Examining the media’s examination of the seal hunt

By Matt Law [Health Bureau Chief]

The Canadian media has reported fairly on both sides of the arctic seal hunt.

The seal hunt has been an increasingly hot topic in Canadian federal politics. It has garnered even more debate from politicians and media since the European Union proposed a bill which would ban seal products.

According to an article on the CBC News website the bill was passed by the European parliament on Mar. 9. Canada has responded by threatening to fight the ban in the WTO.

The debate has been ongoing for many years. On one side are many environmentalists and animal rights activists. On the other are the Inuit people and many Atlantic fishermen who support their families on the income the seal hunt provides.

Many supporters of the seal hunt have claimed that the media has been very biased on the issue, favouring the anti sealing movement.

The personalities on either side of the debate are often very animated, colourful and often have a high profile. The media is drawn to these types of people as they are more interesting to the general public. These type of people seem more prominent on the anti sealing side.

Pamela Anderson, who is also a PETA activist, has recently sent a letter to the Prime minister asking him to end the hunting of seals. This story was covered by many media organizations because of Anderson’s celebrity profile.

The activist groups also seem to be willing to go to greater lengths to gain public and media attention; holding protests, stripping nude and throwing pies at government officials.

This type of action is fodder for the media. They thrive on it.

So, there may be some truth to the sealers’ argument that the media seems biased, but I don’t think it is intentional.

Last July the CBC published an article outlining some hard facts on the regulations and process of hunting seals. If anything, this article seemed to swing in the other direction, in favour of the sealing groups.

I even found that the article attacked many of the anti sealing arguments and facts. One sided? I don’t think so.

I think the media in Canada has done a fair job of handling both sides of the story, in particular the CBC. While they have reported on many examples of people against the arctic seal hunt, they have also given a lot of press to the counterargument.

In my opinion, their coverage has been more than fair to the people who are fighting for the seal hunt. Their stories often feature real people who are struggling to support their families and their livelihoods. These are the type of stories which relate to all Canadians and can sway public opinion.

At the same time the CBC’s coverage has shown many images of seals being clubbed to death on ice flows and blood stained snow, which pulls at many people’s emotions.

I think the CBC has done a very good job on remaining an unbiased news organization over a topic which is very controversial.