Alternative news sites like rabble.ca play an important role in providing us with good news analysis and coverage of stories that are given short-shrift (or are totally ignored) in the mainstream media. However, while alternatives are great, we can’t give up on holding the corporate media to a higher standard than that to which it has sunk.

Howard Bernstein, a former television producer spent some time in India recently and provides a fascinating look at how seriously some Indian television journalists do their jobs.

Self-Censorship: The real failure of Canadian journalism

[quote] I was shocked and pleasantly surprised to see interviewers and panels that were hard-nosed, tough and sometimes incendiary. I don’t mean unfair, I mean pointed…

the host went after the cabinet minister with a gusto I have never seen in North America. He pointed out the scandals. He pinpointed the lies. He called the minister out by explaining what he said in the past and what he had done. There was no Canadian style pussy-footing. He finally asked the minister why anyone should ever believe a word he says and further why would any sane voter choose him or his party? This is the party in power, remember…

There is a fearlessness in Indian TV that is remarkable. In Canada, journalistic organizations seem to be afraid to take on the government. Not so in India. In Canada I have heard important interviewers say they can’t go after their guests because if they offend them they won’t come back and perhaps neither will anyone in their political party. In India this excuse doesn’t play. It is time for Canadian journalists to understand that they are in no way beholden to our political and business leaders.[/quote]

I was fortunate to spend a few months backpacking in India in 1980. While I didn’t watch much television, I was constantly amazed at the sheer number of newspapers available in just about every town that I visited.

Canadian journalism needs a lot more I.F. Stone and a lot less corporate millstones.

[quote]Every government is run by liars and nothing they say should be believed.
I. F. Stone (1907 – 1989)[/quote]

Gary Shaul

Gary Shaul is a life-long Torontonian and retired Ontario civil servant. He's been involved with a number of issues over the past 45 years including trade unionism, proportional representation, Indigenous...