Wendy Mesley is a journalist, podcaster, and blogger.
I’m a former anchor of the CBC News program. The National And then I make an awkward confession. I don’t watch the news.
It’s really hard to say, but I haven’t seen it. The National already.I can’t say when was the last time I saw it W5. I don’t receive news from people doing what I used to do for a living. It’s sad, but it’s more than that.
As the media landscape has shrunk, I have sat on the sidelines observing people’s reactions to all the layoffs. It’s hard to see people I know and love lose their jobs. There’s been a lot of anger and disappointment at Bell over recent job cuts. Understood: W5 is Canada’s longest running investigative program. If Pierre Poièvre becomes prime minister and cuts off funding, the CBC could be next.
But here’s the tricky part. If all the people complaining about the cuts had actually watched it, things would have been very different.
It breaks my heart to say this, but I can understand why people don’t watch legacy stations anymore. To be honest, the story, tone, and presentation just don’t work. There are many other options, but they are better. By 10 or 11 o’clock at night, you have all the information you need. We’re not going back to his 1960s, or even his 1990s.
It’s unfortunate and scary, and I’m beyond sad. I mean, it’s happening. So what are you going to do about it?
Many blame Bell and other company bosses. I’m glad to be able to join the choir. It’s easy. It is true that they have an obligation to provide quality news, and that is their responsibility in return for being given access to the airwaves. We need them to keep their end of the bargain. When the media was making a lot of money and people were paying attention, everyone was happy.
It’s true that technology has changed things. And it’s true that advertisers go where they get noticed. Advertising dollars kept traditional media afloat for decades. Now audiences have splintered and gone elsewhere, and advertising dollars have followed suit. All of this is true, but there’s more to it.
Current model doesn’t work. There is no magic solution, but there seem to be some basic considerations. How do you track your audience? Can large newsrooms and networks connect with large audiences in Canada? Can they face controversy and present two sides to difficult debates? And if it is possible, who will pay for it?
I retired from CBC in 2021 and now co-host a podcast with fellow well-known media personality Maureen Holloway and blog on Substack. I’m having the best time of my life, talking to interesting people, speaking and writing unfettered. However, it is difficult to make a living without the scope and scale of your network. If this is the future of journalism, it’s hard to imagine what it will be like for people in their 20s. It’s not easy, but I still want to know what’s going on in the world.
As for my own media habits, I devour The New York Times, The Guardian, Al Jazeera, and The Globe and Mail. I spend hours reading blogs, newsletters, and sites I find online recommended by smart people. I read the headlines and facts, then go straight to the opinion section and often read opinions from people I disagree with. I don’t go to news broadcasts. I no longer rely on people like me for information. And I’m not alone.
I remember listening to a podcast serial Back in 2014, I thought, “Wow, this is interesting.” I had no idea that the world of journalism was about to change. Some, like Connie Walker, have gone on to work outside the usual network box. She won a Pulitzer Prize and a Peabody Award for her podcast last year. Stolen. Walker was transfixed: serialshe also heard how to finally get people to pay attention to Indigenous stories and change the way people think.
There was a lot of hand wringing. I understand that, but let’s focus our energy on products that people want and need. Journalism remains important and our democracy needs it. Civil society operates on facts. As a society, we need a fair and balanced dialogue. You need a reliable source of information. People still watch, listen and read.
There are discussions about the future of journalism, and some are looking for solutions. Will it be more local or more digital? Some think the answer lies with streamers, but they often lack the rigor and integrity of traditional news. I don’t think we can survive without that foundation.
Broadcast journalism is facing a period of reckoning. It’s time to stop complaining and think about how to solve it. And maybe I’ll start watching it again.