The Kent Commission Report

The concentration of ownership over the media continues to maintain itself as a predicament that calls into question the doctrines of hyper- commercialism, and the media policies in which they command. This paper will analyze the freedom of the press in relation to the concentration of ownership, and what this means for the future of democracy within Canada. This paper will also appraise the Kent Commission Report, and the proposed solutions aimed at impeding the exacerbation of concentration. In order to make sense of the issues related to the concentration of media ownership, one must be able to identify the key differences between public and private ownership, and the strategies behind the distribution of content by both

We need to invest in growth areas of the business and we need to continue to look for ways to create a cost structure that supports a new business model (Yew, 2015)”. This new business model however, involves further concentration as “Postmedia announced plans to buy rival Sun Media, a chain of 175 English language newspapers and associated websites, for $316 million. Approval of the proposed deal is expected from regulators by the end of March (Yew, 2015)”. As Postmedia continues to cut costs in conjunction to their plans for the acquisition of Sun Media, the immense increase in profit will allow them to dominate the market, which ultimately leaves smaller newspaper companies struggling to accumulate the capital required for their own production. Despite the decline in quality journalism, it is important to note that efforts have been made in both the past and present to help ensure a more sustainable print media, particularly through the publication of The Kent Commission Report, and through modern day media reform movements in

The legislation would have rectified what the commission viewed as the worst forms concentration, encouraging new owners to purchase newspapers, thus in turn creating a wider pool of owners. The “Canada Newspaper Act” would have also developed tax credits for newspapers that would invest in content and create grants to promote Canadian news services on both domestic and foreign fronts (Anonymous, 2011). The commission also held that the proposed act would be written in such a way to protect the rights of journalists and take into account the voice of local consumers in the discussions of improving the quality of newspapers. A “Press Rights Panel” was also proposed to supervise the implementation of the act, and track its success or lack of (Anonymous, 2011). Unfortunately, the Act was never passed. However, it outlined a course of action that should be reconsidered, carrying the potential to positive results in the march against the concentration of