Chapter 13 Chapter Overview

The media are crucial to the health of democracy. The media play an important role in social learning, as most citizens rely on various media outlets for information about the world in which they live. Coverage of public affairs broadcasting is vastly overshadowed by entertainment programming in radio and television. While radio and television offer more up-to-date and thorough coverage of national and international affairs, newspapers are generally better for local coverage.

The Canadian media story is especially unique because the manner in which government agencies, corporations and regulatory bodies have played a role in protecting Canadian content. While few see the United States as a military threat, most would agree that it is a cultural threat to Canadian identity. In light of this, organizations such as the National Film Board, the Canadian Broadcasting Company, and the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission play a major role in the regulation and creation of Canadian content.

The role of the “free press” is very important in Canada. As a country with a smaller population and fewer major urban centres, private news outlets play a significant role in the welfare of Canadian democracy. However, as the chapter suggests, there are a number of variables that affect the type of media that Canadians consume.

Media content is influenced by several filters. The economic filter refers to the fact that media broadcasters are dependent on advertising for revenue, making them less likely to include content that is unfavourable to advertisers. It also refers to the high costs of production, which have meant less competition. The legal/regulatory filter refers to the rules governing media in terms of its broadcasting content, mainly to promote and protect Canadian culture. The technological filter refers to the way that television coverage focuses on such things as motion and action, which fails to tell important parts of a story. The organizational filter refers to the system of routines and criteria that determine what is reported and how it is covered. Finally, the ideological filter refers to journalists’ ideological orientations, which converge around the centre of the ideological spectrum. The conclusion made at the end of the chapter is that, generally speaking, the products of media are supportive of the established values and institutions.