Back to blogging

I have been egregiously absent from this blog over the past week or so -- a combination of being out of the country on a mini-vacation; rallying some resources/ideas for summer projects and, yes, a bit of preoccupation with some comings and goings in our little media world on Parliament Hill. 

Like everyone, I'm following with interest the emerging new Sun TV channel and what it will mean for politics and journalism here. For now, it seems like some people and I admire, like and respect have received new jobs and some people I admire, like and respect have lost their jobs. In other words, it's complicated. I'm hoping that this new journalistic voice remembers that the world often works this way. And that saying outrageous things doesn't make you interesting/less boring/in touch with dinner-table conversation. It just makes you, well, outrageous. 

Susan Riley says it far better than me today in the Citizen. Definitely worth a read today, as is Dan Gardner. 

Comments

[David Gagnon]

Unfortunately, during a recent television appearance, Don Newman did not receive the respect from Mr Teneycke which he always demanded for his guests and *particularly* for his viewers.

Mr Newman's insistence that only one person could speak at a time on "Politics" went a long way to maintaining the civility which is desperately needed in our public discourse.

Did this make Mr Newman's broadcast boring? No, because of the knowledge and experience of the guests he usually presented.

[Mark Malley]

Speaking of outrageous, the Conservative web site has Mike Duffy telling me that the Harper government is "one of the longest and most productive in Canadian history"? ( see it here: http://movingforward.conservative.ca/vb/129/gacq3/22 ) Man oh man! Are they trying for a majority a half truth at a time?

(I realize that is not strictly relevant to the topic at hand but I say it out loud.)

[Wascally Wabbit]

I watched the "debate" in question between Mr. Teneycke and Don Newman - with Evan Solomon his usual inadequate refereeing self (he tends to try to talk over all his guests).
He merrily parsed the truth - the CBC is a billion dollar boondoggle paid by taxes to compete with private broadcasters (actually - a two network / two language - numerous local station TV and Radio public communications complex - providing services in areas where private sector scorns because there is no profit to be made) - while insulting all and sundry.
I never did have much respect for him - either when he worked for Mr. Harper - or as guest (or tame neocon) on Power and Politics but he certainly went out grovelling in the mud!