Regulatory, Telecom & Media News – CBSC finds CTV report misrepresented Trump comment

The Canadian Broadcast Standards Council (CBSC) has released its decision concerning a CTV National News report about former U.S. President Donald Trump last September that it concludes misrepresented a comment. The report concerned a recorded interview between Trump and journalist Bob Woodward in which Trump acknowledged the COVID-19 pandemic was serious, but that he wanted to downplay it so as not to instill panic in the American population. The report included the sentence, “Calling the virus a hoax, Trump continued to hold packed rallies, minimizing the danger to young people when he knew better.” A viewer pointed out that Trump had never called the virus itself a hoax; rather, what he had characterized as a hoax was the Democrats’ efforts to politicize Trump’s approach to the pandemic. The CBSC English-Language Panel concluded the mischaracterization was a material error that constituted a breach of code in violation of the RTDNA Code of Journalistic Ethics. With respect to bias, the panel unanimously concluded there was no breach because the overall subject was a legitimate story and did not contain any inherent bias.

Rogers Sports & Media President Jordan Banks has announced that the company is “hiring aggressively” in a blog post widely shared by Rogers management. “Though the pandemic delayed our plans slightly, Rogers Sports & Media will now be hiring up to 100 new roles over the next couple of months to turbo-charge our already terrific team of 3,500+ people,” said Banks in the statement. “We are hiring aggressively and creating a team on the leading edge of sports, tech, and data to deliver on our bold strategy. Our team will be digital first, data driven, and customer obsessed, with a keen focus on delivering impact in everything we do.” The announcement comes roughly two months after an estimated 100 layoffs in the division in November.

The Ontario Association of Broadcasters (OAB) Career Day is going virtual on Feb. 9. Running from 1- 5 p.m. ET, the event will feature five expert panels encompassing TV News & Sports (feat. Global Toronto anchor Farah Nasser and Sportsnet’s Caroline Cameron); Production & Creative, (feat. Justin Dove of Core Image Studio and Z100 New York Creative Service Director Staxx); News Radio & Digital (feat. CHGK/CJCS Stratford GM (Vista Radio) Wendy Gray and Quinte Broadcasting news anchor Tim Durkin); and Sales Promotions & Marketing with JAZZ.91.FM (CJRT-FM) Promotion Manager David McTeague and Quinte Broadcasting Sales Manager Jody Brooker. The On-Air & Programming panel includes Paul Thomas, Program Director & Assistant General Manager, The New Classic FM & Zoomer Radio, and boom 97.3 (CHBM-FM) PD Troy McCallum. The event is open free of charge to students from member schools. Register here.

The Canadian Association of Journalists (CAJ) is condemning the Government of Alberta’s attempt to discredit the work of journalists in a new report entitled New Global Paradigm: Understanding the Transnational Progressive Movement, the Energy Transition and the Great Transformation Strangling Alberta’s Petroleum Industry. Produced as part of the provincial government’s $3.5 million inquiry into opposition to Alberta’s oilsands, the report argues that journalists are part of a “disturbing” movement to “coordinate and effectively distribute propagandized climate change issues in their reporting.” It criticizes Canadian outlets including Maclean’s, TVO, and the Toronto Star. The CAJ’s Ethics Advisory Committee is currently working to develop recommendations on how journalists can most responsibly report on climate change.

The Canadian Journalism Foundation (CJF), together with CBC News, is accepting applications to its CJF-CBC Indigenous Journalism Fellowships program. The annual fellowships provide a unique opportunity for two early-career Indigenous journalists, with one-to-10 years’ experience, to explore Indigenous issues while being hosted for one month at CBC’s Indigenous Unit in Winnipeg. This year, the fellowships may be conducted remotely. The application deadline is Feb. 19. Fellows receive a $4,000 stipend, while the CJF covers all associated travel and accommodation costs, a per diem for meals and other expenses.

William Southam Journalism Fellowships are open for applications. Offered to outstanding mid-career Canadian journalists, successful candidates are invited to spend a year at Massey College, the graduate college within the University of Toronto. The objective of the fellowship program is to encourage improvement in journalism, offering journalists an opportunity to broaden their horizons by studying in a university setting. Fellows are chosen based on professional competence and future potential as effective and responsible journalists. Applicants must be full-time news or editorial employees with Canadian newspapers, news services, radio, television, or magazines, with at least five years’ experience. Freelance journalists working consistently in the media over a five-year period are also eligible.

The Tom Hanson Photojournalism Award is open for applications from early-career news photographers looking to sharpen their skills and gain national exposure. Offering a unique opportunity to spend six weeks with The Canadian Press, the award is open to Canadian photojournalists with fewer than five years’ experience, including students and freelancers. Working on various assignments, the recipient will be mentored by top photographers and work in a fast-paced environment. Last year’s winner was Marissa Tiel, a freelance photojournalist based in Vancouver. Read about her experience and view her photos and winning portfolio submission. Find the award details here. The deadline to apply is Feb. 19.