Saving “Local” Media

I find the CTV save local media campaign amusing and absurd.  The interests on the other side of the fight have called the ethics of the campaign into question, saying it’s one-sided and biased; but that element you could expect from a mega media conglomerate trying to squeeze more money out of service providers who are posting record profits.  I don’t blame CTVglobemedia for appealing to their dwindling population of old media consumers to write to the CRTC in an effort to save their “local” media.  But, what I do find unethical is the use of the word “local” in this whole debate.

Granted, CTV Atlantic employs many people round these parts.  They have, at least, maintained local offices, anchors and reporters to cover the media-worthy stories in the region.  But to suggest that the broadcast of 4 television programs (BT, Live at 5, News at 6, and news at 11:30) are the sum of local media in this region is ridiculous.  Further, if CTVglobemedia was so concerned about the perseverance of  local broadcasting, why did they gobble up CHUM Ltd. in 2007.  You didn’t hear any calls for saving local media then.

Further still, have you ever counted the ratio of local to global stories on either the 6:00 or the 11:30 broadcasts?  It’s roughly even.  That is, for every locally-oriented story gracing the news desks of Steve Murphy and Bruce Frisko, there is one non-locally oriented story presented to Maritime viewers (this includes professional sports highlights).  This, of course, will vary based on the number of sexy local stories which present themselves as newsworthy on any given day, but you get what I’m saying.

And even further still, how is Nova Scotia local to PEI?  How is Halifax local to Sydney?  There is a distinct difference between the local and the regional.

Poor little CTVglobemedia, they’ve invested so much into mediums which are quickly becoming obsolete.  Their holdings include a vast array of television, radio and newspaper interests, but little in the way of new media.  They are fighting with the service delivers for more money to carry their signals, in an era where people rely less and less on those signals for the delivery of news and information.

For me, the Internet has replaced my need for tuning into any CTV Atlantic news broadcast.  Sure, I turn it on at 11:30 for background as I nod off to sleep, but I could easily adapt CNN into my bedtime routine and not feel as though I am less connected to the goings on in my immediate local surroundings.  Facebook keeps me thoroughly informed as to the cultural goings-on in the city way better than the BT or Live at 5 crew can, and the fine local folks I follow on Twitter, including independent operations such as haligonia and HFX, are faster and less-mediated than any media agency could ever hope to be.  The citizen journalism that emerged from the Spryfield fires was proof positive of this.

At least CTV Atlantic finally has a Twitter account, but with less than 30 tweets since March 19th and no home CTV Atlantic website to direct traffic to, for more information on their stories, it is hardly even worth a follow (though I’ve added them anyway).

I can understand the tactics of CTVglobemedia as they trot out local media personalities begging you to write the CRTC so that they can close the gaps in their operating budgets, but let’s face it, the fight is not about saving local media, it’s about saving the local media jobs.  Perhaps they should ask for a government bailout instead.  Hell, our Federal Government seems to be open to pouring billions of dollars into obsolete technology and industry.  Just ask GM.  Apparently every Canadian GM employee is worth 1.4 million dollars, surely Steve Murphy, Liz Rigney, Bruce Frisko and the CTV Atlantic gang is worth at least half of that!