Telus Censoring Community Television Can a Corporation support Community?
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- Published on Friday, 27 March 2015 15:45
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(Feb. 27, 2015) Above is a 'Community Television' program Telus said Canadians could not see because it did not meet the Telus 'balance' requirement . Please have a look and see what you think. Perhaps start with segment 2 (at 21:40) - a discussion of the terror attack at the Charlie Hebdo offices in Paris. Segment 3 (40:15) is about climate change; Segment 1 is 'various'. We told Telus their refusal to show the program raises issues of 'freedom of the press'. Telus assured us they support a free press, and asked us to resubmit the program. We will ... but Telus policy also has to change. Community Television - governed by the CRTC - allows Citizen Produced Television to be made and shown across Canada. These programs are shown on Community Channels that must be provided by Shaw, Telus, Rogers, etc. But here in Victoria, Telus got around the rule and doesn't provide a community 'Channel'. Instead, Community Programming is on 'Video on Demand', which very few watch. Citizen Producers can create important programming, but there has to be a place for people to see it. If we want a better and more democratic Canada, we need more Independent Media. If Telus wants to censor points of view it doesn't like, AND won't even provide Community Channels, then Telus should step aside and let others take over the job of providing Canadians with Community TV. It may be impossible for a 'corporation' to be involved in this kind of Community Service ... perhaps corporations cannot work 'for community', but instead feel a need to destroy it. Jack Etkin This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. (to contact, or for removal from list)www.thebridgenewsservice.com
