Fairness, Transparency, and the Media Policy Medicine Hat Still Doesn't Have
This photo is intentionally dark and unclear - Council Swearing In Ceremony - Nov 3 2025 - Owl News
On Tuesday August 4, the Owl attended the very first Open Budget Committee meeting in person (they have already met three times behind closed doors). It is a long-standing custom that when the media attends public meetings in person, they get a chance to ask questions after.
The Chair told the Owl that the committee had to go into a closed session right away and that they would talk to the Owl after the August 17 council meeting, 13 days away.
We were not asking for a 30 minute interview. Not even 10 minutes. We were asking for a few minutes.
That is where we are in Medicine Hat because Medicine Hat has no formal media policy..
Media access is not just restricted.
It is being delayed, reduced, and in some cases, denied altogether.
What is a Media Policy?
A media policy is a set of written rules that explains how a city government works with reporters and news outlets. It covers things like:
Who speaks for the city
How reporters can ask questions
What happens after council meetings
How the public can get information
How council members engage with the public and media
Recently, the Owl asked the city for a copy of their media policy, a policy on media scrums, and a policy on how council members engage with the public and media. The city's response was clear.
"We do not have a media policy, but are currently working on one. It is planned to come forward to council this year."
What Happens Without a Policy?
Right now in Medicine Hat, there are no rules, access can change at any time.
There are no rules for how council members should engage with the public online or in person.
There are no rules for media scrums.
There is nothing.
On January 5, 2026, for the closed portion of the Regular City Council Meeting, the agenda listed "Copyright Policy and Media Access" and "Media Scrum Discussion." Council discussed media access and media scrums in private, not in public.
At that same meeting, Mayor Clark announced that council would begin post-meeting "media scrums" and would allot 20 minutes for them. A scrum is an informal question and answer session that happens after a meeting or event. Reporters gather around officials and ask questions about what just happened.
But now, the city has cut that time in half to just 10 minutes. They also want reporters to only ask questions about what was on the agenda. The city does not get to control what questions are asked. Council and administration have the right to say "I'm not going to answer that," or "I will look into it and get back to you." They do not have the right to tell us we cannot ask the question.
That is not how a free society works.
The CHAT TV Gap
For 68 years, CHAT TV served Medicine Hat. Mayor Clark called the closure "heartbreaking" and said that local journalism is "democracy's most immediate watchdog." She also said that local newsrooms provide "granular scrutiny" that keeps public spending and policy decisions in the open.
When CHAT TV shut down, the station no longer did those post-council interviews that people looked forward to. Last year, the Owl offered to step up and take over that role. We were told no by an elected official; they said they were working on a media policy that would make it fair for everyone.
CHAT TV has been off the air for over a year and now a former news anchor sits on council.
There has been no replacement for those post-council interviews. The only information the public is getting from the city is what the city decides to put out.
Why Media Should Be Consulted
The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms recognizes that the media play an important role in democracy.
When governments make rules about how they deal with the press, it only makes sense to ask the press what they need to do their jobs.
The city does jurisdictional scans for almost everything. They consult stakeholders on a regular basis, yet they propose to build a media policy without consulting the stakeholders who would be most affected: the media.
Yes, they told the Owl to forward suggestions to administration but that is not sufficient. I do not know what other outlets require or would like to see included. A policy that only reflects the input of one outlet is not a policy that serves all outlets.
What the Public Needs to Know
When there is no media policy, it is harder for reporters to get information. When reporters cannot get information, the public loses. You do not get to know what your council is doing, or why they are making the decisions they make.
When Chair Cheryl Phaff told the Owl that the Budget Committee needed to go into closed right away and suggested we could ask questions at the next council meeting, that is an issue. It displays a lack of trsnsprecnsy and willingness to engage.
This is coming from a person who said during the election campaign that she thought it was important for the residents to see how their government works, saying she was committed to restoring order, transparency and integrity to win back the trust of the citizens.
There should also be clear rules for when council members are out in public representing the city. If they are at a public event, wearing a name tag, shaking hands, and representing the city, they should expect to answer questions.
If they do not want to talk, they have options.
They can say "I will look into that and get back to you."
They can say "I am not prepared to answer that right now."
They can say "Please reach out to my office."
They are not required to answer every question on the spot but they should not hide behind the event host to avoid engaging at all like when Councillor Reynish refused to answer a question, telling the Owl
We are here for Danielle and Justin today.
When there are no clear rules, reporters are left with no choice but to approach council members at public events. That leads to what some call ambush interviews. That is not what anyone wants. A clear policy with regular opportunities for questions would eliminate the need for these encounters.
Delay, deny and deflect is not a good look for a council that promised accountability and trasnsparency.
No Need to Reinvent The Wheel
Red Deer has a policy that gives clear rules.
It defines who is media.
It requires timely responses.
It ensures only authorized people speak for the city.
It is only 2 pages long.
There is nothing in their policy about council members but often policies are only created when there is a perceived problem. It is possible that Red Deers council is more open and accountable.
A good media policy should:
Define who is media
Set clear rules for access
Protect the public's right to know
Make sure all media are treated the same
Make it clear who is authorized to speak for the city
Stop individual staff members from offering irrelevant personal opinions
Set clear expectations for how council members engage with media at public events
The city says they want to be fair to everyone. A written policy is the only way to make that happen.
When there are no written rules, people can change the rules whenever they want. They can give special treatment to some and ignore others. That is not fair. That is not transparent. And it does not serve the public.
A Simple Request
The Owl does not want special treatment. The Owl wants clear rules that apply to everyone.
That is what a media policy does. It takes the guesswork out of the process and makes sure everyone knows how things work. It is time for Medicine Hat to stop talking about a media policy and actually write one.
And the media should have a say in what that policy looks like.
