To avoid a shift in “democracy”, the State should invest more in media payroll in addition to extending journalistic tax credits to the electronic press, according to the Parti Québécois (PQ).
This is one of the seven measures presented Thursday by the sovereignist party in its “plan to preserve regional information”. “Journalism is an essential function in society, because without this function, there is no democracy,” indicated its leader, Paul St-Pierre Plamondon, as his pre-sessional caucus ended, in Alma.
Currently, the Quebec government offers written newsrooms a tax credit equivalent to “35% of salaries”. Electronic media, such as television and radio, do not have access to it.
In its plan made public Thursday, “PSPP” undertakes to “expand the tax credit […] journalism expenses of radio and television media companies. His party also wants to increase credit to at least 50% of the payroll, indicated to Duty the communications wing of the PQ.
“The State funds 100% of functions such as police officers and firefighters,” said Mr. St-Pierre Plamondon on Thursday. “There are plenty of essential functions where the State intervenes. Once we agree that [le journalisme] is an essential service, clearly there is no point in the State intervening. »
The PQ plan also provides for the creation of a fund to help with the “conversion of journalistic business and technological models”. As promised even before the 2022 elections, he also wants to create a Quebec regulatory body “like the CRTC” (Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission).
To avoid contributing to the financial revenues of Web giants like Meta, Quebec should also adopt an “official policy” to “put an end to advertising spending by the government” and its affiliated organizations in companies “that refuse[nt] to renew a redistribution agreement with the media.”
The year 2023 has been difficult for Quebec media. In November, TVA cut more than 500 positions, including several in its regional stations. Then, in December, Radio-Canada announced the upcoming abolition of 250 positions across Canada.