Don’t drop rule against false and misleading news

February 09, 2011 Editor Journalism canadian media guildcrtcjournalism ethics

The CRTC must withdraw the proposed weakening of a regulation that bans false and misleading news from the airwaves and call a public hearing on broadcast news, says the Canadian Media Guild.

“The Commission appears to be proposing to give (broadcasters) free rein to lie and mislead the Canadian public in the guise of delivering news,” the CMG says in today’s submission to the CRTC. “This kind of loosening of the rules can be interpreted as a frontal assault on democratic debate and the notion of an informed citizenry.”

Hundreds of Canadians have submitted comments to the CRTC in opposition to the weaker regulation. Their comments reflect the concern that news and information programming will be turned into propaganda to serve corporate and political interests.

The CMG first called for a public hearing on the definition of news and news balance last October in response to the application by Sun TV News for an all-news channel. The latest CRTC proposal to weaken the rule against “false and misleading news,” and the overwhelming public response against it, further highlight the need for broader public input on how the broadcast regulator deals with news and information programming.

Media union concerned about journos in Egypt

February 04, 2011 Editor Journalism canadian media guildcwasca canadaegypt

The following statement has been posted at cmg.ca: We are deeply concerned about stories emerging this week from Egypt about beatings, detention and harassment of journalists, including our own colleagues.The events underscore how dangerous our work can be and yet how vitally important it is in order to let the world know what is going at times…

Unlocking the cells at the Toronto Star

February 01, 2011 Editor Event eventmassey collegetoronto star

Toronto Star editor Michael Cooke will be the guest at Massey College's Press Club Night on February 16. John Fraser, the Master of the college, which houses a few 19th century presses in the basement, will host the conversation based on Cooke's answer to his question of "how many new journalists" the paper had to hire to "enliven" itself over…

Two years of shame at Journal de Montreal

January 24, 2011 Editor News csnjournal de montrealquebecor

Two hundred and fifty-three Journal de Montréal workers marked their second anniversary on the picket line today. They were locked out by their employer, media giant Quebecor, on January 24, 2009, after employees refused to accept concessions. The paper has continued to publish, although many, many freelancers have heeded the call to stop…

Paid surfing coming to NYTimes.com

January 24, 2011 Editor News dallas morning newsdigitalnew york timesonline subscriptionwall street journal

The Wall Street Journal online is reporting that the New York Times is planning to launch a paid subscription system, likely next month, for online content. The system will allow casual surfers a certain amount of free content and targets instead the 15% of "heavy users" for a monthly sub fee. Right now, according to the report, the site generates…

HarperCollins seeks the right morals

January 19, 2011 Editor News e-readsfreelance contractsharpercollins

Most freelancers are familiar with the concept of moral rights: the right to claim authorship of their work, and the right to not have it distorted or "folded, spindled and mutilated" in such a way that it would damage the author's reputation.US publisher HarperCollins has recently started talking about morals of another kind. The company wants to…

Another freelance class action suit settled

January 18, 2011 Editor News digitalgetting paidrobertson caserogers publishingtoronto star

A tentative settlement worth approximately $5.5 million was reached on behalf of freelancers with a group of publishers including the Toronto Star Newspapers and Rogers Publishing. The Ontario Superior Court of Justice will consider the tentative settlement in April.Many Canadian freelance writers have heard of Robertson v. Thomson, a 2006…

False or misleading news soon ok on TV, radio

January 18, 2011 Editor Journalism canadian association of journalistscrtcfox news northjournalism ethicsmichael geistsun tv news

The CRTC is proposing to loosen some of the only rules we have related to broadcast news content in Canada. The current rules say that broadcasters cannot air "any false or misleading news." Period. The change, scheduled to come into effect on September 1 of this year, would limit that prohibition to situations where the false or misleading news…

Guild’s freelance branch seeks louder voice

January 18, 2011 Editor News

CMG freelance branch president Don Genova provides an update on activities in the winter edition of the union's newsletter here. The branch is busy meeting with CBC management to improve the ways freelancers are contracted at the public broadcaster. It is also welcoming new members to the fold, in the form of writers represented by the Canadian…

US reality TV freelancers joining union

January 11, 2011 Editor News reality tvsuccess storiesunion organizingwriters guild of america

Freelance writers and producers, some of whom have worked for the same production company for years without benefits and paid overtime, have begun joining the Writers' Guild of America, East. An article posted at truthout.org describes why 150 freelancers who work for two different New York City production companies - Atlas Media and ITV Studios -…