CRTC chair calls report of Bell meddling in CTV news coverage “disturbing”

Let’s not kid ourselves: heads of media companies influence the news coverage you watch, hear, and read all the time.

Whether it’s due to political views, financial or other interests, or advertisers’ (expressed or perceived) concerns, owners and executives of TV and radio stations and print/online publications have been known to intervene directly or have their managers do the dirty work for them (with or without orders).

So, in some ways, the Globe and Mail report that Kevin Crull, president of Bell Media, interfered with CTV coverage of an unfavourable—to the corporate bottom line, anyways—CRTC decision isn’t surprising.

However, from this point forth, perhaps media bosses will think twice before attempting to ban the CRTC’s head from journalists’ coverage. (Lisa LaFlamme and Robert Fife reportedly defied Crull's order.)

That’s because CRTC chair Jean-Pierre Blais has issued a strongly worded statement in response to the Globe report, standing up for the nice idea that “journalists are able to report news stories independently and without undue editorial interference”.

“That a regulated company does not like one of the CRTC’s rulings is one thing. The allegation, however, that the largest communication company in Canada is manipulating news coverage is disturbing. Holding a radio or television licence is a privilege that comes with important obligations that are in the public interest, especially in regards to high-quality news coverage and reporting,” Blais stated.

“An informed citizenry cannot be sacrificed for a company’s commercial interests. Canadians can only wonder how many times corporate interests may have been placed ahead of the fair and balanced news reporting they expect from their broadcasting system.”

Of course, the activists at OpenMedia have also chimed in, calling on Crull to resign.

“Sadly, we’re concerned with repeated reports that Bell’s President Kevin Crull is bullying his company’s news outlets into burying stories crucial to Canadians,” OpenMedia campaigns manager Josh Tabish said in a statement. “Ordering staff to ban CRTC Chair Jean Pierre Blais from the airwaves is embarrassment to the country. Kevin Crull should resign immediately in order to restore Canadians’ confidence in the integrity and impartiality of CTV and other Bell-owned news broadcasts.”

Update (3:25 p.m.): Bell Media president Kevin Crull issued a statement to "explain events":

I reached out to the CTV News leadership team to let them know I felt the focus on the CRTC itself by CTV and other Canadian news organizations would be better placed on a broad and necessary discussion of the impacts of the CRTC’s decisions on consumers, our team members, and our business.

It was wrong of me to be anything but absolutely clear that editorial control always rests with the news team. I have apologized to the team directly for this mistake. Indeed their strong and straightforward reaction to my intrusion only heightens my appreciation of their independence, integrity and professionalism. It is crucial to note that CTV’s coverage of the CRTC’s decisions was fair, balanced and extensive, and stands up in comparison to coverage of the issue by any Canadian news organization.

In short, I’ve re-learned a valuable lesson from the best news team in the business.