The ongoing federal bailout of money-losing news corporations perpetuates media failure, journalists yesterday told Commons heritage committee. Soliciting and pocketing subsidies has only damaged newsrooms’ credibility, witnesses said.

“Legacy and new media lobbying for government money and accepting it does little to enhance confidence in their independence or reliability,” testified broadcaster John Gormley, former Conservative MP (Battlefords-Meadow Lake, Sask.) and 1988 chair of the Commons communications committee. “Does government funding pay for better journalism? Does it restore credibility and trust?”

Parliament in 2019 approved a $595 million media bailout including annual payroll rebates of up to $13,750 per newsroom employee. Cabinet last November 21 doubled annual rebates to a maximum $29,750 at an additional $129 million.