It's a fact that all of us see bias in media on occasion. Some is subtle and some is obvious. It always makes me chuckle when someone of the Con persuasion watches the same program I do and sees a slant to the left when I see it go right.Some media types are quick to suggest that they are relieved by this revelation because that means they are doing their job. That's baloney in my opinion and an easy 'out' around being accountable for what they say or write. It is possible to look at things objectively. Will partisans read their own biases into that objectivity? Of course. What's critical to me is that the journalist be able to defend their objectivity through past and future actions. Many, maybe even most do that, but certain groups do not and they are not being called out.
Mike Duffy is one such individual. It is beyond my comprehension that we in Canada have our very own FOX News host and no one complains. If he was honest and claimed that his show was a Canadian version worthy of the faux "fair and balanced" tag, in other words told us that he's not balanced, I'd be fine. Canadians would then know what they are being fed and would not digest his broadcasts as being mainstream thought or news worthy.
Now, I'll give you that his show is pretty 'low brow' fare, but think about how CTV has penetrated local markets. If you're looking for Canadian content your choices are pretty damn slim. I know the view of the right is that the CBC is 'left', but the CBC in my view, reflects the way the majority of the country thinks, most of the time, which of course is left of where the current Conservative party is. Mike Duffy on the other hand reflects and embraces about 1/3 of the country.
It's a market that has perhaps deserves it's due, but could we stop pretending it's mainstream? Do they deserve a voice? I suppose they do, but only if that voice is honest in how it presents itself. CTV and Duffy are not honest in terms of what they represent. Talk radio is more honest than these guys are. Think about that.
Take the following clip from Duffy's show yesterday for example. Duff's not subtle in his Lib bashing. He names names and suggests that they made a choice to endorse a terrorist group. He's interviewing Stockwell Day. Watch Stock's eyes, grin and partisan bunt at the softball he was lobbed. Then notice Duffy get all teary (seriously what is it with this guy?) when he reflects on how his precious party is standing up for the little guy.
The sequence is this.
The Day interview begins around 3:44. Part way through, around 6:44 Day makes assumptions and Duffy eats them up, only to spit them out again as a lob designed to meet the Con sweet spot. At 7:33 Duffy is all choked up. Oh, assess for yourself. Here's the clip.
For the record I know nothing about this group and, if the Minister's move was justified, that's fine with me. This Minister however sees terra everywhere, so I do wonder if it's as black and white as he suggests. I'll leave that to others to resolve.
For a host and a network to suggest that honest parliamentarians chose to associate with terrorists, let alone to win votes, is beyond the pale.
CTV...it's time to come clean.
9 comments:
As long as a PEI Senate seat is vacant, Duffy will spend his days sucking up to whatever government is in office.
You talk about media bias and then you go on to one of the most left wing biased blog posts I have ever seen.
The Conservatives had a million more votes than the far left Liberals and the reason is clear.
One million more people think like Mike Duffy and Stephen Harper.
Is it that hard to understand numbers?
You left wing loons think the country is all about you, but really its about all the people.
And judging by the last election, the people of Canada are not Liberal.
You also made a point that CBC's coverage is "how Canadians think".
Grow up dummy.
Knb - in all seriousness, Mike Duffy and his program are a drop in the bucked and nothing to get exercised about. He does softball interviews with whoever is in power. He's no Tim Russert in other words.
But what about the CBC, the Globe and Mail and The Toronto Star which are entirely skewed to the left.
Jim Travers' columns read like liberal caucus notes. There is no pretense of objectivity at the Star given that Torstar's mandate is clearly stated as being progressive.
Oh enough of this garbage. Jeffrey Simpson has admitted that the Globe and Mail lean more to the right. So, we hae The Star - to the left and ALL others leaning conservative - do the math.
When Duffy downplays the security issue and Coulliard I get so angry.
My girlfriend lost her ONLY son in 9/11 (one of the 24 Canadians). After watching her pain and agony, her many trips to New York for DNA testing, to see her 2 grandkids, etc. - to see the Harper government taking the issue of documents getting into the wrong hands to lightly....
Well, it's not going over well with some that went through it.
You know, you should delete/ignore Johnathon....he trolls around the blogosphere with ridiculous remarks - probably just to cause anger - he's not worth it.
Ya, Johnathon, you tell me it's okay that Harper takes security issues like a joke while I watch the pain in my friends eyes.
"Is it that hard to understand numbers?"
Fuckard, only 30% voted for Harper....
The Pufster is a blowhard and I can't wait for him to choke and die while eating whatever makes him so corpulent...
CBC's coverage is neutral - something that neocons will never understand.
The hypocrisy of those on the right is beyond contempt and frankly I have no respect for most Connies...
It's amusing that honesty and truth gets interpreted as being left-wing by little fascist wannebees...
It's amusing that honesty and truth gets interpreted as being left-wing by little fascist wannebees...
That's the thing isn't? Truth ='s bad.
That media is aiding and abetting this line of thought is appalling to me.
btw, totally off topic cherniak_wtf, but I watched Mulcair today grilling the RCMP. He was skilled, masterful even. A mix of lawyer and psychologist.
I still don't like the guy,(btw, that's personal, not political). I continue to believe that he goes for the throat. There is a passive/aggressive thing happening there that makes me uncomfortable, but it's a skill, I give you that.
bud the spud...is that really true?
Doesn't he just want to go home?
A Senator...gawd. What a sorry addition that would be.
sandi, I'm so sad to hear that about your friend. For whatever it's worth, give her a hug from me.
I don't have a link that close, but 2 people in my family lost both a friend and a family member. I too have heard the stories.
Levity is not appropriate and you're right, people like johnathon are not worth responding to.
Mulcair today grilling the RCMP. He was skilled, masterful even. A mix of lawyer and psychologist.
He has not been that good in the employ of the NDP... As a Liberal cabinet minister (provincially), he was effective and stood up for voter principles.
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