The ‘Media Party’

Analyzing Media Criticism in the Canadian Far-Right

Abstract

Far-right media networks regularly engage in media criticism to undermine the legitimacy of mainstream news. These media critiques work to challenge the authority and power of mainstream news while establishing far-right media as journalistically superior. While constructive media criticism is necessary within any society, far-right news tends to frame mainstream media as an elitist and exclusionary institution that purposefully spreads misinformation to its users. In Canada, numerous far-right media sites have emerged over the past decade but have been relatively under-examined within the literature. In this context, my paper analyzes the types of critiques Canadian far-right media use to question the legitimacy of mainstream Canadian news. The study uses qualitative analysis to examine 65 articles published by two Canadian far-right media outlets, Rebel News and True North. Guided by previous literature surrounding far-right media critiques, I identify four commonly used critiques that the Canadian far-right media employ; the Media Party position, the Disinformation position, the Citizen/Taxpayer position, and the Expert position. Through my analysis, I argue that Canadian far-right media employs these specific strategies of criticism to present their discourse as authoritative over legacy media in Canada.