Juno News - July 22, 2019


Does ＂media freedom＂ mean subsidizing media？


Episode Stats

Length

6 minutes

Words per Minute

161.71774

Word Count

1,131

Sentence Count

75


Summary

In this episode, we talk to Sally Ann Wilson, CEO of the Public Media Alliance, about the importance of a strong public media system around the world. We also hear from Giacomo Mazzoni from the European Broadcasting Union about why public media is stronger in countries with strong public funding.


Transcript

00:00:00.000 Joining me is Sally-Ann Wilson, CEO of the Public Media Alliance.
00:00:04.520 The tenor of this panel, Sally-Ann, was really about the idea of protecting and, I'd say, bolstering,
00:00:10.980 going beyond protecting what exists now, public media around the world.
00:00:15.100 And the conference has been overarchingly about media freedom,
00:00:18.880 but I'm curious how funding equates to freedom when you're talking about public broadcasters.
00:00:24.860 It's not just a matter of funding.
00:00:26.520 I think it's, I'd say, fundamentally, it's a matter of awareness, public awareness,
00:00:31.600 political awareness of the role that public media plays in society.
00:00:35.960 So we've heard today from Giacomo Mazzoni from the European Broadcasting Union
00:00:40.760 that actually even individual journalist freedom is stronger in countries
00:00:44.660 with a good, strong, robust public media system.
00:00:48.040 So I think it's making sure that, you know, it's not down to the penny of how they're funded.
00:00:52.860 Funding is important.
00:00:53.880 There's been a big tendency in recent years to keep wanting to fund new technologies, new ideas.
00:01:00.180 And actually, with public media, particularly in countries like Canada,
00:01:03.040 with CBC Radio Canada, other public broadcasters there,
00:01:06.300 we have something that works.
00:01:09.240 And we just need to invest in it.
00:01:10.680 We need to promote it.
00:01:11.840 And we need to raise awareness about it.
00:01:13.680 Because worldwide, you know, for Canada, you could read what's happening in Australia,
00:01:18.720 what's happening in the heart of Europe.
00:01:20.660 These things can change very quickly when governments change, when political pressure changes.
00:01:26.240 And then suddenly, we no longer have that public media institution that we all love to criticize.
00:01:31.140 But it's our friend, and it's there for our good.
00:01:33.960 And it's there to underpin our democracy and inform our democracy.
00:01:38.300 In the context of CBC in Canada, since you bring it up, and obviously, since it's my home country,
00:01:44.480 even there, the board that governs it is appointed by the government of the day.
00:01:48.940 Now, it still prides itself of being independent as far as news coverage goes.
00:01:52.900 And I think for the most part, it does a good job at keeping a wall there.
00:01:56.080 But how do you maintain independence and also being entirely reliant on government?
00:02:02.640 Because government could, any party in power, drop funding at the drop of a hat.
00:02:07.500 And we have seen this happen.
00:02:08.600 Or at the very least, governments refusing to put more funding in when it's requested.
00:02:13.400 I think the governance models for public media vary around the world.
00:02:17.300 Obviously, it originated in the UK with the BBC.
00:02:19.640 And that license fee model is a robust one because it does keep some separation from government.
00:02:27.000 But we've also seen Swedish Radio today talked about the foundation that funds public media in Sweden.
00:02:34.520 I think in most countries, it is a system not unlike that of governance, unlike that in Canada for CBC Radio Canada.
00:02:41.760 And I think we're always aware that there's going to be a tension between governments and public media.
00:02:48.000 That means actually it's working quite well.
00:02:50.320 But it's how we make sure that that independence stays in place.
00:02:54.260 And I think there's nothing that really alarms me in terms of the model you have in Canada.
00:03:00.600 I think it's one that's copied very, you know, if you have board members appointed by an independent public appointments commission,
00:03:09.980 somebody still from government usually appoints the person who's doing it from the independent public appointments commission.
00:03:15.100 So as long as there is a board, as long as that works well with management, as long as there is that clear independence shown in every report that the public media does,
00:03:27.760 then I think you're home safe and dry.
00:03:30.060 But it is something we have to guard and we have to watch all the time.
00:03:32.660 What's your view of state broadcasters?
00:03:36.460 And I'm saying that term to differentiate from what our Swedish friend said on the panel about broadcasters that are set up under an entirely different business model.
00:03:44.700 But what's your view on them ultimately competing on more commercial enterprises?
00:03:50.120 So one big example is where the public broadcaster of a country may bid to be the official carrier of the Olympics against private companies or bidding to carry award shows.
00:04:00.980 And setting up a CBC in Canada has online columns, satire sites, these things, which are no doubt relevant.
00:04:08.900 But private media companies are concerned that they're fighting against a behemoth they can't match in funding.
00:04:14.960 I think for many, many years we've heard the argument from commercial media players that there's an unfair bias in funding.
00:04:22.860 I don't agree with that.
00:04:23.940 I think that actually public media has, by and large, it's country specific, a very clear context of what it can compete with, as you say, or have as rights.
00:04:34.000 Now, very often national sporting rights events that are in the public interest of that particular country, that particular locale,
00:04:42.140 they are important that the public media carries them.
00:04:44.360 Because this isn't something about how people pay to watch it or pay to engage with it.
00:04:51.260 It's there.
00:04:52.080 It's part of their national DNA.
00:04:54.240 And so that's where it's not competition, because those commercial providers very often want to charge for it.
00:05:00.440 And public media is about universal access.
00:05:02.860 It's about something that every citizen in the country, however poor, wherever they live, rural or urban, has a right to watch.
00:05:10.080 And in many cases, I think that that has to be sport as well.
00:05:13.380 So I guess the one question I would ask in conclusion to follow up on that is,
00:05:18.480 do you accept or reject the premise that public media is best served fulfilling voids in existing markets?
00:05:26.880 Certainly not.
00:05:28.080 There's no way that public media is just there to fulfill a void.
00:05:31.100 I think public media is there as a centre DNA of any country's existence, of any democracy's existence.
00:05:38.860 If we start looking at just the deficit funding model, as it's called within public media circles, then that's going to fail.
00:05:46.220 It has to be there.
00:05:47.420 It has to be robust and acknowledged by governments as part of what the media system is.
00:05:53.080 It has to be multi-platform.
00:05:54.460 In the multimedia world, we're not saying it has to just be radio and television.
00:05:58.340 It has to be, we heard today about the innovations.
00:06:00.640 But it has to be there and it has to be central.
00:06:04.640 And I think that's what we're hoping to build global awareness with.
00:06:08.540 Canada, CBC Redder Canada, they're a founding member of PMA.
00:06:13.020 They're on the board of PMA.
00:06:14.860 And I think we're looking forward to working with them to ensure that it's robust in Canada and it's robust worldwide.
00:06:20.500 Thank you very much for your time.
00:06:21.960 Thank you.
00:06:22.640 Thank you.
00:06:23.640 Thank you.
00:06:24.640 Thank you.
00:06:25.640 Thank you.
00:06:26.640 Thank you.
00:06:27.640 Thank you.
00:06:28.640 Thank you.
00:06:29.640 Thank you.