06) NEWS FOR PROFITS, NOT PEOPLE

People's Voice Editorial

            These days you can't turn on the TV, go out to a movie, or read a mainstream newspaper without getting blasted by energy industry propaganda. Big Oil is desperate to pummel Canadians with the idea that unless we build a bigger network of pipelines, the economy will soon collapse.

            But it turns out that paid advertisements for the oil industry often masquerade as editorial content on corporate news websites ‑ and the body in charge of regulating the industry apparently has no problem with this sleazy manipulation of public opinion. That is exactly what has happened with the Vancouver Sun and Regina Leader‑Post, owned by the Postmedia "news" empire.

            Environmental organization DeSmog Canada says it filed a complaint with Advertising Standards Canada on March 4, regarding a story published on the Vancouver Sun website on Dec. 4, 2013, with the headline "Born to the Challenge: Janet Holder's B.C. roots make her the perfect lead on Northern Gateway."

            Everyone knows Janet Holder, our down home friend who rose to became Enbridge Corp.'s  vice‑president of Western Access. Holder is responsible for marketing the Northern Gateway oil tanker and pipeline project. In last December's story, Holder repeated her frequent claim that Canada is losing $50 million a day due to limited export markets.

            Economist Robyn Allan disagreed, and submitted an opinion piece in response. But Allan was told her article would not be used, since the "news article" was actually a paid advertisement. The original web page was set up to look like arms length reporting, which led Allan to ask: was it news or propaganda?

            DeSmog's complaint to Advertising Standards Canada cited that body's rule against "Disguised Advertising Techniques," which states: "No advertisement shall be presented in a format or style that conceals its commercial intent." Two months later, ASC declined to issue a ruling against Postmedia.

            And there you have it. "News" for profits, not for people.

(The above  article is from the July 1-31, 2014, issue of People's Voice, Canada's leading socialist newspaper. Articles can be reprinted free if the source is credited. Subscription rates in Canada: $30/year, or $15 low income rate; for U.S. readers - $45 US per year; other overseas readers - $45 US or $50 CDN per year. Send to People's Voice, c/o PV Business Manager, 706 Clark Drive, Vancouver, BC, V5L 3J1.)