PowerPoint Presentation Slide 1

The Argument

• Fleras: intrusion of commercial interests and government regulation has compromised the regulatory potential of the Internet
• McLuhan: the inception of a new media casts into sharper relief the premises, priorities and power relations of existing media ( page 249).

Crucial Questions

• Should those who control the medium also control the message?
• Cases: GayTV and Shaw Cable
• BCE /CTV and Independent Film
• Sympatico(Bell) and Oliver Hate Site
• Issue is: will gatekeeper show preference/discriminate against competitors, or evade responsibility?