Well, so much for their trustworthy “new” perspective on Canadian news: Sun News Network have been caught AGAIN running faked content.
The latest embarrassment surrounds a faked Citizenship Ceremony created in Sun TV’s Toronto studios last October, because for some mysterious reason, covering the 13 already-scheduled swearing in ceremonies around the city for new Canadians was not good enough.
It didn’t start out as a faked event ….but became one when not enough “real” new Canadians could be found to take part. So six federal bureaucrats stood in, along with three legitimate newcomers, taking part in the Sun studio ceremony and faked taking the Oath of Citizenship.
Incredible!
To be fair, at one point the network was going to cancel the ruse, but then decided to go ahead after the federal officials said six stand-ins had been found to take part and make it look real.
“Let’s do it. We can fake the Oath,” wrote a still unnamed buy apparent Sun media official in a sunmedia.ca e-mail later obtained by The Canadian Press.
Lately, the whole disgraceful event has been the subject of political charges and accusations, pitting the Opposition against Immigration Minister Jason Kenney and embarrassed federal officials.
But frankly, MY main concern is with SUN MEDIA.
I find it outrageous that the newtwork went along with the ruse and aired the faked footage.
How could ANY news organization do that????
What it shows me is a complete disrespect for journalistic ethics, their own news product and, most of all, their viewers!
And according to the Toronto Star, this was not the first time Canada’s newest news network has been caught leaving truth and ethics out of its reports. In November, a photo of Sun employees posing with Toronto’s mayor was PHOTOSHOPPED to take out an anchore who no longer worked for the network and ADD in a new Sun TV host.
Geez!
And making it all worse, although the politicians are all flailing about over the government’s role in the latest faked news item, Sun officials have had very little to say about their disgraceful action.
Or perhaps they don’t even think it’s newsworthy.
Just the new norm we can expect from Sun TV … unless some other media blows their cover?
Harv Oberfeld
You heard it here FIRST ..and hopefully LAST!
I’ve been thinking… always a dangerous and sometimes a quite cheeky intellectual exercise … and I’ve come up with a few new program suggestions for CBC’s next television season … featuring a “Revised” Program Standards Policy to fit with its new reality.
First, Hockey Night in Canada can now have a new Sports Reporter, Jennifer Mather, ”imbedded” to cover the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Mather, as former BCTV fans can testify, is a fine reporter. But more than that old-fashioned journalistic qualification, she’s also married to Brian Burke, Leafs’ General Manager, reflecting the new apparently acceptable standard at CBC for reporters.
Vancouver Canucks fans (not to mention Montreal Canadiens supporters) may have some doubts about the validity of her stories, especially if she just happens to honestly find something to rave about ….., for example, if the Leafs string together two consecutive wins …. but CBC management are confident that likely won’t happen, so it should not pose any problems.
And Jennifer could promise that, if after another losing game, hubby Brian puts his fist through a wall at HOME, she will NOT take advantage of her unusual access to scoop other media with the story. BUT if he puts his fist through a wall at the OFFICE, where other reporters can also see the results, she WILL report it … complete with ALL his &%*$ quotes.
And in light of the CBC Pacific Region managers’ recent decision that legislative reporter Stephen Smart can continue to cover BC politics and the legislature, even though his wife is the premier’s deputy press secretary, there can now be other changes in CBC news as well.
The National can now feature a new At Issue panel member: Laureen Harper.
Ms. Harper has extensive experience in both national and international travel and has skillfully written many memos to her kids’ school, meal menus and messages on Christmas cards … none of which have ever had a partisan bias.
Ms. Harper will bring a new perspective to the At Issue panel: being close enough to the corridors of power walked daily by her spouse Stephen, but she has assured CBC managers she will never take advantage of that unique situation by having the Prime Minister or any of his staff suggest stories, write scripts or insert OR delete quotes…. EVER. Except, of course, maybe in the 38 days immediately preceding an election … an occasional exception that should be no problem for CBC management, especially in the Alberta and the Pacific Regions.
And then, there’s the popular CBC show Quirks and Quarks, currently looking for a new host.
Apparently, TWO well-known British Columbians have the inside edge as co-hosts: Adrian Dix and John Cummins.
With their extensive knowledge of politics, CBC management might find them perfect candidates to explore the quirks and quarks of BC and Canada’s political “sciences” …exploring unproven and untested theories for Canada’s future, in the light of current and historical failed experiments.
Apparently, the possibility of previous political connections are not a problem. Although neither currently have close family members working for the government (or National Research Council), CBC management can assure them that will not be a problem if any or all of their relatives win major lucrative jobs or contracts.
And should the political leaders actually gain power and become Premier or Opposition leader … again, no problem under CBC’s new journalistic standards.
Since it’s apparently hard to survive in Victoria on just one salary, their spouses could simply replace them as Quirks and Quarks hosts …. unless, of course, they are scooped up by CBC News division to cover their hubbies at the legislature.
In either case, it will no longer be a problem.
What an amazing season the CBC can now have …. unencumbered by pesky rulings of its own ombudsman or any public concerns about perceived fairness and independent thinking.
Of course, I personally find this all particularly amusing: because when The Webster Awards dumped me as an unpaid, voluntary judge after I did it for two years following retirement ( my own tribute to Jack, who helped me get my great job at BCTV), they told me the reason was this blog (on which there are NO ads, NO revenues). I was told it was as if I was still “working” in the media. Huh?
Apparently THAT was a conflict. Certainly NOT because I had written articles critical of declining standards and the quality of journalism in BC media!
I guess journalistic standards in BC have indeed now changed!
And I wonder what Jack would say about the new realities.
Harv Oberfeld
P.S. And a reminder, if you want First Alert notifications of every new blog on here, follow me on Twitter @harveyoberfeld. Again, FREE, no ads, no costs …not even if I ever get a lucrative government contract! 
