The CBC is freaking out with the arrival of Fox. So much so that they're frantically working on a documentary about the Fox News Canadian invasion, in which they will tell Canadians what to think. Given that Fox News is now in direct competition with the CBC for whatever remnants of an audience the CBC has left, this has about as much credibility as Ford doing a documentary about General Motors, telling you that GM cars suck.
True to form, CBC was busy getting their ducks in a row before interviewing Marsden for the "documentary".
The crack journalistic staff at the CBC is apparently fond of conducting its esteemed "research" on Internet chat boards. Just this week, I was forwarded an e-mail sent behind my back, by the CBC, to United Press International - for whom I write - asking them about some "research" that the CBC correspondent happened to come across on the prestigious Internet.After refuting the claim and having a good laugh about it, I tried my hand at "researching" the way a CBC reporter would: Just for kicks, I randomly typed the CBC journalist's name, John Kerry's name, and the word "naked" into a Google search and came up with some rather interesting hits on chat boards. Maybe I should e-mail his employer to enquire about my "research," too?
Sounds about right.
I think this is more a question of mind control than of competition for viewership.
I don't think anyone who watches the CBC and is comforted by their own biases being reflected back at them are going to pick up and run over to Fox News.
And as for the other 97% who don't watch the CBC, I may be wrong but I don't sense a great desire for insightful or alternate commentary.
Admittedly this is anecdotal, but I take the GO train (commuter train in the Toronto area) each day. I think its ridership represents a fairly good cross-section of suburban Canada, my Toronto-centric observations notwithstanding. Most of the riders read a newspaper during the trip. And is it The National Post? The Globe? The Star?
Nope, by far and away the most highly read newspaper on the train is one of those junky free newspapers, the ones with a lot of filler but no real content. The Post/Globe/TorStar reader is a rare bird, and I attribute this to the fact that we are largely a society that prefers the pleasure of consuming entertainment and fluff over the consumption of anything that may require some thought.
So I don�t think there�s a huge potential audience for any serious MSM outlet. Nor for the CBC (grin).
The issue for the CBC, I think, is that they play a part in setting the agenda for the country. How else could otherwise intelligent people be heard saying that we are a nation of peacekeepers, that the Charter protects the rights of gays to get married, that a health care system with any amount of private delivery is an American and therefore inherently evil concept?
No, I think this is an attempt to corner the marketplace of ideas and close it off to any competing ideologies. For too long the chattering classes have had control via the CBC, the Globe, The Star, etc. My sincerest hope is that Fox News, along with the blogosphere, float alternative ideas that, if nothing else, exposes Canadians to alternate ideas that at a bare minimum they are forced to consider.
Otherwise it�s 5 more years of Rick Mercer, and I don�t think I can take that.
Matt:
While you may be right, may I suggest other reasons.
A. Newspapers are a pain to read in tight commuter trains.
B. "Serious" newspapers, cough, are ALSO full of annoying filler masquerading as news and opinion.
C. Off to an exciting day of work (tm), many commuters aren't excited by the thought of reading more depressing news, and would rather nap/read a novel/ day dream in peace.
D. They saw the headlines on the TV news while waiting for the weather and it wasn't intersting enough to bother.
E. They can surf the news service at work.
There are other reasons.
A tired train commuter.
It was surprising to see the byline, Rachel Marsden
Kate are you aware of Ms. Marsden's colourful reputation in the land beyond Hope?
She's made an interesting conversion to conservatism considering that she has been a beneficiary of Simon Fraser University's "victim's court".
A Google of her name, makes for interesting reading.
What ever she may be, she certainly isn't one that likes to be ignored.
http://oldfraser.lexi.net/publications/pps/25/section_08.html
Even after Marsden was found to have to lied, and nearly destroyed a man's career, SFU
paid her $12,000 and gave her three credits she didn't earn so she could get her degree.
http://vancouver.cbc.ca/regional/servlet/View?filename=bc_marsden20021121
... now faces a charge of criminal harassment.
Rachel Marsden was arrested by Vancouver Police after a 52 year old Vancouver man complained of being harassed by phone and e-mail
She could also use some help with the photography at her web lounge. But be careful, I wouldn't be surprised to see her switch "teams" if it got her more attention.
http://www.rachelmarsden.com/
Posted by Cal at January 19, 2005 03:47 PM
Damn you, Cal; you beat me to it! You did a great job of linking though. I wouldn't have gone to that much trouble...