Ep. 324: In the name of Jack Webster: What "Precisely" is happening to news?

Guest: Jas Johal

He was known as the King of the Airwaves in British Columbia for close to 40 years.

If it was on the public agenda, Webster was there. When prisoners at the BC Penitentiary rioted and took hostages in 1963, they asked Webster to resolve the standoff. They asked for him because he was trusted at a time when mainstream media was believed to be fulfilling the responsibilities for the fourth estate – to step in, stand up, advocate, call out, and record the people and events of our lives.

Since Webster’s retirement in 1988, the media landscape has changed dramatically. In Vancouver, for example, the major powerhouses of media in print, radio, and TV have all seen their constituencies dwindle. Along with the shrinking audiences, so too goes ad revenue which, in turn, leads to cuts in newsrooms and that leads to further reductions in audiences.

The money simply isn’t there to support media outlets that we trust to provide an overview of our province, regions, cities, and municipalities. There aren’t enough resources to go around and that robs readers, listeners, and viewers of valuable and vital information they need to make informed decisions.

Alternative or non-mainstream media outlets have popped up and are attempting to fill the void. The challenge, however, is that most of those outlets – including this show – have fewer resources than the big players. Then add in a less than full-bodied embrace of journalistic standards, and the value of the information shared through smaller or single issue outlets diminishes.

We invited two-time Webster Award Winner and former MLA for Richmond-Queensborough Jas Johal to join us for a Conversation That Matters about his take on the state of media.