Power and Betrayal in the Canadian Media

Power and Betrayal in the Canadian Media is a valuable book, distinguished by the clarity and force of its arguments. Prof. Taras sounds a warning call over the state of the media and public discourse in Canada, marshalling disturbing evidence that the responsibilities of the media to the common weal are being superseded by considerations inimical to the public good. -- Christopher Dornan, School of Journalism and Communication, Carleton University David Taras's Power and Betrayal raises the alarm for media in the new millennium from a distinctly Canadian blend of local, national, and global perspectives. From confrontation can come consensus, and then social action. Taras's argument deserves our serious engagement. It moves beyond the metaphor of his earlier book, Seeing Ourselves, to call for new democratic responsibility to ensure cultural diversity. The chapter on the CBC chills to the bone. One of the first steps in the spring thaw is for the public shareholders to seize control of the government broadcaster, and restore its public mandate. -- Catherine Murray, Associate Professor in the School of Communication, Simon Fraser University

Power and Betrayal in the Canadian Media is a sweeping exploration of the Canadian media system and the impact it has on Canadian society, politics, and culture.

The Canadian media system, which in many respects is this society's "meeting ground"—its public square—is in the midst of a profound shift away from the foundations on which it has rested comfortably for decades. The publicly financed Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, long the backbone of the broadcasting system, is threatened by budget cuts and by technological change. The newspaper industry has fallen into the hands of a few powerful individuals. Huge global corporations and a vast communications revolution are dramatically altering the nature of news and entertainment. This book argues that unless action is taken these changes will narrow our access to the information we need as citizens and damage our capacity to communicate with each other and reflect on ourselves as a community. Power and Betrayal in the Canadian Media is a sweeping exploration of the Canadian media system and the impact it has on Canadian society, politics, and culture.