Thank you for your excellent question, Mr. Champoux.
As you rightly pointed out, media deserts are certainly a growing phenomenon.
We can see the impact on society in terms of civic engagement and voting. The evidence confirmed that, in cities where the media outlets have disappeared, people show less interest in politics, vote less and become more polarized. We can also see that these constitute cities where, even on an economic level, the impact is felt.
This trend towards media deserts is certainly a serious problem. I can tell you that Quebeckers are taking notice. We commissioned an SOM study, which I spoke about earlier. This survey revealed that 60% of respondents noticed the decline in local news, that they consider this news important and that radio stations play a major role in this area. They're the only ones providing this news.
In Chibougamau, for example, we're on our own. The same goes for Alma and Roberval. Radio stations and media outlets are involved in society. They not only provide news, they also rally the community. This helps boost all communities on an economic, cultural and political level. These are key roles. Here in Gatineau, we have a French‑language talk radio station that also plays its part.
As a society, we must take an interest in these things. As Mr. Gonez said a few moments ago, given the current misinformation out there, foreign platforms are taking up more and more space. In particular, their algorithms make this information, which is often misinformation, more visible.
As a society and as a democracy, we need to address this and make changes to support the private media industry.