The committee was studying media fairness and the sustainability of local journalism in Canada, hearing from broadcasters, digital publishers and community media representatives. Appearing were Richard Gray and Jean-Philippe Pineault of Bell Media, Caroline Jamet of Cogeco Media, Brandon Gonez of Gonez Media, Martin Simard and Michel Lorrain of Groupe Radio Simard, and Cathy Cena of Tri Cities Community TV.
Richard Gray said CTV News produces over 20,000 hours of local news annually and is Canada's top digital news provider, but Bell Media's news operations lose roughly $40 million a year due to advertising migrating to global platforms. He asked that the Canadian journalism labour tax credit be extended to broadcast news and that regulators level the playing field between Canadian broadcasters and foreign digital companies. He defended CTV's commitment to local coverage despite cuts, saying resources have been pivoted to digital, and rejected suggestions of political bias, noting analysts are identified by affiliation.
Jean-Philippe Pineault described the launch of Noovo Info five years ago as an investment in French-language journalism that has grown audiences, particularly among younger viewers, and supports investigative reporting. He agreed with Cogeco's Jamet that media deserts raise public safety concerns, citing difficulties disseminating emergency information during forest fires when news could not be posted on Meta platforms. He argued that Bill C-18's impact should be measured by journalistic quality, not clicks, and that the government should favour Canadian media for its advertising.
Caroline Jamet said Cogeco's 21 radio stations reach 4.5 million listeners weekly, but radio captures only 4% of the advertising market while foreign platforms take roughly 70%. She made five asks: close a loophole in section 19 of the Income Tax Act that lets advertisers deduct expenses on foreign platforms, create a 20% tax credit for local advertising, have the federal government prioritize Canadian media for its ads, include radio in the journalism labour tax credit, and reduce CRTC regulatory burdens. She noted the government spent $76 million on advertising but only $2 million went to radio, and said the Quebec government's recent budget proposal to extend the tax credit to radio should be mirrored federally.
Brandon Gonez said his independent digital media company reaches 50 million monthly viewers and is proof that Canadian digital media can grow, but policy has not kept pace with audience shifts. He argued Bill C-18 inadvertently harmed digital innovators by pushing Meta off platforms, cutting off referral traffic and monetization, while safeguarding legacy players, and he called for a digital media innovation incentive, advertiser incentives for certified Canadian digital media, and inclusion of digital-native operators in policy design. He disagreed with the characterization of traditional media as dying, but said legacy players were protected at the expense of new entrants, and noted his revenue would be triple without the loss of Meta platforms.
Martin Simard said Groupe Radio Simard operates eight stations in small Quebec markets and has maintained its journalism staffing by restructuring, but faces intense competition and rising costs. He said the federal government has bought zero advertising from his stations, and he supported extending the journalism tax credit to radio, noting the Quebec government has done so. He also said Radio-Canada's financial resources make it difficult for private regional outlets to compete for journalists, and that the new radio news fund remains unfunded.
Michel Lorrain said Groupe Radio Simard receives only small amounts from the Google fund, which is far from making small stations profitable, and that stations in places like La Pocatière survive only through cross-subsidization within the group. He said no national estimate exists of what extending the tax credit to radio would cost, but argued fairness demands it since print journalists receive a 35% credit. He emphasized radio's enduring community connection, noting stations cover events like senior baseball finals and the Lac Saint-Jean swim to the last participant, and that 85% of the population listens to radio weekly.
Cathy Cena said Tri Cities Community TV operates in a "community television desert" in British Columbia's Lower Mainland, filling gaps in local civic coverage that larger outlets miss. She said the local journalism initiative has been valuable but is not a complete solution, and her organization lost Telus funding, leaving it to work out of donated library space with limited equipment. She asked for continued and expanded support for community media, stable multi-year funding, recognition of community media as essential infrastructure, and investment in training for local journalists.
The committee also debated whether Heritage Minister Miller should appear for two hours to cover both the supplementary estimates and the media study, with Conservative Rachael Thomas moving to report his failure to appear and Liberal David Myles urging patience; members agreed to request a two-hour appearance and an answer within a week.
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