I want to ask a question about advertising and the implications that would have on news coverage.
Yesterday on The Current there was a very interesting discussion of CanWest Global going to court to overturn the direct-to-advertiser ban on prescription drugs. They were taking the position that their inability to make money on advertising was a direct violation of their freedom of expression. Yet, on the CBC discussion, they were talking about the massive impact that direct advertising has on drug costs and the health system, comparing the U.S. to Canada and the different positions.
If CanWest was successful in that, that would certainly have implications for news coverage for a whole series of issues relating to health coverage. How would that downward pressure impact CBC? Would you feel that you would need to start to compete for drug advertising? How do you start to make those decisions on advertising that is very much implicated in news coverage?