#mediapetition
Thread
I've spent the day reading various Canadian Committee reports regarding the media. One that stood out for me was The Final Report On The Canadian News Media.
From 2003.
Yes. 2003./

"Several witnesses before the Committee expressed concern about a potential loss of diversity in analysis and opinion. Such concerns had been heightened by CanWest Global’s 2001 announcement that national editorials would be featured two or three times a week/

in its daily newspapers. Under this policy, CanWest’s English-language papers would not be allowed to publish dissenting editorials.

Although CanWest later withdrew the national editorials of its own accord, the initial announcement aroused great controversy among journalists./

Some columnists who publicly disagreed with the policy had their columns dropped from the papers, even though the company had said that divergent views would be permitted on op-ed pages./

At the Montreal Gazette, journalists protested against the policy by withholding their bylines. In response, the paper’s management posted a memo warning employees that public statements criticizing the policy:/

“ … violate the legal requirement for primary fidelity to the employer. Case law supports sanctions, including suspension or termination, against those who persist in disregarding their obligations to the employer after clear warning. …/

No one, journalist or otherwise, has the right to work at The Gazette. It is a privilege that carries with it the obligations of prudence, diligence, honesty and fidelity to the employer.”/

However correct these observations may have been in law, this was a clear message that dissent from the views of head office was a firing offence./

As several witnesses reminded the Committee, the greater the media concentration, the harder it is for a journalist to find work elsewhere."/

From 2003.
And here we are.

And take a look at this. Unbelievable.
http://www.dominionpaper.ca/features/2003/11/10/freedom_of.html