Managing the good governance network : Canadian media access and ownership after convergence

In contrast, this paper provides a policy-specific analysis of the Commission’s anticipation of convergence and focuses on the evolution of the key concept of “broadcasting system access.” It is through the notion of “access” that the Broadcasting Act protects the diversity of editorial opinions that support the Canadian broadcasting system. [...] To bring the discussion of accessibility of the broadcasting system to the very structure of the CRTC’s hearing process, I will investigate the seldom discussed legal aspects of the issue of access as it relates to the licensing process itself, and determine what effect – if any – the shifting tides of government accountability could have on CRTC procedure as the federal government transforms itse [...] Since the issue of the prevention of “bias” runs parallel to the CRTC’s notion of the protection of editorial viewpoints, I will investigate the link between ownership and content that exists in the Canadian media industry and attempt to determine the roots of the resistance to the CRTC’s basic requirement of structural separation. [...] The principal difference between the CanWest and BCE deals was the timing of the acquisition of the newspaper assets of each company compared with the timing of their broadcast asset “change of control” approvals before the CRTC. [...] Quebecor was the first and, to the credit of the team behind the application, the CRTC’s decision35 reads as though the applicants not only anticipated but thoroughly addressed each of the Commission’s concerns with the vertical integration of the company.