Manipulating the message: Public relations consultants outnumber journalists 14 – 1 in Canada
Manipulating the message: Public relations consultants outnumber journalists 14 – 1 in Canada
A new book by journalist-author Cecil Rosner shows how thousands of spin doctors work to get their version of the news in front and centre, including skewed coverage of immigrants
November 6, 2023
By Emmanuel Nwaneri
NEW CANADIAN MEDIA
If you’ve noticed a shift in the news over the last two decades, it’s likely caused by two things: A massive drop in the number of Canadian reporters and a correspondingly huge surge in the number of spin doctors.
According to journalist-author Cecil Rosner, the number of active reporters in Canada by 2021 has shrunk to about 11,000 from about 13,000 in 1991. In this 20-year period, the number of public relations consultants has increased from about 24,000, to about 160,000 – a ratio of 14 – 1 vis-à-vis publicists and reporters, Rosner says.
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