The unpaid rent by Quebecor since last summer in the Press Gallery of the National Assembly of Quebec is above all a question of principle, affirms Pierre Karl Péladeau.
In interview on the show The Balance Sheetthe president and CEO of the company commented on the daily information The Press according to which the National Assembly would be ready to sue Quebecor unless there was a “soon agreement” concerning the rent.
“It would be so ridiculous,” the businessman said Thursday.
Mr. Péladeau believes that the Quebec government must look more seriously at the media crisis rather than demanding money from private companies in the information sector.
“Does the National Assembly really need rent to continue doing its work? I think it’s important that they take into consideration the extent of the problem and they seem to ignore it, which is quite surprising,” argued the big boss of Quebecor.
“Why does the government of Quebec accept, and the government of Canada too, that there are two classes of journalists: a class of the written press and the digital press which will be entitled to tax credits, and a class of television journalists who have no right to it? What is this discrimination? he added.
Pierre Karl Péladeau recalled the importance of the television press for Quebecers, particularly through its coverage of the activities of the National Assembly.
“If we reduce the capacity to be present with the necessary tools and staff, I think that it is democracy that will suffer,” he said.
“I think the government must realize that it is important from now on to consider that television information is quality information and important for the Quebec population,” he explained.
In August 2023, Quebecor announced the suspension of payment of its rent of $8,448 per month, citing the crisis experienced by the media, in particular the web giants which monopolize “more than 80% of advertising revenue”.
To see the full interview, watch the video above.
