Media crisis: Quebecor demands free access to National Assembly

Quebecor now stops paying rent to its journalists in the National Assembly and demands free access for all members of the press gallery to deal with the advertising revenue crisis affecting the media.

The Media Federation has sent a letter to the Secretary General of the National Assembly to advise the National Media to suspend payment for its premises located in the André-Laurendeau building, just behind Parliament, where the national media have their facilities.

“The rent charged by your administration is $8,448.42 per month, thus exceeding the $100,000 per year threshold, and not including applicable taxes is contrary to the principles of accessibility and harmful to democratic life,” writes the vice president of corporate affairs. , Quebecor, Jat Barsoom.

It is worth noting that daily visits by journalists to Parliament are related to the rent paid by media houses.

Mr. Barsoom continued to ask.

National Assembly Speaker Nathalie Roy and Culture Minister Mathieu Lacombe are also challenging through the missive.

Elected officials in Quebec must decide on the possibility of rent-free access to media outlets.

Media crisis

With the rise of Web 2.0, media has faced an advertising revenue crisis over the past twenty years. GAFAM, the major internet giant, now monopolizes more than 80% of the country’s advertising revenue.

“In the past few months alone, Quebecor has had to cut 240 positions. Bell Media has eliminated a thousand positions and six radio stations. Postmedia has laid off 11% of its newsroom staff,” recalled Jatt Barsoom in a letter to the National Assembly.

The situation could worsen as Facebook’s parent company, Meta, followed through on threats to ban links to news websites in response to Bill C-18. Adopted this spring in Ottawa, it provides that GAFAMs must compensate media for the use of their content on their sites.