Canada is home to a robust debate about the news media; however, there is no central body that carries out regular review. Many news organisations have mechanisms to hear and adjudicate complaints. The Globe and Mail, for instance, has a public editor who frequently critiques the national newspaper’s coverage. CBC/Radio-Canada’s independent ombudsperson adjudicates public complaints about the public broadcaster’s journalism. The independent CBSC handles public complaints about alleged transgressions of Canadian broadcasters’ code of conduct. In a similar vein, the voluntary National NewsMedia Council, an amalgam of former provincial press councils, promotes ethical practices in the news media. The Council adjudicates complaints about journalistic standards and ethics.
Canada’s news media is also the subject of intense media scrutiny. The podcast Canadaland, for instance, is a focal point of news media critique. The progressive online news sites Rabble.ca and PressProgress often features debate and critique about Canada’s mainstream media’s watchdog function.
