Earlier today Bell announced it was slashing 4,800 jobs as part of its biggest restructuring in 30 years, to go with selling off 45 radio stations, including numerous in B.C.
The job cuts will see CTV News Vancouver weekday noon and weekend 6pm and 11pm shows axed, as part of Bell Media downsizing.
The news of these job cuts did not sit well with B.C. Premier David Eby, who had harsh words for Bell, which he spoke about at an unrelated press conference in Coquitlam today.
“Corporations like Bell have overseen the assembly of local media assets that are treasures to local communities,” said Eby, according to the full statement shared by Rob Shaw from CHEK News in Victoria.
“They bought them up like corporate vampires they sucked the life out of them, laying off journalists, they have overseen the crapification of local news by laying off journalists, and now they say it’s no longer economically viable to run these local radio stations. It’s no longer economically viable to have investigative news,” he added. That’s the first time we’ve heard a Premier use the word “crapification”.
“They were allowed to do this. The impact on communities in British Columbia of their unrestrained corporate greed, they made almost $3 billion last year, is profound,” said Eby.
“The fact they cannot find it possible with all of their MBAs to operate a few local news stations in British Columbia to ensure people get accurate, impartial, reliable information in an age of disinformation and social media craziness is such an abandonment of any idea of corporate responsibility, I find it reprehensible. I think it’s appalling, and Bell and other companies like Bell that have done this need to be held accountable for the information atmosphere we find today,” said the B.C. Premier.
Eby also added, “I just want to say shame on you,” noting the federal government needs to “stop this assembly of media properties” and closing of local news outlets.
By the time you see the news on TV and even radio (or read a newspaper for that matter), it’s already old. Especially if you’re following events happening in real-time on social media, including platforms like X. The old legacy news model is dying as people are now able to get the news directly from the source.
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“The old legacy news model is dying as people are now able to get the news directly from the source”? No. They are not getting news: they are getting unverified, non-fact-checked, unedited spew.
Unverified, non-fact-checked, unedited spew? Add in “and paid for by the leftists” and you’ve summed up mainstream media perfectly. Not saying social media is better, or even different because there really is no such thing as news anymore.
The old legacy news model is good and dead alright, simply because traditional “news” itself has been driven to extinction.
It’s not just “leftist” news. Something like the Wall Street Journal does excellent work. There’s just no way Joe Public has the resources to do real reporting.
And I don’t think Joe Public has the capability nor desire to find and use the <1% of the MSM outlets that aren’t thinly disguised propaganda machines. And they definitely won’t pay a subscription fee for it.
Possible outliers like WSJ aside, there is no more news. There is confirmation bias, paid propaganda and advertising, marketing, disinformation, suppression and just flat out lying, but none of that is news to anyone with a lick of common sense and a modicum of critical thinking ability.
Some people (not those who voted lieberal or endeepee) can use the upper part of their body to determine what is “real news”. You should try that sometimes Rosemary.
Chris, the closing the source down they said
The Premier of the NDP is one to talk Crown corporations in British Columbia have made billions. One famous one that supposed to ensure your vehicle with made over 3 to 4 billion last year. I still increase their rates while this premier call the crapifacation… Perhaps you should look at what he’s done to the province homelessness at a high affordability at a high and all we have is an opposition too worried about useless gender issues looks like we’re going to see another social rot decade and British Columbia last person to leave. Please turn out the lights