Tuesday’s federal budget announcement provided some long-awaited details about how the government’s $645 million package to support journalism will be rolled out. Disappointingly, the policy seems purpose-built to help only one kind of media: newspapers.
Here’s how it will work: An “independent” panel will be struck to certify “Qualified Canadian Journalism Organizations.” To qualify, media have to employ more than two journalists as employees and primarily produce general-interest news in written format. (See the full policy on page 373 of the federal budget.)
