SHERBROOKE – Liberal Heritage Critic Denis Coderre called on the ruling Conservative Party to review the CRTC’s decision allowing the new TQS owner to lower the amount of local news it produces.
“The Conservative government has remained virtually silent on this issue since TQS first announced plans to reduce its local news content,” said Coderre in a statement. “The government must send a clear signal that conventional television networks must produce a certain amount of traditional news coverage.”
The news requirements for TQS’s competitors remain unaltered.
Coderre stressed the government has to review the decision, particularly given the dissenting opinion given by CRTC Commissioner Michel Morin. In some cases, TQS will broadcast less than 15 minutes of news a day.
“The precedent that this decision sets is unfair to competing broadcasters and to the communities Remstar and TQS serve,” said Coderre. “It is time for the government to stop ignoring the issue and show that it cares about local news content.”
