The Free Press, what is it and do we have it in Canada?

[Hoser360]

My Mother started posting articles from this web site to me before the last federal election, in her attempt to convince me to vote for Harper and the PC party. I did not find this site and the articles I found there, objective by any stretch of the imagination. With that in mind look for yourself and tell us what you think; should this organization and its members be given journalist credentials?

http://www.therebel.media/

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/rachel-notley-s-ndp-bans-the-rebel-from-alberta-government-news-conferences-1.3450577

[Guest]

Only if you say so.

[capricorn]

tell us what you think;

Who is "us"?

[ReeferMadness]

My Mother started posting articles from this web site to me before the last federal election, in her attempt to convince me to vote for Harper and the PC party. I did not find this site and the articles I found there, objective by any stretch of the imagination. With that in mind look for yourself and tell us what you think; should this organization and its members be given journalist credentials?

http://www.therebel.media/

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/rachel-notley-s-ndp-bans-the-rebel-from-alberta-government-news-conferences-1.3450577

Much as I contemn the Rebel, I think it's a dangerous precedent for a government to decide which media are or aren't journalists. There should be some sort of media association that awards accreditation.

[Guest]

Who is "us"?

Oooh, well spotted. I missed that.

[capricorn]

My curiosity is piqued when a new poster tries to tap into our collective intelligence.

[Hoser360]

Oooh, well spotted. I missed that.

Hey, come on, it's my first posted subject... I'd like to know what other people think about this.... Better?

[Guest]

Well, I agree with ReeferMadness. I've never read The Rebel, but I know I wouldn't call them anything other than journalists if I did read it and didn't like it. If Ezra Levant says he's a journalist, who am I to disagree? Given that he does do the kinds of things Journalists do.

As for an association, there's always these guys.

http://www.caj.ca/

I don't know what they think of The Rebel.

Edited February 18, 2016 by bcsapper

[ReeferMadness]

Well, I agree with ReeferMadness. I've never read The Rebel, but I know I wouldn't call them anything other than journalists if I did read it and didn't like it. If Ezra Levant says he's a journalist, who am I to disagree? Given that he does do the kinds of things Journalists do.

As for an association, there's always these guys.

http://www.caj.ca/

I don't know what they think of The Rebel.

They have castigated the Notley government for not allowing Rebel reporters to attend. I would say, though, that the requirements for being a journalist are pretty loose:

(a) Active members of the corporation shall be, as determined by the board of directors of the >corporation:

working journalists whose salary comes primarily from, or time goes principally into, journalism or; managers of media enterprises or;

teachers of journalism at a recognised post-secondary program or;

students enrolled in a recognised post-secondary journalism program or who work in the student media on a regular basis during the academic year.

If you work as a journalist, you're a journalist? If I started to work as a lawyer, does that make me one?

Oh, and here is what they had to say about Harper:

His government departments now deal with media almost exclusively by email, often returning with unhelpful or useless responses containing little to none of the information actually requested.

Got a political hot-potato? Sorry, but in the Harper government, that request gets routed through the Privy Council Office (PCO) or even the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) before your “response” is returned. The lockdown on information is so extensive its reach goes well beyond Parliament Hill and official Ottawa and affects any journalist asking questions about public information in every region of this country.

[capricorn]

Good on Notley for pulling back and admitting that in this case, her government made a mistake.

"We've heard a lot of feedback from Albertans and media over the course of the last two days and it's clear we made a mistake," the government said in a statement.

http://www.nationalnewswatch.com/2016/02/17/in-ottawa-politicians-leave-definition-of-a-journalist-to-the-journalists-3/#.VsUZKebUdMF

We haven't heard the end of this. The powers that be want The Rebel to disappear.

[ReeferMadness]

Good on Notley for pulling back and admitting that in this case, her government made a mistake.

http://www.nationalnewswatch.com/2016/02/17/in-ottawa-politicians-leave-definition-of-a-journalist-to-the-journalists-3/#.VsUZKebUdMF

We haven't heard the end of this. The powers that be want The Rebel to disappear.

What "powers that be"?

[cybercoma]

There should be a professional association of journalists that holds its field accountable. Until there is some body holding journalists accountable to a particular standard, anyone can call themselves a journalist even if they have zero integrity.

Edited February 18, 2016 by cybercoma

[GostHacked]

Much as I contemn the Rebel, I think it's a dangerous precedent for a government to decide which media are or aren't journalists. There should be some sort of media association that awards accreditation.

I believe the precedent is set already with the CBC being funded by taxpayer money. But if one gallops around the channels on most news media on TV, they are all getting and saying the same story. In many cases most just reading a script that a hundred other 'journalists' or 'news anchors' are putting forth.

Groups like Canadalandshow have much better content and real journalist creds in my view. However with the plethora of online alternative media you gotta sift through a ton of garbage to find the good ones Many are crowd funded through various intake machines like Patreon. But who is to say the level of influence via money is a factor in what content they deliver.

[ReeferMadness]

I believe the precedent is set already with the CBC being funded by taxpayer money.

Frankly, I get a little tired of gratuitous, drive-by smears of CBC. They have received numerous awards for journalistic excellence, in spite of continual right-wing-motivated cutbacks.

[Big Guy]

There should be a professional association of journalists that holds its field accountable. Until there is some body holding journalists accountable to a particular standard, anyone can call themselves a journalist even if they have zero integrity.

I agree completely. I have been arguing for years that just because somebody writes something or is published then they are considered a "journalist". In most cases what I find upsetting is when the self appointed journalist will not reveal a source because of "reporters privilege".

My understanding is that at this point in time, a journalist becomes a journalist when they themselves deem so. Garbage!

These pretenders surround themselves with the same special status as do priests and lawyers who also claim special privilege of having to provide information. They do not.

I believe that they ( and we) have no special status and are responsibility to follow the same laws of this nation.

Edited February 18, 2016 by Big Guy

[capricorn]

What "powers that be"?

The NDP in Alberta, is the power I'm talking about. But I'm certain other anti-Conservatives across the country would welcome the demise of The Rebel before it gains too much popularity.

Former Sun Media columnist and Sun News Network host Ezra Levant’s new online news site, The Rebel (therebel.media), has become one of Albertans’ top Internet sources of reporting and commentary in just its first year in operation.

So how come Rachel Notley’s NDP government is doing its best to censor Levant and his reporters?

If I hadn’t read for myself the letters back and forth between the Rebel’s lawyer and the government, I wouldn’t have believed even the NDP were capable of such anti-free speech behaviour.

...snip...

It is very dangerous in a free society to give politicians, bureaucrats or government lawyers the power to determine who is and isn’t a journalist. That could lead to censorship, or at least to holding accreditation over the heads of reporters who are critical of the government.

Prior to the Premier-PM news conference, legislature press gallery president, Darcy Henton of Postmedia, recognized Reid’s legitimacy to attend. That should be more than good enough for the Notley government.

Imagine the news you’ll get if Notley and her staff decide who can and can’t do the reporting.

http://www.edmontonsun.com/2016/02/15/ndp-seeking-to-muzzle-opposing-journalists

[GostHacked]

Frankly, I get a little tired of gratuitous, drive-by smears of CBC. They have received numerous awards for journalistic excellence, in spite of continual right-wing-motivated cutbacks.

I am not smearing them, I am stating a known fact that they are taxpayer funded/subsidized. As for science journalism, Quirks and Quarks is really good and informative. Most shows dealing with crap of today are slanted in many ways or simply won't really get to the bottom of it all. But then again not all their shows get into the nitty gritty. Tremonte kind of gets there, but I find her annoying.

Personally now a days I do a drive by of most popular MSM sites and some of the popular alt media sites just to grab some headlines and read a couple paragraphs. Most of the articles are fluff and not really worth your time reading.

But I guess to answer the OP is that well, I have no idea how you vett press credentials and who can be called a journalist or investigative reporter. Simply because I think there are really very few real journalists and investigative reporters.

[waldo]

If Ezra Levant says he's a journalist, who am I to disagree? Given that he does do the kinds of things Journalists do.

except the "Rebel Commander" swore under oath he wasn't a journalist... rather, he claims to be a "commentator, a pundit". Oh wait... that was his failed defense in a defamation suit (one he lost and by judges decision had to pay the defamed individual $80,000 in damages)... a defense to suggest his comments shouldn't be taken... seriously! So... just a non-serious journalist?

She ruled there is “ample evidence before me demonstrating express malice on the part of [Mr. Levant],” especially the fact he “did little or no fact-checking regarding the posts complained of, either before or after their publication.”

“I find that [Mr. Levant’s] dominant motive in these blog posts was ill will, and that his repeated failure to take even basic steps to check his facts showed a reckless disregard for the truth.”

The judge rejected the argument of Iain MacKinnon, Mr. Levant’s lawyer, readers of his blog would not take his comments “at face value” because they would be “well aware of Mr. Levant’s penchant to stir controversy and make outlandish comments.”

.

[Moonlight Graham]

Much as I contemn the Rebel, I think it's a dangerous precedent for a government to decide which media are or aren't journalists. There should be some sort of media association that awards accreditation.

I completely agree. The government should have no control over this, or at least make it based on non-partisan and non-ideological criteria. The only concerns should be for security, with exceptions for maybe journalists who are ridiculously over-the-top rude and unprofessional (the gov could then complain to the journalism association). I don't think this would apply to Levant. He has controversial reporting according to some and certainly clashes with Notley ideologically but I don't see him as harassing or anything.

[waldo]

He has controversial reporting according to some and certainly clashes with Notley ideologically but I don't see him as harassing or anything.

"controversial reporting"... according to some? And you? Now that the guy is relegated to the blogosphere... no longer in the mainstream (if you ever could consider Sun News to be in the mainstream), do you suggest the "Rebel Commander" be viewed as a legitimate journalist?

A collection of apologies from Ezra Levant

.

.

[Guest]

except the "Rebel Commander" swore under oath he wasn't a journalist... rather, he claims to be a "commentator, a pundit". Oh wait... that was his failed defense in a defamation suit (one he lost and by judges decision had to pay the defamed individual $80,000 in damages)... a defense to suggest his comments shouldn't be taken... seriously! So... just a non-serious journalist?

.

Well, maybe he changed his mind.

[waldo]

Well, maybe he changed his mind.

are you a... mind reader? I've not read any account of the blogging "Rebel Commander" changing up his matter of convenience, defamation defense position stated under oath... that he is simply a "commentator/pundit"! I'm quite keen to read an account of his "mind changing".

.

[Guest]

are you a... mind reader? I've not read any account of the blogging "Rebel Commander" changing up his matter of convenience, defamation defense position stated under oath... that he is simply a "commentator/pundit"! I'm quite keen to read an account of his "mind changing".

.

Yeah, if you find one, post a link.

[ReeferMadness]

"controversial reporting"... according to some? And you? Now that the guy is relegated to the blogosphere... no longer in the mainstream (if you ever could consider Sun News to be in the mainstream), do you suggest the "Rebel Commander" be viewed as a legitimate journalist?

A collection of apologies from Ezra Levant

You make a good point but it's a very slippery slope for a government to be making the determination.

[ReeferMadness]

I am not smearing them, I am stating a known fact that they are taxpayer funded/subsidized.

You're stating the obvious and doing it in a way that seems to discredit them. Most of our peer countries in the OECD have national broadcasters. There is nothing wrong with having one national voice among the endless number of for-profit media organizations.

In particular, I appreciate that CBC is a voice that doesn't depend on not offending advertisers to survive.