148 Replies to “Sun News Launch”

  1. KevinB: “Do you deny that CBC/CTV/Global (the “LSM”) have a small-l liberal bias? Are you incapable of understanding how this infuriates any person who’s even slightly right of centre?”
    I can certainly understand how not having one’s views reflected in MSM discourses would be infuriating. I would, however, argue the following:
    1) That SDA readers, by and large, are not “slightly right of centre” (note: I’m not saying you said or implied this);
    2) That most Canadians who are in fact “slightly right of centre” are actually not infuriated by the CBC/CTV/Global;
    3) That, because Canadians in general have historically favoured centrist political parties and consistently espouse social and economic values that are centrist and even slightly left-of-centre,
    it’s Canadian society that has a “small-l liberal bias”; and ergo
    4) That CBC/CTV/Global do in fact generally (but not always) reflect mainstream Canadian opinion; and
    5) That this is occasionally interpreted by some who are firmly “right-wing” as “left-wing bias,” since anything to their left (including centrist positions) is, relatively speaking, perceived as “left-wing.”
    “Anyone with a modicum of computer skill can look it up – health care spending rose every single year under the Harris government. How is that slashing?”
    The Harris government did in fact cut provincial health care spending in the early years of its first term. See CIHI’s “National Health Expenditure Trends 1975-2003” here.
    When you say that “health care spending rose every single year under the Harris government,” that’s only true of total health care spending, which includes both public (i.e., federal, provincial, and municipal gov’ts) and private (i.e., private/employer-sponsored insurance, out-of-pocket expenditures, etc.) sources (see Table B.1.1, p. 119).
    When you look specifically at what the provincial government spent (per capita, which accounts for population growth), you’ll see declines in 1994 and 1995 (Tables B.4.2, p. 132). And when you look specifically at provincial spending as a percentage of total spending, you’ll see dramatic decline throughout the Harris years. That is what the media and others are referring to as “Mike Harris’s ‘slashing of health care funding’.”
    “Don’t you believe in at least giving them a single day to substantiate your theory before you paint Sun Media and all those who are interested in it as delivering “biased” news? Or are you in the “my mind’s made up, don’t confuse me with the facts” camp?”
    See my comment at 10:27 AM.
    “I hesitate to cast you as a “troll”, since there is a certain quality and rationality to many of your posts.”
    Thanks. And if you don’t mind a brief aside, I’d like to contrast this post of mine with this 11:55AM one from Robert W. (Vancouver) — “Kevin, not only is ‘Davenport’ a troll. He’s also a consistent LIAR. But being a Leftard he has the privilege of never having to admit when he’s wrong or apologize when he gets caught in one of his lies. He’s a diaper-wearing woosy boy from Toronto who exemplifies everything diametrically opposed to Canadian values.” — and rhetorically ask, “Which sounds more like troll-like?”

  2. arghhh! Just determined that I can’t get it on channel #517 with Shaw Direct until I upgrade my dish to the oval dual satellite type. New channels are placed on the Anik F2 satellite. Two more days for me..
    I have the feeling I’m not the only one needing the upgrade. The lady at customer service seemed to read my mind.

  3. KevinB: “Do you deny that CBC/CTV/Global (the “LSM”) have a small-l liberal bias? Are you incapable of understanding how this infuriates any person who’s even slightly right of centre?”
    I can certainly understand how not having one’s views reflected in MSM discourses would be infuriating. I would, however, argue the following:
    1) That SDA readers, by and large, are not “slightly right of centre” (note: I’m not saying you said or implied this);
    2) That most Canadians who are in fact “slightly right of centre” are actually not infuriated by the CBC/CTV/Global;
    3) That, because Canadians in general have historically favoured centrist political parties and consistently espouse social and economic values that are centrist and even slightly left-of-centre, it’s Canadian society that has a “small-l liberal bias”; and ergo
    4) That CBC/CTV/Global do in fact generally (but not always) reflect mainstream Canadian opinion; and
    5) That this is occasionally interpreted by some who are firmly “right-wing” as “left-wing bias,” since anything to their left (including centrist positions) is, relatively speaking, perceived as “left-wing.”
    “Anyone with a modicum of computer skill can look it up – health care spending rose every single year under the Harris government. How is that slashing?”
    The Harris government did in fact cut provincial health care spending in the early years of its first term. See CIHI’s “National Health Expenditure Trends 1975-2003” report (archived copy can be found here: cbc.ca/news/background/healthcare/nhex2003_e.pdf)
    When you say that “health care spending rose every single year under the Harris government,” that’s only true of total health care spending, which includes both public (i.e., federal, provincial, and municipal gov’ts) and private (i.e., private/employer-sponsored insurance, out-of-pocket expenditures, etc.) sources (see Table B.1.1, p. 119).
    When you look specifically at what the provincial government spent (per capita, which accounts for population growth), you’ll see declines in 1994 and 1995 (Tables B.4.2, p. 132). And when you look specifically at provincial spending as a percentage of total spending, you’ll see dramatic decline throughout the Harris years. That is what the media and others are referring to as “Mike Harris’s ‘slashing of health care funding’.”
    “Don’t you believe in at least giving them a single day to substantiate your theory before you paint Sun Media and all those who are interested in it as delivering “biased” news? Or are you in the “my mind’s made up, don’t confuse me with the facts” camp?”
    See my comment at 10:27 AM.
    “I hesitate to cast you as a “troll”, since there is a certain quality and rationality to many of your posts.”
    Thanks. And if you don’t mind a brief aside, I’d like to contrast this post of mine with this 11:55AM one from Robert W. (Vancouver) — “Kevin, not only is ‘Davenport’ a troll. He’s also a consistent LIAR. But being a Leftard he has the privilege of never having to admit when he’s wrong or apologize when he gets caught in one of his lies. He’s a diaper-wearing woosy boy from Toronto who exemplifies everything diametrically opposed to Canadian values.” — and rhetorically ask, “Which sounds more like troll-like?”

  5. Oh sheesh, people. Davenport was droning on about how we SDAers all complain about the CBC’s biased perspective but are all happy we’re getting Sun TV’s biased perspective (i.e.: we’re hypocrites, yadda yadda). So, I responded that at least we don’t have to PAY for Sun TV’s bias, (I guess I should have added: like we do for the CBC’s). I’m in your corner.
    Yikes, you can be an angry bunch sometimes.

  10. That is what the media and others are referring to as “Mike Harris’s ‘slashing of health care funding’.”/i>
    Yeah, we already know that they, like you, are lying. A per-capita increase from $1695 to $2111 does not constitute “slashing” under any but an innumerate lefty’s perspective.

  11. Cross-posted on ezralevant.com:
    Looking forward to SNN tonight at 5 pm, (channel 15 T.O.?) on my indoor antenna!
    That’s right, I’m gonna try it “guerrilla style” with free over the air signals. Been doing some research and for those of you who are luddites like myself (i.e. don’t use cable/satellite) below is an info link on capturing free signals, and if you are a handyman/woman a couple instructional videos on how to make your own indoor antenna for HDTV! (there’s a big indoor antenna revolution in the US and apparently with the introduction of HDTV the reception is even better than cable or satellite because of the digital technology — plus it’s free).
    antenna general info: http://www.crutchfield.com/learn/learningcenter/home/antenna.html
    home-made antenna videos: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWQhlmJTMzw
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P69KuHum7wQ

  12. Hans Rupprecht: “Davenport why is it that you object to people presenting their views such as Sun News Network.”
    I don’t. I object to two things:
    1) 24-hour “news” channels (e.g., CNN, MSNBC, Fox News) that, in order to fill up the time, stack their programming slots with pundits and “personalities” who host self-indulgent and ideological-driven commentary and opinion shows (which are far cheaper to produce that actual field reporting) that nakedly pander to their audience’s biases under the thin guise of (usually instant) “news analysis.”
    2) People who pretend to want “objective” news when what they really want is hear what they want to hear and nothing else.

  13. Well, since I canceled my cable and put my TV in storage about five years ago (I was disgusted at the MSM complicit coverage of the throat slashing, head chopping savages during the Iraq was – otherwise known as Fifth Column propagandizing), I’ll have to wait for the reviews here at SDA. I suspect they will actually ask the questions that never occur to rest of the MSM – and get the answers!

  14. Yeah, Ann, after being libelled and treated like scum for decades by the lefty media up here, you bet we’re pi**ed off–especially as we pay $ ONE BILLION a year for CBC to serially insult our intelligence–not to say ignore the facts of the matter, ALL THE TIME. (Just like its cronies at CTV, etc.)
    My husband and I watch Fox News. Bill O’Reilly, Mr. Spin, himself, is a sycophant, toady idiot: we love it when Laura Ingraham fills in for him. Greta Van Sustern and Megyn Kelly–both lawyers (so is Laura) are fine hosts and there are plenty of left wing views allowed on Fox all the time: beautifully lambasted and shot down!
    And, even if there aren’t left-wing voices on SUN–I’ll bet there will be–guess what? Up until now, there have been virtually NO conservative views allowed on Canadian MSM TV.
    Isn’t it interesting how those who claim to be rabidly in favour of “tolerance and diversity” have no tolerance of true diversity? Please excuse my language: what a**holes lefties are. I’m sick to death of their arrogant hypocrisy, their perpetual petulance, and their LIES.
    Welcome, SUN TV!

  15. Ricardo- All well and good if you are in line-of-sight of the signal. If not, you’re screwed.
    Good for the Tranna folks but not so for us living in the rest of the universe.

  16. Whoops, “ricardo at April 18, 2011 1:00 PM”, was a mistake.
    “ricardo at April 18, 2011 1:04 PM” is INSTRUCTIONS ON CAPTURING SUN-TV VIA INDOOR ANTENNA (free of charge — no cable necessary). Louise et al take note if interested.

  17. BREAKING NEWS:
    In Ontario, SunNews is going to run the feed over the Sun regular channel until the deal is worked out.
    It is on Rogers 142 (normal def) and 567 (Hi def).
    Pass it on.

  18. Ok, so now Davenport doesn’t object to people presenting their views. A commendable start…
    vis a vis item #1:
    In what substantive way is CBC News Now not an accurate fit for the category you “object” to?
    vis a vis item #2:
    Are you pretending that people don’t have deeply held beliefs?
    If one is a flag waving Liberal you can get your CBC News Now.
    If one is a flag waving Conservative soon one will be able to get Sun News Network.
    If one is a flag waving Republican one can watch Fox News.
    If one is a flag waving Democrat one can watch MSNBC.
    In short, there is no such thing as the ‘supreme objective’ news source. What we have is a variety of news sources which people can tap into and evaluate. The sign of a healthy democracy…
    Squelching voices is the sign of a degraded democracy and given historical lessons always the first path to tyrannical regimes.
    Cheers
    Hans-Christian Georg Rupprecht, Commander in Chief
    1st Saint Nicolaas Army
    Army Group “True North”

  19. Rogers 142 and 567 in Guelph. You’ll have to check in your own city. Sorry about that.

  20. atric,
    People using the home-made antenna are picking up local Toronto stations from as far away as Niagara Falls, as well as FOX in the U.S. Seriously, check out the links — the Yanks are way ahead of us on HDTV, Cable, Satellite, and FREE solutions…

  21. ann:
    Take solace in the fact that there are what Bill O’Reilly calls pinheads on both sides of the spectrum.
    I understood what you were trying to say … at least the SUN network is paying their own way, unlike the CBC.
    But once the first pinhead here started piling on, it took little time for the other pinhead wannabees to keep slamming your viewpoint.
    The shameful reaction by many of the posters here totally fit into the ‘pinhead’ definition that Bill O’Reilly articulated in his book … name-calling, personal attacks, etc.
    Rather than asking for a clarification, the first reaction was ‘ann … piss off.’ What a pinhead!

  22. Waterhouse: “A per-capita increase from $1695 to $2111 does not constitute “slashing” under any but an innumerate lefty’s perspective.”
    Were it not for those two years of cuts at the beginning of Harris’ first term, per-capita provincial spending near the end of his second term would have been higher than “$2,111.” More important is the legacy of those cuts, which initiated a long-term trend in which Ontario provincial government contributes a lower percentage to total health care expenditures than it had historically, a dip that has never fully recovered (see “National Health Expenditure Trends, 1975 to 2010”).
    The “increase from $1695 to $2111” reflects the historic growth trend in health care costs over time. What the Harris government did was drop the baseline in 1995 by several hundred million dollars, so that even though absolute dollars ultimately increased over their 7-8 years at the helm, that new growth trend was (and remains) several hundred million beyond the historic growth trend. Reasonable people can disagree on whether those initial cuts were necessary to get spending under control, but contrary to KevinB’s assertion, the MSM and others were (and are) accurate to say that spending was slashed in those early days, and that they’ve had a lasting impact on health care funding in Ontario.

  23. Ann at 12:45 pm
    No explanation necessary. I got the gist of what you meant in your earlier posting. Some folks just don’t take the time to read AND think carefully before they start yapping.

  24. “… in order to fill up the time, stack their programming slots with pundits and “personalities” who host self-indulgent and ideological-driven commentary and opinion shows (which are far cheaper to produce that actual field reporting) that nakedly pander to their audience’s biases under the thin guise of (usually instant) “news analysis.””
    We already have pundits and “personalities” spouting their views as “news analysis” on our current news programs.

  26. Ok, so the countdown is showing on channel 610 on Eastlink in Halifax. The call letters for the station have changed as well. Was CKXT(HD) now SUNW (HD).

  28. Davenport only wants his liberal talking points spewed back to him, so that’s whay he loves the CBC:
    Democrats = good.
    Republicans = bad.
    Christianity = bad.
    Islam = good.
    Obama the democrat = good.
    Obama the American = bad.
    Guns = bad.
    Socialism = good.
    Government employees = good.
    Paying people to reproduce = good.
    Any dissent will be swiftly crushed by a sanctimonious bastion of 10,000 publically-paid CBC employees!

  29. Hans Rupprecht: “In what substantive way is CBC News Now not an accurate fit for the category you “object” to?”
    None. It’s fairly like the others, more so in recent years. It tends to rely a little less on opinion and “analysis” shows than others like MSNBC and Fox News, but substantively, they are the same model.
    For what it’s worth, CBC News Network is funded by advertising revenues and cable subscription fees; it receives no operational funds from the public purse.
    “Are you pretending that people don’t have deeply held beliefs?”
    Um, no. Though I suppose I’m saying that many SDA readers share far more similarities of human nature to the staunchly “left-wing” counterparts whom they endlessly ridicule than they’d perhaps care to admit.
    “In short, there is no such thing as the ‘supreme objective’ news source.”
    I agree. I’m a good lefty in that I don’t subscribe to the notion of “objective”, unbiased “truth,” certainly not in something like “the news.” I never said there was such a news source, nor did I ever suggest that the ones that do exist (CBC, CTV, Global, etc.) don’t reflect a particular political bias. I was just objecting to people who say they don’t like the CBC, CTV, etc. because they’re perceived to stray from the journalistic ideal of “objective” reporting. But such viewers don’t actually care about “objective”; they want bias, just of a different sort.

  30. Kelowna shaw ch 177 in 3 hour countdown now.
    (It has been so long, took me half an hour to figure out the remote!)
    Have been waiting 3 friggin decades !! Nothing like comparison shopping. But when you have sh!t for a product (hello Peter) you will pull out all the stops (hello Soros) to deny the people a choice (hello Pravda).

  31. Mike in Calgary: “Davenport only wants his liberal talking points spewed back to him…”
    Even if that were true, considering this is SDA, and this is a blog post about the exciting arrival of a new news network that has explicitly vowed to provide news and analysis from a right-wing perspective, what exactly would your objection be?

  35. “considering this is SDA”
    Given how much time you spend pissing and moaning on this blog about the opinions expressed, I can only assume you will be a regular SunTV viewer and whine about it constantly.
    What is it? Loneliness? Boring life? Or do you dimly sense something is happening here and you can’t stay away?

  36. Thanks Ricardo but I’m nowhere near a broadcast outlet that carries Sun TV. Closest is Detroit which is out of the question. Don’t think Windsor or London has a SunTV broadcast antenna.

  39. here the response from Sasktel regarding my inquiry on SUN TV coverage.
    Dear XXXX:
    Sun TV News Channel is set launched in Quebec and Ontario on Monday, April 18.
    SaskTel is in the analysis stage of deciding whether or not to pick up the channel:
    “For every channel that comes, we do an analysis and take a look at the channel and we make a decision if we are going to add it to our line up or not,” said Darcee MacFarlane with SaskTel. “The decision hasn’t been made yet and there is no timeline. SaskTel will look at the cost, the carriage and the customer demand.”
    Rest assured your feedback has been forwarded to the appropriate department(s).
    It is because of customers like you that SaskTel is able to improve our products and services to better meet consumer needs.
    Thank you for using http://www.sasktel.com.
    Sincerely,
    SaskTel Customer Services Team”

  44. For those that so vehemently oppose Sun TV, the solution is remarkably simple. Do as millions upon millions of Canadians do with the CBC … don’t watch it. I’m not aware of any law that states that one must tune in to Sun TV.
    I can understand how some people might get upset if tax dollars where used to fund Sun TV but, here in Canada, we don’t use public money to prop up TV networks, do we?

  45. Martin: “davenport…….yyou got something against women or is it just blonde women?”
    I have something against the use of pinup girls (or boys) in supposedly credible “news” organizations.

  46. ummm Davenport, you’re aware she worked at the CBC for the last eleven years right?

  47. ChrisinMB: “ummm Davenport, you’re aware she worked at the CBC for the last eleven years right?”
    Yeah, I’m aware. Did she ever serve as a pinup during her time at CBC?
    I have no issue with Krista Erickson, either as a journalist or a person. I’m just wondering how anyone can take seriously a new organization that actually features daily Sunshine Girls and Boys in its print editions.

  48. That’s because some of us don’t care. I’ll judge the news organization based on the news it delivers.

  49. “I have something against the use of pinup girls (or boys) in supposedly credible “news” organizations.”
    Mean AND ugly.

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