(Quebec) Minister Mathieu Lacombe rules out the payment of emergency financial aid to the TVA Group and pleads in favor of a “global” solution to help the news media get through the crisis. To support audiovisual production, he promises to legislate.
“This is sad news. […] I know to what extent employees have to live with a certain uncertainty and then [pour] those obviously, who receive the call, these will be times that will be difficult for them, so I think of them, of their families too,” lamented the Minister of Culture and Communications, who appeared before the media just the announcement of new cuts to the TVA Group.
The company’s big boss, Pierre Karl Péladeau, announced Thursday 547 layoffs, as well as a major reorganization of television production activities within the Quebecor subsidiary. The cuts represent 31% of its current workforce. The news service, regional stations and internal content production are particularly affected.
“We already have financial assistance programs in place for the media in general,” explained Mr. Lacombe, highlighting investments of 217 million since 2018. The minister recalled that “each company is a particular case” and that we must now “look at it more generally”. There is therefore no question for the moment of providing emergency financial aid to the TVA Group.
It’s more than a question of money, it’s a question of the environment that has changed. And changing that can’t be done by snapping your fingers, it can be done by talking. I think that this discussion needs to be had.
Mathieu Lacombe, Minister of Culture and Communications
The minister briefly mentioned the possibility of expanding or adapting existing aid programs, such as tax credits for the written press, but did not want to go further. “I have to have this discussion with the press companies and we have spoken to many of them recently. We are intensifying this because I think we must indeed find a solution,” he said.
Quebec notably offers the tax credit for support of the written information press, which is equivalent to reimbursing 35% of the salary of employees eligible for the program (maximum $75,000 per year). The electronic media are demanding access as well.
We can no longer continue to manage this problem after problem and react to this or that request. We have to look at it as a whole and say to ourselves, is the current system working or not working? The answer is that it doesn’t work.
Mathieu Lacombe, Minister of Culture and Communications
Audiovisual production
As recently revealed The Press, the Legault government wants to table a bill that will force digital platforms like Spotify and Netflix to give more space to Quebec content. On Thursday, Mr. Lacombe indicated that he wanted to review this sector from top to bottom. A new law will be “only a piece” of his work, he said.
“Audiovisual production is also going through difficult times. […] The current system no longer works in a digital environment,” he said, explaining that it was necessary to start “from a blank slate” to develop a new model. Unlike this vast project, for which he did not specify the roadmap, “the issue is more precise” in the case of the news media.
“In the media, it’s mainly a question of income […] That, I think it can go faster.”
The political class reacts:
My thoughts go out to the TVA Group employees and their families who are affected by these layoffs. Information is at the heart of our democracy.
François Legault, Premier of Quebec
This is very worrying news. My thoughts are with the 547 families affected by job losses. It’s a very sad day for Quebec’s media ecosystem, particularly in the regions. When one of our media suffers, our entire democracy suffers.
Marc Tanguay, interim leader of the Quebec Liberal Party
Massive layoffs at TVA Group: catastrophic news for hundreds of families. Heavy loss for regional information. We must set up a Quebec Media Fund.
Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois, parliamentary leader of Québec solidaire
This bad news adds to that of recent years in the Quebec media industry. Such a weakened industry can only mean serious and negative consequences for the dissemination and consumption of Quebec culture.
Paul St-Pierre Plamondon, leader of the Parti Québécois