I have seen some media talk about Canadians freeloading on CERB. This is mostly directed at working class Canadiabs who are somehow livong large on government cash. I coukd talk sbout business bailouts, but, instead, will focus on how media waxes fat on the public teet.

First, there are my old colleagues in the Parliamentary Press Galkery. Some proudly claim they accept no subsidies from the government. That's not true. All Gallery members are subsidized by taxpayers. Gallery dues are $100 per year per member, plus HST.

That fee hasn't been raised in at least 25 years. For their $100, press gallery members get the services of about half a dozen staff who distribute press releases, record news conferences, translate, take messages, book theatres in government buildings for news conferences, etc.

Gallery members can also get passes for free parking on the Hill. All other Hill staff pays about $1200 a year. Galkery members can use free office space, furnishings, phones, stationery, etc. if they want to.

Press Gallery members get free use of the Library of Parliament and its research department. The Library will not let you and I use its facilities. (And the Gallery will not accredit authors working on political books, which gives Gallery members an unfair advantage.)

Magazines like Maclean's get money from a magazine fund establushed about 20 years ago to pay for EXTRA journalism when the feds took down protective rules regarding ad sales. The threat of US magazines horning in on Canadian mag ads never matrtialized but the mkbey still flows.

Canadian news outlets collect millions in government subscription payments, lump sums given to major and some minor mainstream media, essentialky to sllow governments to clip their stories and share content.

Media companies were already getting a $600 million government bailout before the pandemic. Media lobbyists succeeded in writing the rules to allow thenselves to decide who gets this money.

Now mist media companies are filing for pandemic relief money to pay staff. Recently, publishers of major newspapers across Canada banded together to sign an open letter demanding taxes on Google and Facebook that woukd be used to subsize them even more.

Then we get into the regulatory protection. Talk radio chowdergeads pretend to be all-in for free enterprise, but they are part of an industry that depends on government protection.

You and I can start a radio station only if we can prove it won't hurt the other stations in the marketplace. The process is so insanely expensive and complicated that only the "incumbents" have a serious chance.

Rogers, Global, CTV, Bell, Corus and tge rest simply would not exist without the protection they are given in the marketplace, from both domestic and foreign competition.

Many of the rules that protect Cabadian broadcasters made sense when space on the TV dial was limited to 13 stations and people only listened to AM radio. Cable TV, cell phone companies and telephone companies -- protected by other anti-competitive laws - dominate broadcasting.

And "name" journalists in print media don't appear on CBC pa eks for free. They are paid very well to be on At Issue and other panels.

So when someobe on the media tries to shane you, your family abd friends for applying for pandemic relief, keep all this on mind

Sorry about the typos. I am rather agitated about this, and my thumb typing stinks.