The federal government, apparently spooked enough by Canwest and CTVglobemedia’s cries that the mediocalypse is here, is reportedly considering a $150-million fund that would help small-market television stations. This would be in addition to the Local Programming Improvement Fund which has the same goal.
As much as I’m not a fan of consumers paying for local TV stations they already get for free, even that would be preferable to a government bailout with who knows how many strings attached.
Global and CTV have spent huge amounts of cash buying specialty channel and othe conventional broadcast stations. Each time rpeating more of the same programming and reducing local production.
The only upside of this fund is that hopefully some jobs will be saved but knowing how sneaky the big broadcasters are they’ll figure a way to spend as little on staff on keep the money for themselves.