Will CBC News finally get a bias watchdog?
A Senate committee is calling for outside experts to regularly review CBC/Radio-Canada news content to assess whether it’s “fair and balanced.”
Author: Quinn Patrick
A Senate committee is calling for outside experts to regularly review CBC/Radio-Canada news content to assess whether it’s “fair and balanced.”
When Sen. David Wells was asked by reporters whether the recommendation was because CBC’s editorial direction needed less bias, or if it was meant as a preventative measure, Wells responded that “it could be considered both.”
“If there’s commentary about the bias of CBC or any news outlet, and that’s a public comment and something that we’ve all heard, then this can not only act as a course correction but our recommendations are forward-looking,” he said on Wednesday. “The intent of that is to ensure that Canadians are well served by an unbiased, federally funded media.”
The report was released on Wednesday by the Senate’s transport and communications committee, called “Local News Matters,” after hearing from more than 60 witnesses.
Sen. Donna Dasko added that the recommendation will help address concerns regarding bias in the state broadcaster’s news content without undermining the public’s trust.
“I think it is going to be an important way to answer those kinds of comments that are made,” said Dasko.
Critics have accused the CBC of having a Liberal bias for years, with Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre vowing to defund the broadcaster if elected.
The report also called for CBC/Radio-Canada’s mandate to include new programming geared towards local audiences and backed by multi-year government funding.
The Carney government included an additional $150 million in funding for CBC/Radio-Canada in its last federal budget.