Is it just me, or is anyone else finding the cacophony arising from the left-o-sphere regarding the new proposed news network a source of amusement? I know Springer thinks so, and Chucker.
Far be it from me to point out the obvious to our lefty betters, but one would think they would wait until the actual press conference tomorrow before granting us their invaluable opinion. Their reasons to belittle the new channel are manifest…the dumbing down of Canadians, the demise of impartial media, forced funding of ideological media, nothing but red meat to the neanderthal conservatives, blah, blah, blah. One idiot senior liberal blogger actually bragged about watching a whole ten minutes of Fox which justified his having an opinion. And they call us dumb?
For decades the right has been throwing the same things at the CBC, but now it’s different.
Now bias is a problem.
Now being forced to pay for something is wrong.
Now it’ll prevent Canadians from using their heads.
I can guarantee you one thing, if this network is as the media is describing, it will dominate the West and vast portions of Ontario.
Now we’ll finally have our choice. And you liberals can look forward to losing your monopoly.
Can’t wait. This could be the game changer.
I’m sure the folks at the CBC aren’t worried about losing their market share. They don’t have one.
CBC/Newsworld
CTV/NewsNet
BBC
CNN
HLN
CPAC
Al-Jazeera
yeah we “need another news channel”
bet we end up “yelling at the radio” per Kate.
Let’s not go all Obama on this new network before they even get a camera. I’m guessing the initial product is gonna be a little rough and will take time to develop.
On the other hand I am enjoying the collective hair lighting on the left.
Syncro
As an aside…you don’t supposed there is a correlation between the new channel and a certain mil blog shutting down unexpectedly last week?
Can’t arrive fast enough, IMO. And, it better bloody well be included in a basic cable package. I will pay extra for it, if need be. That’s not my point.
My point is, I do not pay extra for CNN, MSNBC, CNBC, and a myriad of other cable news channels I do not watch. This new CANADIAN channel should be included in one of the basic packages. We should not be forced to pay for it a la carte.
– puddin n pie — problem is, over half of the networks you cite are not news channels, they are opinion channels. And, none have a centre-right angle.
– syncro — good point, but if I know most fair minded conservatives, we’ll be excited for this coming new channel, but will justly criticize it should it not come up to snuff.
Link to column by Dan Leger from yesterday’s Reader Tips re the proposed CanFox Network:
http://thechronicleherald.ca/Opinion/1187263.html
“Conservative or otherwise, the message of Fox (or anyone who argues that simple solutions solve complicated problems) is demonstrably false. And that is the challenge to the new Canadian network. If it’s going to offer solutions, then at least offer solutions that recognize the difficulty and complexity of the problems. Canadians are ready for that, but not for another exercise in dumbing-down the argument between the hostile camps on the left and the right.”
The implication seems to be that the paternalistic leftists have the solutions to all of our complex problems while the right has simplistic platitudes.
However, the left’s alleged solution to any problem real or imagined consists of “throw more tax dollars at it”. Often after loudly making (usually bogus) claims of racism. Nothing could be more dumbed-down than these.
The workings of a capitalist economy are much more complex (due to millions of individual choices and interactions with others) than any hare-brained socialist scheme could ever handle.
If Big Government were a solution to societal problems, we would have solved them long ago.
Give people the choice to watch what they want to watch. I know for a fact the CBC does not reflect my opinions yet- as a state-sponsored organ- I have to put up with it. Whither the fairness?
Let’s hope it sports real news … but somehow I doubt it. I haven’t seen a Cdn journalist with balls since well … well it’s been a long friggin time let’s put it that way.
All the pantywaists will be getting their knickers in a knot, that the vaunted left will actually have some competition in the marketplace. Rather than the vanilla flavored banalities of thinly veiled agitprop which we have heretofore endured with great patience maybe will get some actual debate on substantive issues.
I understand Don Newmans toupe’ is already alight and the shrieking from the left-o-sphere has already begun…
With all that hair afire, I should invest in toupe’ and wig companies.
Cheers
Hans-Christian Georg Rupprecht, Commander in Chief
1st Saint Nicolaas Army
Army Group “True North”
Fox News north? I don’t think so. I’m betting it wont be much different than what we already have. A Canadian conservative is far to the left of an American democrat and our ‘news’ reflects that.
lance
I missed that, enlighten me.
Colin
The truth would be refreshing and snuff is bad for you 😉
Syncro
I agree with abtrapper ( acouple of posts up). This all sounds good but really I’ll believe it when I see it.
After all this is pussy-whipped, no balls Canuckistan. Our most right wing party is the “conservative party of Canaukistan. Our head of state (gov. gen.) is a left wing journalist who got picked for the job because she towed the lefty line and because she filled every politically corrct pigeon hole imaginable.
A right wing news network? Here? Please!
It will be about as right wing as Joe Clark.
If it turns out to be a truly conservative broadcaster they’ll be right of every single party in Canada. Lord willing, they might be able to garner enough viewership that Harper might finally be jostled free of his ‘dominate the center’ nonsense and FINALLY start proposing truly conservative policies. (i.e. actually begin to reduce gov’t rather than pretending that growing gov’t more slowly is somehow conservative — not that even this much can be credited to him.)
I don’t know if Canada has enough right leaning, literate hot blonds to make up an entire right wing new network.
Aside from Roy Green and Chucky Adler who will the guys be? Don’t tell me Mike Puffy is in the offing, he is just not photogenic enough and I alway feel that he may explode like Mr. Creosote in the John Cleese movie I think was called the Meaning of Life.
Regardless, I will pay extra if I need to and I will watch it if it’s any good. I do watch Fox as much as I have time for, but Hannity gets a bit too didactic and O’Reilly a bit too pompous. I love Beck and Greta. I agree with all of them, but like I say, sometimes they get a bit tedious.
A Canadian version might be refreshing.
I don’t care if they are right wing or not. I just want real questions asked and balance in the news. If CBC wants to have a cow so be it. It isn’t like they compete or anything.
Speedy
Rob Breakenridge from QR77 is a prime candidate for a slot based on his questioning skills alone.
Syncro
I’ll believe it when I see it. Remember Freedom of Speech is so Neanderthal, and can never be permitted in a properly run homosexual communist state, it would offend lickspittle, lily-livered, limpwrist, liberals.
I agree with john @ 11:26 “This all sounds good but really I’ll believe it when I see it”. The first clue will be if Joe Clark is the morning anchor.
They say if it’s too good to be true, it probably is. We have a few, very few, conservative radio hosts out in the Left Coast. They often express fear of being, well, too conservative. It seems the CRTC gets complaints if they stray off the Left/Liberal Always path too far.
In a post a few months ago here at SDA Edward Michael George theorized that it doesn’t even occur to the progressive tribe that they’re biased; they truly believe that their views are merely centrist, and fair, and non-partisan – in other words, quintessentially and eternally Canadian. I’ve been thinking about it ever since, and I really think EMG was on to something; I think the progressives’ lack of awareness of their own bias compels them to view anyone who’s even a hair to the right of them as having an obvious bias.
We know they’re biased, and we can fully see that they hammer on a hideously time-bound, progressive viewpoint that’s biased, but they don’t realize they’re biased – or, at least, they don’t realize the public, flapping-on-the-poles extent of it. Which might explain why it’s so amusing – and it IS amusing – to watch their reaction: they can’t see how ridiculous they look. It’s a bit like watching a world-class pompous ass who’s heading out the door on a date applying lipstick when he thinks he’s putting on chapstick: it makes you just want to pull up a chair and savour the moment.
But we’ll still have to pay for CBC.
a new channel would have its pick of talent.
the media has been following diversity goal
hiring for years. this means there must be a huge pool of talent left out side their People- of- colour-LGBTG guidelines.Just about the rest of Canada really.
True, Louise, but the new network could *cover* the CBC issue as an investigative news story, and break the journalistic omerta on the matter…and broadcast it…
Makes me weak in the knees and dim-lidded just thinking about it.
john at 11:26 PM, baby steps, John. Baby steps. After all, we’ve had roughly 50 years of Liberal appointees to the CBC board of directors. It will take time for all that leftie koolaid to be squeezed out of the sponge.
Its television and will therefore suck. QED. I can’t be bothered.
…Unless of course the CRTC and/or Parliament attempts to ban it. THEN I’ll take some interest. If they don’t try hard to ban or crush it, it won’t be conservative.
“Fox News north? I don’t think so. I’m betting it wont be much different than what we already have. A Canadian conservative is far to the left of an American democrat and our ‘news’ reflects that.”
Posted by: abtrapper
Being as I happen to be a Canadian conservative, and I also happen to know a lot of other Canadian conservatives, I take umbrage at the suggestion that I/we are left of US Democrats.
IF this channel is truly conservative it will put Canadian media in a tail spin. There is nothing close to conservative comment in Canadian media and those who have ruled the roost these long years will not go quietly nor without padded pockets. Oh, how I would love to see the backside of all the Craig Olivers , Don Newmans and all those whose panties are now in such knots they may never recover. I just cannot think who would host such a thing. We do not have any Rush Limbaugh’s up here, or Laura Ingrahams. We could use a few Megan Kellys… I vote for Kathy at Five Feet of Fury and our own Kate. Now THAT would be something worth watching… someone mentioned Ezra Levant…and maybe we could squeak out Mark Steyn, if he were a-mind. God love’m all.
I look forward to it. I seek out sources that challenge my opinions and views. Hence the reason I’m here. I admittedly find myself conceding a point or two from time to time as well. Why anyone would want to have their own opinions and beliefs regurgitated to them all day is beyond me.
Abe Froman at 11:38 PM: “I don’t know if Canada has enough right leaning, literate hot blonds to make up an entire right wing new network.”
====================
Not to worry. We’re not into political correctness.
Why would you want another crappy, extremely biased, fact distorting information source? The argument ‘well the left dominates the biased, crappy news, it’s time for the right to have more crappy biased news’ is not striving for something better, it’s settling for the mediocre.
Why not demand real information?
Louise, that sounds like your applying for the job. Go for it.
Control your depressive misanthropy, BTJ.
Here’s another pleasurable thought: Imagine seeing Ezra Levant on TV on a regular basis, in a situation where, instead of being one of two or three guests who are given twenty seconds to answer a question from some talking head, he’s in the driver’s seat *asking the questions.*
That’s a – serious – game-changer right there.
Dibs on the “Greatest Hits” video compilation from the first two years…
From above, EBD said:
CHQR in Calgary has been broadcasting about a 5 minute public service announcement several times in the last few days about a CRTC intervention regarding their license renewal coming up at end of August and asking for public comments.
They mentioned something about not meeting Canadian Content Development requirements.
I wondered what that could be all about since this station is a talk station covering pretty well only Canadian content during daytime hours. I thought it might have to do with the midnight hours coverage of the US based Coast to Coast talk show.
Well I looked at the details at the CRTC site, and yes, this would make quite a story if it could ever be told. But you can bet that it will never get over the airwaves because then whoever carries it will have to fight the next intervention.
Look at the details here:
Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC 2010-334
CHQR responses here (zip file with 4 pdf’s)
It is amazing how the CRTC thinks they can micro-manage the broadcasting business in Canada.
No thanks, Ken. I’ll be too busy trying to bury Mother Corpse once and for all. Don’t want to be in conflict of interest.
EBD: Excuse me? ‘Control’..you’re telling me to control myself? Quite the freedom loving conservative you are!
Misanthropy? You’re telling me that my demanding a BETTER source of information, a MORE INTELLIGENT, MORE ACCURATE source of information FOR PEOPLE misanthropy? Clearly you are confused…I suggest you rethink your ‘conservative’ ideals…you’ll find they aren’t aligned with true conservatism. Start with some Ayn Rand.
I would think that the CBC might have to adjust itself a wee bit in the name of self preservation. That would be fine with me, but I’d still rather see them weaned from the public teat. The sooner the better.
The Ceeb is the runt of the litter despite the billions expended.
Go figure.
Syncro
Sorry, BTJ (2:13), it’s just that you described a *proposed* network, whose application to the CRTC hasn’t yet been approved, and who hasn’t had even 0.0001 seconds of airtime yet, as being a “crappy, extremely biased, fact-distorting information source.” Then you complained, with a certain amount of resolution, about the nature of the network’s programming, saying that you want a “better source of information, a more intelligent, more accurate source of information” than this network.
I was…what I was trying to say was…
Never mind.
EBD: No worries. I want information, not political spin. A ‘conservative’ minded network..most likely to mirror FOX to some degree is political spin.
More truly conservative opinion would be great to see in debates/opinion, but when it comes to news…the actual telling of a story…a well balanced, accurate and unbiased approach would lead to a more constructive, better educated public debate/opinion…that’s where the politics cominebshould come in.
Sorry syncrodox
Rob Breakenridge has a nasty habit of going on his longwinded rants to frame the “interview ” before it starts. Gets very tiresome real quick.
If he cut it from 5 minutes to 10 second I’d give him a bit of slack.
“vast portions of Ontario.”
Thanks for that, Lance, there is more to Ontario than Trawna. And even in Trawna there is a lot of conservatism which is never heard above the general drone of lib/progressive opinion pouring from the usual media suspects.
BTJ says: “…when it comes to news…the actual telling of a story…a well balanced, accurate and unbiased approach would lead to a more constructive, better educated public debate/opinion…”
That would be a novel approach, wouldn’t it? Pity we have to generate a whole new TV network to get a crack at it eh?
Facts are the enemy of the Left. That’s why Lefties have such a cow every time somebody enters a fact into a conversation.
synchro — The Ceeb is the runt of the litter because of the billions expended, for there is an inverse proportional relationship between government support and free market capitalism.
The Ceeb would probably be competitive today had it been privatized 20 years ago. Faced with the loss of nearly $1 billion, it would have sloughed off the pieces that are not working at all, trimmed it’s bloat, pursued greater competition and been in a position to attract more advertising dollars.
Alas….
The MSM dinomedia are terrified of it, thus the pre-emptive attacks.
There is nothing I watch on CBC. Nothing.
Don’t we fund CBC for exactly the reasons noted? Yep we throw millions at CBC and in return we get liberal biased news 24/7, at least now we shall have a choice currently I won’t watch CTV or CBC and Canada AM makes my skin crawl.
A Canadian conservative is far to the left of an American democrat and our ‘news’ reflects that.
~abtrapper
Wrong.
Canadian Conservatives I know are against these Democrat core policies:
*Pardoning illegal immigrants
*universal health care without a private option
*anti-Americanism
*identity politics and the legislation they engender
*multiculturalism
*bilingualism
*tax funded abortion on demand
*cutting funding to the military
*support for Unions and Unionization of the work place
*radical environmentalism
Those are just off the top of my head.
A Canadian Conservative News Network would open debate on such topics and those are some of the discussions that have never been had in this country but need to be aired.
Oz – I 100% agree; those are great topics are are not discussed in Canada. OR, if they are discussed, it’s by a panel of the left, who demean and dismiss any criticisms of these policies.
I’d also add the left’s rejection of:
-the market economy and capitalism
– the vital role of small business
– freedom of speech (we have those HRCs up in Canada)
-their support for redistribution and equalization
– role of research and development (in Canada, we rely on other countries, eg the US, to do the research; then we copy their drugs and sell them cheaply).
It would be great to have open discussion of these topics that doesn’t, right from the start, reject them.
Oz and ET, you are both right and it does bear repeating.
If this new network becomes a reality, it will be a great new day in the effort to counter the constant propaganda and brainwashing from the left.
Also never discussed on TV:
– the corrosive effect of welfare on both individuals and society.
– efficiency and effectiveness (two distinct concepts here) of free markets vs. central planning.
– the true effect of TAX CUTS.
– the true effect of any policy that works by restricting some service or commodity, for example the true effect of gun control on society.
– riffing off ET’s mention of wealth redistribution, how about a to-the-penny accounting of where redistributed wealth actually ends up?
– how about just the actual policy and reach of our present government on any number of subjects?
Now, I can find ALL of the above, plus everything else you guys mentioned, on the web. I put some of it there myself, re gun control. IF a new network starts having discussions of this stuff, or better yet has discussions that one can actually view without falling asleep, that would be a huge public service.
I suspect it will also make some money, because it will be unique in the world. Nobody is doing it. Nobody.
What ever it’s form how could it possibly be any worse then CTV or CBC?
Bring it.