The Press Council believes that while the concentration of press ownership may bring some benefits and make possible the survival of some outlets, it may also constitute a threat to the public’s right to information from varied and diverse sources.

The freedom of media corporations to act in their own financial interests must not be confused with freedom of the press. The latter is an extension of the intellectual freedoms of thought and speech that comprise the cornerstone of all democratic and pluralistic societies. Freedom of the press derives from its public-service role and its fundamental responsibility to the public in a free society.

The Press Council reiterates the importance of preserving press freedom, the right of the public to pluralistic information and the free circulation of information and ideas in a democratic society.

The state of concentrated ownership of the press in Quebec poses certain dangers, such as:

1. There is a risk of content becoming so uniform as to threaten freedom of expression and the broad circulation of diverse ideas and viewpoints.
2. The monopolization of advertising markets could occur, jeopardizing the survival of more vulnerable independent outlets.
3. Coverage could become subordinate to the economic imperatives of the business, resulting in censorship or self-censorship.
4. Newsrooms and editors-in-chief can suffer a loss of editorial freedom.