Examining Media Ownership Concentration and Business Models in Canada

This essay examines concentrated media ownership in Canada and its impact on the quality of news and information disseminated to the public. It discusses how a few organizations control the majority of media shares, leading to potential misrepresentation of information and violation of press freedom. The essay also explores different business models employed by newspapers in the 21st century, including brick-and-mortar, online, and omni-channel models, and their effects on journalistic values such as freedom of the press, diversity of opinion, and affordability of news. It concludes that while these models have positively impacted journalism by restoring press freedom and reducing costs, concentrated media ownership remains a concern for the interests of the common people. Desklib provides access to similar essays and study tools for students.

Running head: JOURNALISM AND COMMUNICATION
Journalism and Communication
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Canada and Concentrated Media Ownership
As opined by Noam (2016), the term ‘concentrated media ownership’ can be defined
as the process through which progressively lesser number of organizations and individuals
are controlling the majority of the shares of the mass media. In this regard, it needs to be said
that the nation of Canada had emerged as nation wherein the process of concentrated media
ownership is being widely followed and this in affects the quality of the news or the
information which is being passed on to the common people (Chaturvedi & Nagpal, 2018).
Gasher et al. (2016) are of the viewpoint that the process of concentrated media
ownership is end result of the commercialization of the media agency and also to the fact that
more than 90% of the wealth as well as the power of the world is being controlled by less
than 10% population of the world. The net result of this is that only a handful of
organizations like Viacom, CanWest Global, Bell Globemedia, Quebecor Media, Torstar and
others are increasingly controlling the media agencies and also the news as well the
information which is being passed on to the individuals (Druick, 2016). For example, it is
seen that the media conglomerate CanWest Global takes the help of the diverse kinds of
economic integration policies which the nation of Canada offers to the organizations of the
concerned nation. In this regard, it needs to be said that the media conglomerate under
discussion here actively takes the help of the free trade policy, common market, preferential
trading area and others to attain monopoly and also to control the kind of news or information
that are being offered to the people (Gill, 2016). The conglomerate under discussion here had
been able to establish a steady market in the cities of Ontario, Toronto and others taking the
help of the preferential trading area and in addition to this the policy of free trade as well as
common market had greatly contributed towards the process of media convergence attained
by CanWest Global (Taras, 2015).

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Van Aelst et al. (2017) are of the viewpoint that the policies of free trade and common
market followed by the national government of Canada had at the same time facilitated the
process of media convergence in the particular context of Torstar. For example, it is seen that
just like CanWest Global, the policies of free trade and common market had enabled the
organization to eradicate competition and thereby gain monopoly in the areas like Toronto
and others in which it is operational (Freedman, 2015). More importantly, the initiative of the
national government to filter out the news or the pieces of information which is being
cascaded to the citizens had at the same time led to the process of media in the context of the
media conglomerates under discussion here.
To conclude, the process of concentrated media ownership is a common aspect of the
media industry of Canada. However, at the same time it needs to be said that this a gross
violation of the fundamental right given by the different nations, namely, ‘Freedom of Press’
and often leads to the misrepresentation of news as well as information which in turn cause
various kinds of problems. Thus, it can be said that although the national government of
Canada and also these media agencies had been able to gain in a significant manner towards
the process of media convergence and conglomeration yet it is detrimental from the interests
of the common people.
Business models used by newspapers in the 21st century
Karimi and Walter (2016) have articulated the viewpoint that the success or the
failure of the organizations greatly depends on the kind of business model that they are
following for the process of their business operations. This holds true for the newspaper
agencies as well and this is perhaps one of the major reasons why they are increasingly
embracing different kinds of innovative business models to enhance the prospects of their
business activities in the media world (Vessey, 2016).

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As opined by Cascio and Montealegre (2016), it is seen that even in the 21st century
there are many organizations which are still following the ‘brick and mortar’ business model
and thereby offering physical or paper newspapers, magazines and others to the readers. On
the other hand, experts have articulated the viewpoint that the technological advancements
that the world had made in the 21st century and also its extensive usage by the individuals had
given rise to the online business model adopted by the different newspaper agencies (Splichal
& Dahlgren, 2016). For example, it is seen that there are many newspaper agencies like
Torstar, CanWest Global and others which taking the help of this model are currently
offering online newspapers, magazines and others to the customers (Chaturvedi & Nagpal,
2018). More importantly, it is seen that these online services offered by the above mentioned
newspaper agencies had been much appreciated by the readers and this is perhaps one of the
major reasons for the extensive success gained by them. However, in the 21st century it is
seen that the omni-channel business model which tries to overcome the limitations of the
above mentioned business models had gained extensive popularity in the recent times (Gill,
2016). Furthermore, the usage of this model requires the newspapers to offer both online and
physical services to the readers and thus is a much more feasible option for the readers.
According to Gasher et al. (2016), the emergence of different kinds of business model
and also its extensive usage is likely to impact different journalistic values like copyright,
freedom of the press, diversity of opinion, accessibility, affordability of the news and others
for the Canadians. For example, it is seen that the online model had been able to restore the
freedom of the press and at the same time had been able to articulate the diverse opinion of
the people in a significant manner (Druick, 2016). More importantly, it had reduced the
prices of the newspapers, magazines and others in a significant and thereby enhanced the
affordability of these newspapers, magazines and others (Vessey, 2016). Thus, it can be said

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that the emergence of different kinds of business models and its usage by the news agencies
had positively affected the world of journalism and its audience.
To conclude, in the 21st century the different news agencies are increasingly resorting
to the use of diverse business models and this had in turn affected the world of journalism
and its audience in a positive manner. On the one hand, this had restored the freedom of the
press and enables it to articulate diverse opinions and on the other hand it had reduced the
cost of these news sources and thereby enhanced the affordability of these news sources.

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