Presentation
It is recognized that the full, fair and proper presentation of news, opinion, comment and editorial is the prime and fundamental responsibility of each broadcaster. This principle shall apply to all radio and television programming, whether it relates to news, public affairs, magazine, talk, call-in, interview or other broadcasting formats in which news, opinion, comment or editorial may be expressed by broadcaster employees, their invited guests or callers.
The idea that a distant Mandarin in Ottawa or Toronto can self regulate a entire industry when the way Canadians are consuming media is drastically changing almost seems quaint. Finally, I will leave the last words to Milton Friedman.
