Lousy media = Lousy society

Canadian journalists, reporters, editors and camera operators believe that owners’ “values and politics” and “financial bottom lines” affect the news and the editorial agendas of the country’s publications and broadcast stations.

Some results from the largest study ever conducted on the state of journalism in Canada:

  • Seventy-seven percent said promotion steers news agenda.

  • Sixty percent said owners do not value journalism over profit.
  • Fifty-eight percent have been assigned stories to promote owners.
  • Sixty-five percent said financial bottom line affects editorial agenda.
  • Forty-five percent said advertisers influence news decisions.
  • Forty-five percent said owners support little or no investigative journalism.
  • Sixty-five percent reported chronic staff shortage.
  • Seventy-nine percent of women report sexism & discrimination against women.
  • Only 41 percent said owners encourage good journalism.
  • Only 35 percent agreed that owners respect journalists.

Ninety percent believe things have been getting worse over the last decade.

[Story on news quality here]
The complete report of the study [pdf] at Communications, Energy and Paperworkers.