PMO keeps reporters at bay with new rules (Warning – Canadian Press item contains scenes of extreme whining that may offend some readers.)
Another useless tool of the CBC responds to remind Canadians just who runs this damned country, and offers up a threat;
Harper�s treatment of the media is that of an ingrate. The media made Harper. The media also first made Trudeau and Mulroney. Later, the media made both Trudeau and Mulroney and their parties suffer at the polls.
A similar fate awaits Harper if he doesn�t change his basic suspicion and hatred of reporters and news commentators.
And thus, in the space of two short paragraphs, we have public acknowledgement of the ethical bankruptcy of his profession, as well as justification for Harper’s suspicion and efforts to restore the Canadian media to an appropriate level of influence.
Nicely done, Mr. Zolf.
via Jack’s Newswatch
update – I’ll give CTV News credit where it is due here, as they actually mention SDA by URL, unlike so many items in which debate on “the blogs” is mentioned without specifying where it can be found. (Or maybe it’s just a sneaky way to send CTV readers to commentary calling Larry Zolf a useless tool…)
Good for Mr. Harper!
The media folks surrounding the politician and yelling inane questions are a hindrance. Let ’em wait until the governming party is ready to hold a news conference and then let the media behave like normal people, instead of a privilaged group. I figure most of the media believe they’re just like the Liberals: “entitled to my entitlements.”
I think the media folks are just getting exactly what they deserve.
Mike (it’s warm and pleasant) in White Rock
I think you underestimate Canadians if you think the MSM has that much power AND they are all the same.
In the end, if Harper is a good news Prime Minister then that is what will be reported.
Right now the media is a little frustrated because Harper is trying to tightly control his caucus. As I have said before, this will not cause any long term damage UNLESS he runs a tight ship like Bush has done in the US. In the end this strategy ends up with angry media and frustrated government employees who see “the real story” is not getting out, so they leak.
Let us hope that soon, perhaps after the Speech from the Throne, Harper loosens up and provides the relaxed kind of open government he promised the people.
I for one am really glad to see Harper and the Press in a shooting war, rather than a cold one.
It brings it out into the open and any criticism of the PM has to pass through the ‘Media Out To Get Harper’ filter.
Hm… Harper’s stock just keeps going up in my portfolio. I may be motivated to vote next time around if he keeps this up.
The world would be a better place if more people told the media to fuck off.
Zolf – so that’s what the ramblings of a dinosaur sound like.
Pamela wants to meet Harper Has video for him +
voy.com
as Groucho said, feed her & send her in. +
I’ve said many times before that the “Ego” driven media tries to CREATE news rather than just REPORT it! They did this to themselves and now they have to suck back some of their arrogance! Ah, too bad, poor babies! “IF” any of those idiots in the MSM EVER have/get a clue, then maybe we might take some stock in what they’re saying. Until then they should just report on what is being said and what is happening rather than put their own personal little twist and opinion into matters. I think that the government should announce to the media any topics of concern to Canadians when they come up but unlike paul martin and idiot chretien before him, shouldn’t trample people to get to a TV camera crew they’ve spotted, just for a “say nothing” photo opp.!
The government is here to GOVERN and not to have their strings pulled by a stupid MSM that seem to have it in their pointy little heads that it is THEY that call the shots in this country!!
Good for Stephen Harper and his treatment of the MSM. They seem like a bunch of losers anyway.
Watch for the smoke pouring out of Peter Mansbridge’s ears tonight, Kneel MacDonald’s Reality Check and Eric Sorenson’s breaking news over all this, should be good for a laugh.
Or what, Zolf? You and the media will suddenly begin to paint Harper in a negative light?
Good for Harper!
“A similar fate awaits Harper if he doesn�t change his basic suspicion and hatred of reporters and news commentators.”
That sounds like a threat!!
So the CBC fancy themselves as kinmakers and kingbreakers do they? Methinks letters to the ombudsman are in order.
Vijay is calling Harper’s bluff, see. +
Media should Boycott PMO
March 28th, 2006
I fail to understand why is media is butting their head with the PMO. Harper needs the media as much as media needs news. If they boycott the PMO, the suckers at Hill will come down on their knees pleading with the media come back! The pen doesn�t look mightier than the sword, atleast in this case. +
http://www.vijaysappani.com/myblog/
KinGmakers that is
Maz2,
First Bardot, then Pam Anderson. Tell Mr. Harper to hold out for Scarlett Johannsen.
I have a question for those of you who worship at the altar of Canadian supremacy over the American system of government:
How do you explain the disparity between the way the media deals with the American POTUS and the Canadian PM?
Is it about respect or lack thereof for the office(s)?
And to those who think PMSH is trying to create a little US out of Canada, here’s your cue to go apeshit.
Good for Harper! If he continues to freeze out the MSM, just watch them slowly come into line when they start missing out on the “big story”. Trudeau, to his credit, was extremely contemptuous of the media, and they kissed his royal ass for years. The MSM ‘s fear of PET was breathtaking to watch, I can remember so many “hard bitten” newsmen groveling before Trudeau in person, while boldly castigating his every move when he was at a distance.
Harper needs to cultivate a few friends in the MSM, and the rest will end up asskissing just as they did to PET 25 years ago.
Harper receives as much respect from the MSM as a woman showing ankle in downtown Mecca gets from the religious police.
The only ingrate I see is a reporter paid by our tax dollars who thinks his opinion counts. This “reporter” has obviously not had to work for any stories for at least 13 years, and has completely forgotten what his role is. A review of the CBC and it’s funding could give him a whole new perspective on Canada and what working for a living really is.
Larry Zolf has done the country a favour by stating plainly that the media, and not the voters, act as the gatekeepers of power in this country. In effect, Zolf is acknowledging that the MSM propped up the Liberals, and that when Canadians could no longer stomach LPC behaviour the media gave Harper and the Conservatives a reprieve to let them in.
He says it was the media the both made, and broke, Trudeau and Mulroney, and that “a similar fate awaits Harper if he doesn’t change” his attitudes towards the media.
Harper’s attitude toward the media is not only in line with Canadians’ disdain for the MSM, it is based on awareness of the very sort of arrogant extortions Mr. Zolf is uttering on behalf of his media cohorts. What a contemptible brunch of a–holes.
“The media made Harper.” Not exactly correct- they certainly ‘made’ Cruton & Martini. Stephen Harper got where he is, in spite of them! (Had it not been for this same ‘media’, Stephen Harper would be in a better position than he is right now.)
Not For Your Eyes. This is an opportunity for bloggers. Get going.
This is ex-PM Paul Who’s? (Martin) dirty underwear. Get him.
“Media lawyer Heather Maconachie says…
paint a better picture.” +
Warrants in B.C. legislature raid to be opened after editing: judge
Canadian Press
Published: Tuesday, March 28, 2006
VANCOUVER (CP) – A B.C. Supreme Court judge has ruled the media will be allowed to look through search warrant information used in the 2003 raid on the B.C. legislature.
But heavy editing ordered by Justice Elizabeth Bennett will stall that process for a few days. She ordered the release of information contained in four warrants that led to charges against two former ministerial aides and a third government employee, saying there is a “presumption of openness” in the courts.
But Bennett says personal information needs to be edited out, along with statements from three people who may be called as witnesses.
Media lawyer Heather Maconachie says it could take a few days to get the information but believes it will be worthwhile to “paint a better picture.” +
http://www.paulding.net/bin/url.cgi/13235.23
national post
To paraphrase from Mark Twain, “Suppose I were a CBC “journalist”, and suppose I were an ass…but I repeat myself!”
“The media made Harper”
Best laugh I’ve had in months.
The one thing we can thank the MSM for is creating the need for blogs. If the media wasn’t so intent on tainting the news with their views, blogs wouldn’t be nearly as popular. Long live the blogosphere.
The Larry Zolf piece simply underlines the fact that mainstream media has played a huge part in shaping Canadian politics in the past.
Only with an enabling press could massive government malfeasance and corruption exist as is did for the last decade.
Not a pretty picture or proud record of journalistic integrity, is it Larry?
My hope is that Harper will govern with the good of the country in mind rather than curry favour with a biased press.
Love it! Harper & Co. put the arrogant MSM ignoramii in their place!
And what can the lefty, Grit-loving MSM do about it that they aren’t already doing or were planning to do anyway, to hurt the Conservative government?
This forces the MSM to play by Harper & Co. rules and helps Harper & Co. control the public initiative and agenda.
Way to go, Harper & Conservatives! DON’T back down! The lefty MSM is always going to hate you and the Conservatives anyway. But this way, they’ll be forced to respect you and deal with you and the Conservative government on YOUR terms!
Kate, you have to at least laugh about this statement though. I mean, it is funny that on one hand he is shuttering the media but on the other hand is having his new (they’re always new, aren’t they?) director of communications make this comment:
“I think this prime minister has been more accessible, gives greater media scrums and provides deeper content than any prime minister has in the last 10 to 12 years,” she responded.
Why is there so much bullshit?
�Of course it is impossible to be sure that there is relatively more of it nowadays than at other times. There is more communication of all kinds in our time than ever before, but the proportion that is bullshit may not have increased. Without assuming that the incidence of bullshit is actually greater now, I will mention a few considerations that help to account for the fact that it is currently so great.
Bullshit is unavoidable whenever circumstances require someone to talk without knowing what he is talking about. Thus the production of bullshit is stimulated whenever a person�s obligations or opportunities to speak about some topic exceed his knowledge of the facts that are relevant to that topic. This discrepancy is common in public life, where people are frequently impelled � whether by their own propensities or by the demands of others � to speak extensively about matters of which they are to some degree ignorant. Closely related instances arise from the widespread conviction that it is the responsibility of a citizen in a democracy to have opinions about everything, or at least everything that pertains to conduct of his country�s affairs. The lack of any significant connection between a person�s opinions and his apprehension of reality will be even more severe, needless to say, for someone who believes it his responsibility, as a conscientious moral agent, to evaluate events and conditions in all parts of the world.
The contemporary proliferation of bullshit also has deeper sources, in various forms of scepticism which deny that we can have any reliable access to an objective reality, and which therefore reject the possibility of knowing how things truly are. These �antirealist� doctrines undermine confidence in the value of disinterested efforts to determine what is true and what is false, and even in the intelligibility of the notion of objective inquiry. One response to this loss of confidence has been a retreat from the discipline required by dedication to the ideal of correctness to a quite different sort of discipline, which is imposed by pursuit of an alternative ideal of sincerity. Rather than seeking primarily to arrive at accurate representations of a common world, the individual turns toward trying to provide honest representations of himself. Convinced that reality has no inherent nature, which he might hope to identify as the truth about things, he devotes himself to being true to his own nature. It is as though he decides that since it makes no sense to try to be true to the facts, he must therefore try instead to be true to himself.
But it is preposterous to imagine that we ourselves are determinate, and hence susceptible both to correct and to incorrect descriptions, while supposing that the ascription of determinacy to anything else has been exposed as a mistake. As conscious beings, we exist only in response to other things, and we cannot know ourselves at all without knowing them. Moreover, there is nothing in theory, and certainly nothing in experience, to support the extraordinary judgement that it is the truth about himself that is the easiest for a person to know. Facts about ourselves are not peculiarly solid and resistant to sceptical dissolution. Our natures are, indeed, elusively insubstantial � notoriously less stable and less inherent than the natures of other things. And insofar as this is the case, sincerity itself is bullshit.�
On Bullshit, Harry S. Frankfurt p.63-67
Princeton University Press, 2005
It would be my studied observation, that PM Stephen Harper is disinterested in spouting bullshit purely for the benefit of media columnists; unlike the most recently departed occupier of the Prime Ministers chair.
If there is less bullshit in public life this is not an altogether bad thing. Then perhaps we would begin by noticing that there is an objective reality that we can all attend to.
Ex-PM Paul Martin tried to elevate the construct of sincerity to a political art form. In short, he was a consummate “bullshit artist”.
Our new PM Stephen Harper, it would appear, is more interested in being correct in his assessment of the nations needs, based on the facts the bureaucracy is providing him.
If he is taking his time to evaluate his priorities and positions; then perhaps this is a good and welcome change. Quiet reflection with the facts at hand is hardly a point of criticism; but that which one would hope for in a leader.
In short, this would appear to be a reduction in governmental bullshit.
Larry Zolf? Hey! I vaguely remember him from the misty past. He made me barf 30 years ago and he did the same this day. Actually, I’m happy CBC dragged out that old relic. It shows them for what they are – an anachronism trying to resurrect the past through an aging witless dolt who should have gone back to the North End of Winnipeg years ago.
It’s ironic that someone from the CBC is the one to level a threat that the MSM will scuttle Harper, when in actuality it is Harper himself who has his finger on the CBC funding button…
KABOOOM!! We can only hope.
Duffy had a panel of press pundits on last night’s show discussing this issue and I found it interesting that while Jane Taber was whining about these new “rules”(of course), the French language journalist came out in support of PMSH saying that he gets much better, deeper information on lots of issues now from the many media scrums (that apparently last almost as long as a press conference), he said that he walks away with 3-4 stories to write about each time and didn’t have any problems with the changes!
The rest of the whiners can go stick it “where the sun don’t shine”!
Way to go Mr. Harper!!
Just heard Charles Adler tell his listeners that the danger in not speaking with the media is that they might then write stories based on gossip and inuendo. Didn’t expect him to admit it.
The media is in need of an attitude adjustment, ESPECIALLY the one agency that wastes my tax dollars and presumes to speak for me and decides my needs and wants. The rest of them are largely monopolized by one owner and need to realize they can not take us for granted and feed us crap. The Prime Minister’s office through their director of communications, Sandra Buckler does speak for me when she says “I don’t think the average Canadian cares as long as they know their government is being well run.”
With the current M.S.M. whiners, no news may be better than their news. If they could deliver all the facts and independently of each other (sound familiar Can-West?), I would be a regular subscriber/supporter of many journals. Until they learn to drop their Liberal bias, (or should I say anti-Conservative bias?) I’ll be getting my news elsewhere.
Gee – Mr. Harper probably believes in such quaint ideas as Cabinet solidarity (Cabinet documents are SECRET, by the way), ministerial responsibility, and in Parliament being the proper forum for discussing the business of the Government and the nation.
It’s a pity we don’t have civics courses in this country – the knowledge of matters of constitution and of accepted good practice are deep dark mysteries to the MSM.
Good work PM Harper! I am lov’n this, watching all the “old boys club” whine. Bet you they were all hoping for a nice post, maybe a senate seat???
Mr. Harper is playing his cards very close to his chest. Love, good strategy! Keeping them begging for stories.
If the media do boycott the government who wins?
Time to start sending out the resumes
“Small rural Sakatchewan newspaper looking for political journalist also able to cover bake sales and old timers hockey”
Is this the same larry zolf from the old cbc Quest days and this hour has 7 days. I thought it was his son or grandson and he had passed the poor gene pool downward. The good news is that the next election campaign, the conservatives can rerun this stmt, and tell the voters that the media cannot be believed. CTV has a one on one interview with Pres Bush tonight. First time for an interview with a cdn station. CBC must be furious. As for mature, I think it means none of Harpers people will do a parrish.
My e-mail to the CBC re Zolf’s ludicrous article. What idiots:
Larry Zolf’s article, in a nutshell, is what’s wrong with Canada today–and what’s wrong with our media.
The media “made” Stephen Harper? That would be news to him and the electorate who voted for him. The media, aside from throwing Harper a few kudos because, after all, he ran a much better campaign than the Liberals, NDP, and the BQ–a very competent campaign, period–have acted like the official opposition, and unelected at that.
Larry Zolf is wearing blinkers if he can’t see how self-interested he and all of the other MSM pundits are. Stephen Harper owes the MSM exactly nothing–and many of us who have watched with amazement and not a little consternation as the CBC, the Toronto Star, the Parliamentary Press Gallery, etc., have acted like they run the country, are quite delighted to see him setting his own agenda.
Any politician who grovels to the media–e.g., Paul Martin–lowers and demeans himself, not to mention demeaning the whole democratic process. Voters elected the CPC and Stephen Harper to lead Canada, not the CBC or any of the MSM.
So, MSM guys: Butt out and, please, start to put things in perspective. Stephen Harper is Canada’s leader not you. And a lot of us like it this way. You get no sympathy from us.
is it time to boycott the cbc ?
Karl, Forget the CBC ombudsman. I’ve been hoping he’ll get back in touch with me for two months, concerning the “Heil Harper” debacle and Julie Van Dusen’s use of “tush” to describe what David Emerson should have got over to a media scrum a few weeks ago.
I got the usual wordy and condescending drivel from Tony Burman about both issues, and when I wrote back that I was totally unsatisfied with his lame excuses and faulty reasoning, the ombudsman actually e-mailed me to ask if he could call me to talk about these situations.
I said “sure, suits me OK,” and that would be about five weeks ago. He hasn’t called, and the excuses he has made are that he was selling his house, then he was moving to his new house, and then he was out of the country.
I wonder what ombudsman I can take the CBC ombudsman to?
On the other hand, maybe flood the guy with complaints and drive him crazy…
I for one am sick & tired of the media in this country telling our PM’s what to do. Media has gone to far from the day’s of reporting the facts. too many times we see stories that have been embellished beyond the point, that when they are caught in there error’s we see very little in the line of retraction story. As for Zoft’s comments on our PM & his far right aditude’s, this PM is the furthest from far right. Just another way to kick the lefties in to shit disturb mode. Right ON Prime Minister put them in line.
Lets see the last time that Harper let the media in for a photo op, all they could talk about was his weight. But no the media is not adversarial at all. jeesh, what do they expect? Things would be different if the media ever demonstrated itself to be responsible, and impartial, but they haven’t.
Sorry that the new boss won’t spoon feed you stories, get over it!
Haven’t read all the comments, but I would suggest that if the MSM is planning to “take out” the Tory gov’t, well, they seem to have forgotten about the new media on the block which will not tolerate –and has not– any MSM dishonesty and unfair attack reporting.
To the MSM: the people are watching you. And they have a powerful new tool for the publication of their views… on the MSM, among other things.
Go ahead, MSM, make my day.
BTW, also to the MSM: stop the whiny, petty complaining about Mr. Harper. You nearly always let Jean Chretien off the hook no matter what wrongs he committed. You people should be ashamed of yourselves for your unfettered bias. Professionals, my ass. You people have been pissing me off for so many years there’s no way I can remain silent now that I have found my voice.
“is it time to boycott the cbc ?”
Nope… it’s time to ABOLISH the CBC. An anachronistic dinosaur from a disgraced socialist era. Just like the Liberal Party, which cannot ever change its spots.
is it time to boycott the cbc?
With 7% maximum viewership,I thought there has been a boycott on for years.
Can them all and shut it down!
I haven’t been terribly impressed by some of Harper’s actions, but I really appreciate his gravitas. He actually behaves like a Prime Minister. Why should he try to pacify or even acknowledge the yapping coyotes who want to shout semi-insulting questions at him in the din of a “scrum”. How can a leader be respected by the public if he follows the Martin lead and allows these goofs to make him look like an ass on TV? Hope that he sticks to his guns and speaks to the pack only at formal press conferences on significant matters.
Communist Broadcasting Conspiracy.
Time to hoist these GOB’s (good ol’ boys) out, the feeding trough has run dry.
But at the same time, it was refreshing to watch HNIC, albeit I don’t watch those overpaid babies anymore, so what’s left? Country Canada? Ok.
“Just heard Charles Adler tell his listeners that the danger in not speaking with the media is that they might then write stories based on gossip and inuendo.”
In other words they write the same stories, regardless of whether you speak to them. Seems then that Harper is taking the logical position — since they won’t listen to you anyway, why not save yourself the trouble?
“the media is the message” ?? Marshall McLuhan 1964
now its “the media isn’t getting the message”
Zolf and his CBCpravda cohorts dont run the asylum.
I think that someone had better save Zolf’s little gem somewhere, I have a feeling that it might just disappear soon! Someone should also send a link of this to the PMO’s office, just in case it gets overlooked while they are busy running the country. Might give them a laugh to know that the CBC is planning to take them down!