Media coverage

[Urbane]

How has the media coverage been in this campaign? Has it been generally fair and unbiased? Has the coverage reflected what Canadians want and need to hear about? Are some media outlets better than others with their coverage? Which one(s) do you like and which one(s) don't you like? I have a few observations but I'd like to hear from others first.

[The Green Barbarian]

I've been deliberately avoiding coverage - this election is such a waste of time that I just get angry every time I watch any news coverage.

[Urbane]

I was watching the TV earlier today and had CBC Newsworld on for a while. The big story when I was watching was about Bev Oda and how she lied to the House (at least that's the way the reporter described it). I switched over to the CTV News channel and the Prime Minister was answering questions. But right when the "Postmedia" reporter was about to ask a question they switched away. I found that interesting for two reasons: 1) Postmedia has more of a conservative slant than some of the other outlets so I found it interesting that CTV cut out at that moment - could be a coincidence but I wonder. 2) The media have been upset that Harper would only take five questions but then when he's answering questions CTV switches away. How come?

I watched a bit of "Question Period" on CTV and co-host Jane Taber was so excited at the prospect of the NDP and Liberals possibly having more seats than the Conservatives. She just couldn't conceal her enthusiasm for the idea that they could take over the government. She is the same Jane Taber who writes for the Globe and Mail and after the English language debate she opined that Michael Ignatieff had likely turned his whole campaign around when, during the debate, he said to Mr. Harper "You haven't earned a majority." Hmmm . . . Some wishful thinking from Jane Taber I think.

CBC has its EKOS poll and Frank Graves is the EKOS pollster who has contributed to the Liberal Party in the past and has also advised the Liberal Party. Critics have questioned his impartiality and so when the EKOS poll always seems to show the Liberals doing better than the other polls it does make one wonder. I do enjoy watching the "At Issue" panel on The National and Rex Murphy is always worth a listen as well.

I've found this election campaign rather boring. I feel like I'm watching a re-run of a show I've already seen but in this case it's the fourth time I've seen the same show. Perhaps that's why we have all the side issues given so much attention and the the policy issues not so much. I feel for the journalists who are trying to make this all interesting when many people have simply tuned out.

[steven lloyd]

- this election is such a waste of time that I just get angry every time I watch any news coverage.

I've found this election campaign rather boring. I feel like I'm watching a re-run of a show I've already seen but in this case it's the fourth time I've seen the same show. Perhaps that's why we have all the side issues given so much attention and the the policy issues not so much. I feel for the journalists who are trying to make this all interesting when many people have simply tuned out.

Perhaps the majority of Canadians are quite comfortable with the state of our economic recovery, have confidence in the Harper government to stay the course despite the desperate attempts of those who try to smear it (ie. they are placing more importance on more important issues) and have already made up their mind. Perhaps bringing down this government with a non-confidence vote was ill-advised and a huge miscalculation that certain political characters are going to come to regret.

[UnknownResident]

I watched the debate on youtube, commercialess. Other then that I don't watch TV, so I'm not really affected by any of media. The only ads I've seen are the signs on the side of the road. The biggest signs in the most ridiculous places contest goes to Cannon, while having billions of signs contest goes to Tisha. (don't ask me to spell her last name.... Kalmnovitch??? Had to try!)

Anyways I'm curious what the Cons supporters think of Harper running ads 8-weeks before the election. I found that very interesting, perhaps he wanted this election more then his supporters think... By the way, I only heard 8-weeks from a website, can't remember who it was, but rest assured it was probably a crazy leftist regime loving socalist website.... Probably CBC or the like, so I can't tell you how accurate it is.

[John500]

Polls should be banned during election campains. CBC is super biased towards the Liberals. Liberals seem to get the "old" crew out again to bolster their campain, Martin, Chretien who broke so many promises. Oh yeah and to get rid of the GST. when do they ever learn......

[The Green Barbarian]

I watched the debate on youtube, commercialess. Other then that I don't watch TV, so I'm not really affected by any of media. The only ads I've seen are the signs on the side of the road. The biggest signs in the most ridiculous places contest goes to Cannon, while having billions of signs contest goes to Tisha. (don't ask me to spell her last name.... Kalmnovitch??? Had to try!)

Anyways I'm curious what the Cons supporters think of Harper running ads 8-weeks before the election. I found that very interesting, perhaps he wanted this election more then his supporters think... By the way, I only heard 8-weeks from a website, can't remember who it was, but rest assured it was probably a crazy leftist regime loving socalist website.... Probably CBC or the like, so I can't tell you how accurate it is.

I'm really liking the latest Conservative ads - positive message and evoking Canadian pride, a good break from the usual mudslinging.

Urbane - as of today SunTV starts up - at 1:30 pm to be exact - not sure if you get it but its on channel 517 on my Shaw Direct. As bad as the CBC is towards bias, you ain't seen nothing yet when it comes to bias and spin. I can already hear the screams of the left about "Fox News North". It's always "fair and balanced" news when it's a left-wing bias like CBC, but if the news is at all favorable to the right, look out - the whining and complaining never ends.

[UnknownResident]

I'm really liking the latest Conservative ads - positive message and evoking Canadian pride, a good break from the usual mudslinging.

That's a nice change, hopefully all parties follow suit.

[Smurf]

I take a lot of media coverage with a grain of salt. However it is a good place to start. Many times a biased media will give points worth investigating. You do have to be open minded which I believe is a problem for some people. Just remember both sides have good, both sides have bad and both have to be kept in control. It take a lot of work to be truly informed and you will never be from only one source, one side or probably for that matter one belief.

I also like to see some adds and some campaigning that are not just slander and mudslining.

[Al Czervic]

There are definitely some who truly are terrified of a “Harper” majority. I think one of these groups is the CBC. The amount of major anti-Harper “media” content is insane. This morning I heard them, pushing again on that poor innocent Helen (whatever her last name is) that Harper fired. Of course the CBC neglects to mention that her husband got caught with a carload full of cocaine…..

[Urbane]

There are definitely some who truly are terrified of a “Harper” majority. I think one of these groups is the CBC. The amount of major anti-Harper “media” content is insane. This morning I heard them, pushing again on that poor innocent Helen (whatever her last name is) that Harper fired. Of course the CBC neglects to mention that her husband got caught with a carload full of cocaine…..

And there was that outburst at the airport after which the opposition wanted her fired. In fact the opposition was all over Harper to fire her for other reasons as well. But now . . . poor Helen . . . mean old Steve picked on her. These are the same guys who threatened to topple the government if the Conservatives didn't drop their threat to cut out the party subsidies and when the Conservatives dropped that proposal they tried to topple the government because they wanted the Conservatives to spend more money. So the Conservatives spent more money and those same opposition members now talk about "Harper's deficit." Some of those things seemed to be glossed over in the media coverage, IMO, and I'd like to see the party leaders held accountable.

Edit to add: Thanks GB. Yes, today is the startup of Sun News and I look forward to having a look at what they have to offer. It was sad to see some people (Margaret Atwood for example) actively trying to stop Sun News from operating. What about free speech?

[The Green Barbarian]

Edit to add: Thanks GB. Yes, today is the startup of Sun News and I look forward to having a look at what they have to offer. It was sad to see some people (Margaret Atwood for example) actively trying to stop Sun News from operating. What about free speech?

In my opinion Urbane what we need in Canada is a Jon Stewart kind of show. I like Stewart because he makes fun of the left and right in the US pretty much on par, he doesn't really pick favorites. In the case you pointed out about the deficit spending that Harper was forced into by the opposition, Stewart would use his usual tactic of showing the hypocrisy of the Liebrals, the New Dums and the Bloc Heads by playing clips of them from 2009 when they were banging away on Harper to increase spending to stimulate the economy, and then play clips of them now crying about the deficit that they had a big hand in causing. We don't have that here in Canada - we just get the CBC spin. I just hope that the Sun channel isn't so far to the right that no one takes them seriously. Just be "fair" and show the politicians as the hypocrites they are, that's all I ask.

[Al Czervic]

Edit to add: Thanks GB. Yes, today is the startup of Sun News and I look forward to having a look at what they have to offer. It was sad to see some people (Margaret Atwood for example) actively trying to stop Sun News from operating. What about free speech?

I mostly am looking forward to a biased media network that is not afraid to admit their bias and does not pretend to be non-partisan., unlike the CBC.

[normaM]

when the Media is doing articles about what their Ties represent you know the campaign is as dull as watching paint dry. And Jack playing the guitar. Instead of debates maybe they should have a cage fight.

[UnknownResident]

Edit to add: Thanks GB. Yes, today is the startup of Sun News and I look forward to having a look at what they have to offer. It was sad to see some people (Margaret Atwood for example) actively trying to stop Sun News from operating. What about free speech?

I mostly am looking forward to a biased media network that is not afraid to admit their bias and does not pretend to be non-partisan., unlike the CBC.

Well when one candidate has so many flaws, and so few good attributes it's sort of hard to talk well about him. However all the parties have a lot of problems, and it would be unfair to only point out Harper's (many) flaws. I would prefer the CBC to be non-partisan, but perhaps this is an issue of the grass is always greener on the other side? I haven't watched the CBC in years, but their website seems non-partisan - perhaps that's because I don't have any political ideologies.