Does media concentration hurt free expression? Early signs point to yes.
Yesterday, veteran Montreal Gazette cartoonist Terry Mosher (better known as Aislin) posted this message on his Facebook page:
Here’s a fun one for you: Yesterday, a memo went out from head office in Toronto asking that all sites refrain from publishing commentary of any kind on the Postmedia Sun deal. The problem is, I didn’t get the memo – and I drew up this cartoon! Obviously, The Gazette can’t print it under these circumstances. Nevertheless, I am throwing it out there for Facebook friends amusement!
Mosher then posted this rather innocuous cartoon:
Mosher also tweeted this:
You won’t be seeing this in the Gazette. No commentary allowed on the Postmedia Sun deal on any of our platforms! pic.twitter.com/wH01Oe1JBv
— Terry Mosher (@TerryMosher1) March 26, 2015
CANADALAND is hearing from sources within Postmedia that any coverage or commentary on the massive newspaper acquisition must be personally vetted by publisher Paul Godfrey, who is also the main subject of these stories. If true, that might explain headlines like this:
Or this interview with Godfrey, which leads with a question about his SUN cufflinks and includes a weird diss of Buzzfeed and VICE.
This news follows the revelation earlier this week that Bell Media President Kevin Crull meddled in coverage relating to Bell’s business affairs by CTV News, which Bell owns.
