Media Beat: May 31, 2019

By David Farrell

What Was Said

So the media bailout is a $600-million pork barrel in support of news outlets acceptable not to a panel of experts (a dumb enuf idea) but to a politician. We have the worst possible outcome. No self-respecting country would do this. No self-respecting media would take the money.  – Canadian journalist, publisher and former SVP of Public Policy for Rogers Communications Ken Whyte on Twitter.

Rebel Media sues Hudson’s Bay for trademark infringement

Ezra Levant’s Rebel Media is taking the Hudson’s Bay Company to court for trademark infringement over the Canadian retailer’s alleged unauthorized use of the slogan “Make Canada Great Again.”

In a statement of claim filed in the Federal Court of Canada in Montreal on May 24, Rebel News Network Ltd. alleges that Hudson’s Bay sells, among other things, hats carrying the slogan which the Rebel applied to trademark in November 2016. According to the Canadian Trademarks Database, the mark was approved earlier this year and registered on March 5, 2019. – Darryl Greer, CanadaLand

Social media execs face grilling at Ottawa summit

One expert, Roger McNamee, called for governments to threaten and be willing to unplug social media platforms, as Sri Lanka did in the wake of church attacks last month, to gain leverage to force companies like Facebook to change their ways. – Laura Ryckewaert, The Hill (subscription)

'Call their bluff': Shut down social media platforms, ex-Facebook adviser urges

Facebook investor and venture capitalist Roger McNamee told a committee hearing in Ottawa this week that social media platforms should be shut down until they can be reformed. – Catharine Tunny, Peter Zimonjic, CBC News

Keit Pentus-Rosimannus, MP, and vice-chairwoman of Estonia’s Reform Party asked Facebook if a fake video of Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg appearing drunk found itself on Facebook, would the company leave it up as it did to a Nancy Pelosi video. 0:44

Canada Council, CBC to invest $1M to ‘amplify’ digital content creation

The initiative, called the Creation Accelerator, will support projects in a sequence of production stages. Successful applicants will receive an initial grant to work with a producer, along with the mentorship of CBC/Radio-Canada, on the development of an original idea. Following this incubation stage, the Canada Council and CBC/Radio-Canada will select concepts for production and potential distribution on CBC/Radio-Canada's platforms.

The pilot project will be open to artists and arts organizations across the country, in all fields of practice, including early career artists. No prior digital experience will be required.

The Canada Council for the Arts will share full guidelines and details for the Creation Accelerator in late June when the initiative opens for applications on the Council's online granting portal. – Newswire

Rafale FM cancels radio renewal, in talks with creditors

The francophone community radio station that was collecting advertising money, without going to air, is withdrawing its broadcast licence renewal process with the CRTC.

Radio communautaire du Labrador, more commonly known as Rafale FM, hasn't produced any local programming since 2015, according to several sources. – CBC News