this post was submitted on 02 Mar 2025
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List of Canadian Alternatives to American owned media pretending to be Canadian, infiltrating Canadian culture and politics (lemmy.ca)
submitted 4 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
43 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

The Walrus on Bluesky.

When local news disappears, misinformation thrives.

I'm just a single person managing this post, so there will be many mistakes. Please comment on any major other fact-based news, and I'll edit the post to add them!

Inclusion Criteria

Avoid list 🚫

Postmedia Network

Canadian alternatives 🇨🇦

Français ⚜️

les médias propriété type de propriété contribution
Radio Canada Patrimoine canadien (Gouvernement du Canada) Gouvernement TOU.TV L'EXTRA
TFO Office des télécommunications éducatives de langue française de l'Ontario TFO (Gouvernement du Ontario) Gouvernement Don
Télé-Québec Société de télédiffusion du Québec (Gouvernement du Québec) Gouvernement -
La Presse La Presse Inc. à but non lucratif, organisations journalistiques enregistrées Don
Le Devoir Le Devoir Inc. organisations journalistiques enregistrées Don
L'Acadie Nouvelle Acadie Nouvelle ltée. à but non lucratif abonnement

English🦄

Media Ownership Ownership type Donate
CBC News Canadian Heritage (Government of Canada) Government CBC Gem Premium, CBC Shop
TVO The Ontario Education Communications Authority (Government of Ontario) Government Donate
Investigative Journalism Foundation Investigative Journalism Foundation Non-profit Subscribe, IJF Shop
PressProgress Broadbent Institute Non-profit Membership
The Walrus The Walrus Foundation Non-profit, registered charity Donate
The Narwhal The Narwhal News Society Non-profit, Registered journalism organization Donate
The Tyee, BC based appears to be self-owned Non-profit, Registered Journalism Organization (pending) Donate
The Breach Breach Media Canada Non-profit Donate
The Grind, Toronto specific Arts and Labour Media Inc. Non-profit Membership
Briarpatch, SK based Briarpatch Inc. Non-profit Donate
Unrigged News collaboration between non-profit outlets Non-profit -
Overstory Media Group Non-profit? -
The Canadian Press News The Globe and Mail, Torstar For profit -
The Globe and Mail The Woodbridge Company For profit Subscribe
Toronto Star Torstar For profit Subscribe
Reuters Thompson family For profit Subscribe
Global News Corus Entertainment For profit -
Winnipeg Free Press FP Canadian Newspapers Limited Partnership For profit Donate
Canadaland appears to be self owned appears to be for profit Patreon, Canadaland store

Political commentary

News Aggregator

List of most promising counters to dark money

  1. Democracy Watch
  2. The Investigative Journalism Foundation
  3. Council of Canadians
  4. Protecting Canada
  5. Canadians for Tax Fairness
  6. PressProgress
  7. Fair Vote Canada
  8. Bluesky Starter Pack: Ontario journalists that cover work & wage issues.

And while you're here, come join us over at [email protected]. We are trying to restore control of government back to the people!

top 43 comments
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[–] [email protected] 6 points 2 days ago (1 children)

No Reuters?

One of the best wire agency/news networks in the entire world is Canadian, kind of shocking to see it not mentioned here.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 days ago (1 children)

My apologies, it's just a single person (me) doing all of this, to reduce corporate/American influence. Thanks for letting me know, I'll add it shortly!

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 days ago (1 children)

I'm sorry for the aggressive tone as well, your tables and lists made it look professional so my standards may have been too high lol

More gracefully, Global might be worth adding too given they are owned buy CHORUS

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 days ago

Great! We have a fantastic list thanks to you and others!

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Ground news is also Canadian, from Kitchener, ON. While not a news network, it is a good news aggregator that shows political bias.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 days ago

I've added Ground news into another section. There isn't much information I could find on their ownership type, but they are Canadian!

[–] [email protected] 44 points 4 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (1 children)

Is it surprising that the American owned media tend to be highly in favour of corporations?

The most promising counters to dark money:

  1. Democracy Watch
  2. The Investigative Journalism Foundation
  3. Council of Canadians
  4. Protecting Canada
  5. Canadians for Tax Fairness
  6. PressProgress
  7. Fair Vote Canada
  8. Bluesky Starter Pack: Ontario journalists that cover work & wage issues.

Obligatory, come join us over at [email protected] . We are trying to restore control of government back to the people!

[–] [email protected] 7 points 4 days ago

"Wes' Brot ich ess' des' Lied ich sing"

I'll sing the song of whoever gives me bread.

[–] [email protected] 20 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago) (1 children)

In case anyone is wondering about who owns POSTMEDIA NETWORK

Top Shareholders:
Postmedia Network Canada Corp.

  • 63% - Chatham Asset Management LLC (a multinational American company)
  • 17% - Allianz Global Investors GmbH (a multinational German company)
  • 13% - Leon Cooperman (a billionaire Jewish investor from New York)
  • less than 1% is Canadian companies
  • rest of the percentage is listed as 'unknown'

https://www.marketscreener.com/quote/stock/POSTMEDIA-NETWORK-CANADA--42378696/company-shareholders/

[–] [email protected] 12 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Why do you feel the need to mention the investor is Jewish? I'm all-in on boycotting the US, but I'm not a goddamn anti-semite FFS.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 3 days ago

I'm 100% for calling out the people who control the narrative in Canada, especially since the people pulling the strings all the way at the top have strong, long time, ties with the GOP.

I could maybe see saying that Leon has a hand in making the narrative say that anti-zion is anti-Semitism. Preferably backed with evidence.

But the way the person you replied to worded it comes off as:
Leon....the JEEEEEWWWWWWWWW!!!!

Like the man is personally responsible for SpAcE LaSeRs™.

It's disgusting, and is counterproductive. It's a distraction from reality. Reality being, that regardless of what Leon believes, he's part of the parasite class. He and the rest of the 0.1% do not contribute to society, they only continue to exist by leeching off of the rest of us.

In 2022 Postmedia received $9.9 million, their "operating income" that year was $13 million.

That's our taxes. $9.9 million of Canadian's hard earned money, being syphoned off to the States.

Then there's Canfor, who control the majority of Canadian lumber production. They're dismantling mills, and shipping them to the Southern US.

Our country is being picked clean...

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Huh, the Gazette is part of Postmedia?

That explains a LOT!

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 days ago

Yes! That's why it's such a big problem that American owned media infiltrates Canadian culture and politics!!

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Canadaland - mostly a collection of podcasts, listener-funded.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 days ago

Thanks! Canadaland has been added!

[–] [email protected] 11 points 4 days ago (2 children)

Who owns The Beaverton?? LOL

[–] [email protected] 20 points 4 days ago (1 children)

As far as I can tell, The Beaverton are self owned (but still Canadian). However, I am reluctant to include them because they are satire, and I don't want to cause confusion.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 4 days ago

Oh, I wasn't saying to include them. Just bring a smartass.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 4 days ago

Millions of beavers who generate income from damming rivers in northern Canada to generate water power and create irrigation for southern farmers. Don't make fun of them .... they have sleeper cells all over North America that will down a tree on your house or car or public building.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Thank you for your effort and time!

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 days ago

Glad to be supported by the broader community!

And while you're here, come join us over at [email protected]. We are trying to restore control of government back to the people!

[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 days ago

I hate to post another comment, but another great tool for media reading in general is RSS feed aggregators. Yes they can be janky, but it is the easiest way to explicitly choose what media you receive, rather than relying on algorithms in news apps / social media to dictate all that you read.

NetNewsWire is a great option for Apple devices Feedbro integrates into your web browser And Feeder is the one I use on my Android phone.

Here is a general comparison list on Wikipedia of different feed aggregators.

If you are a bit more technically inclined, I highly recommend hosting your own feed aggregator online (allowing you to sync your saved articles / read articles between devices, and better battery life on mobile devices). The two apps I usually see recommended for this are tt-rss "Tiny Tiny RSS" as well as FreshRSS.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 4 days ago

Fantastic list.

Without the Narwhal, most of us would have no fucking clue what DoFo and Co were up to with the Greenbelt since 2018. Just as a for instance.

Someone posted a story yesterday from a new print paper called The Grind, and it's really decent. Looks on the level so far. idk if it makes your cut for the list, but anyone looking for a free local paper in Toronto you can read irl like it's 2010, they've got some drop locations in the city (Gateway news stands in the TTC, some record and book shops).

https://briarpatchmagazine.com out of Regina is another classic. Been around since the 70s and it's unionized afaik.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (1 children)

https://www.thecanadianpressnews.ca/

The Canadian Press is Canada’s national news agency.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 days ago

Added!

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Overstory Media Group is probably Canadian

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 days ago

probably Canadian

Yes, that's what I have found to be the case as well. I wasn't able to find ownership or other details...

I'll add them nonetheless, hoping someone can provide sources.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 4 days ago (1 children)

The Globe and Mail is owned by a private holding company that is, in turn, owned by the Thomson family, which Wikipedia describes as Canadian.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Yes, please give me a source on their American ownership … As far as I can tell, the Thomson family is Canadian, so I can't exclude them.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago)

They're Canadian, AFAICT.

Edit: to be clear: the Globe and Mail belongs in the Canadian Alternatives part of the list.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Just for clarity, the Vancouver Sun is also owned by Post Media Group.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 4 days ago

Thanks, I've added Vancouver Sun!

[–] [email protected] 4 points 3 days ago

This is a great post, thank you!

[–] [email protected] 6 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago) (1 children)

If you're francophone (or just a francophile) I highly recommend La Presse and Le Devoir. The former is a non-profit and considered a "newspaper of record", the latter isn't non-profit but is still an independent publication and is also often considered a newspaper of record.

And of course there's Radio-Canada, the French language publication of the CBC.

The French avoid list for me mostly revolves around Québecor — but this is more of a journalistic integrity issue rather than an American media problem. I find it important from a moral and ethical perspective to avoid media megacorp conglomerates (and this is also yet another reason to avoid Postmedia).

One more thing on franco media, reading the news is a great way of developing vocabulary in your second language. Give it a shot, it's really fulfilling and in this case unlocks some great independent / non-profit options :)

[–] [email protected] 3 points 4 days ago

Thanks! Especially for the link to the newspaper of record, it's important we have reputable sources.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 3 days ago

Postmedia also now owns Saltwire, which operated most of the major newspapers in Atlantic Canada: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/SaltWire_Network

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (1 children)

How about Black media, which at one point ran every small town newspaper in BC. Pretty sure that was some billionaire but BC based.

Not gonna say they are good because they definitely have shilled for conservatives in the past. I'm just curious where they are today on this scale. Would not surprise me if they were bought south.

*Edit.. not surprising

[–] [email protected] 4 points 3 days ago

I presume you're referring to Black Press Group. This is now owned by American Carpenter Media Group.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 days ago

Where does Winnipeg Free Press sit?

[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 days ago (1 children)

I know they are awful but I have wonder how canadian are media companies like rebel media, if nothing else it might be one more reason to stay away

[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 days ago (1 children)

are they wearing flannel, have a mustache, and say eh and i'm sorry a lot?

[–] [email protected] 3 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago)

Worse, they publish articles undermining the Government and programs that actually help ordinary Canadians.