As a retired journalist worried about all the cuts in staffing, quality and relevance in the news business over the past decade (or more) any announcement of a NEW all-news network is great news. And the fact that the move will substantially revvolve around the station where I spent 26 great, mostly happy years makes it all even greater: it will mean more news jobs, and greater opportunities and security for my co-workers.
Or will it?
For those who missed it, Shaw Media has applied to the CRTC for “a regional, Global BC-driven all-news speciality channel” to begin broadcasting next summer.
The company says the new network will provide viewers throughout the province with “top local, national and international headlines” 24 hours a day and “more live event coverage and more in-depth, original local reporting than any other in the market”.
I like it … if it’s true.
Keeping to those promising words could give viewers (not just those of us who are news junkies) all kinds of new windows of coverage on events, issues and politics unfolding at municipalities, regions and the provincial level.
But that will take a lot more resources than Global has at its disposal right now … including more seasoned journalists, adept at covering more than shootings, fires, traffic accidents, weather events and charity walks, runs and swims; serious political reporters who ENJOY getting out from behind a desk to go ask tough questions of politicians, and investigative experts, given the resources and time to research and shoot compelling stories and exposees.
That would be just wonderful … and could even have a multiplier effect with other BC news stations and networks as well …benefiting us all. As I reported on the blog in November CTV also expanded its news shows in BC … another good step in the right direction.
Of course, the new network could be a bust.
Just the same stories we now get, run over and over again …twenty times a day instead of four or five or six.
Or hours and hours of talking heads … more people sitting behind desks, discussing the news instead of showing it to us. That’s what we got with the “new” Sun News network …the last place I go to find out what’s happening with serious breaking news. About all I find there are talking heads, and repeat broadcasts of talking head shows I’d swear I had seen when clicking hours earlier in the day. Almost all of it, of course, what I would describe as just right wing propaganda. Yech!
Of course, there will be lots of cynics who will worry the “new” BC news network will be nothing more than a provincial Liberal government or federal Tory government mouthpiece … offering up pap and propaganda in return for lots of government advertising revenues, which after all is the mainstay of private stations and networks.
And how will the dedication of the huge resources needed for a substantive 24-hour news channel affect the Newshour and other news shows on Global?
Will the Newshour be scooped by its own new rival? Will the competition enjoy a new “heads up” service, advising them at 3 p.m what the Newshour will be featuring at 6 p.m? Or will the Newshour withold legitimate news stories from its own 24-hour network, making it “all the news … the second time over”. And what about Newshour sports? Will much of the 6 p.m. (and Early and Noon and Final) be original sports coverage and different? Or just cuts and/or rehashes from sports stories running on the 24-hour network?
Lots of questions. Lots of fears. But lots of opportunities.
And that’s sure better than the past 10 years … of watching Global doing more with less … and suffering as a result.
Harv Oberfeld
15 responses so far ↓
1 spartikus // Jan 14, 2012 at 1:42 am
I can’t see the business model – the entire nation can only support (and that’s with government help) 2 24hr News Channels.
(Response: The Shaws are no fools. I just can’t believe they would go after this without realizing what it involves. My real concern is that they do not drain resources from the Newshour etc to invest in the new network. h.o)
2 frosty // Jan 14, 2012 at 2:32 am
SHAW…a job creator? Right.
(Response: Well, how else can they set up/run a 24-hour news network? The real question is what quality …journalistically and visually ..will they offer up. Should be fascinating to watch. And let’s think positively … until at least the first week!
h.o)
3 Mo // Jan 14, 2012 at 5:19 am
“I like it … if it’s true.”
Sorry Harv, Re the 2nd half of your statement… Don’t count on it,
You only need to look at the main “NEWS” 6:00 o’clock programme .. it has no hard hitting journalists on staff and has had it’s teeth removed… hell folks don’t even have dentures! GlobalNews is a lapdog of Business interests. It has no creditability …why would you count on the newcomer to take up the slack… it will consist of “magazine style fluff pieces. COUNT ON THAT! We’ll revisit this in a year from now.
4 Mo // Jan 14, 2012 at 5:26 am
Oh… in case the Shaw family comes by this blog.
SHAW: my monthly bill for cable service keeps going up way higher than the inflation rate!
“Saw a notice on this month’s bill that my bill is increasing $5 effective Nov 2011. They already increased it back in April. From 2005 til now my bill has gone from $65 to $108 for THE SAME Service!”
But Old man Shaw is collecting HUGE payouts! WHICH ARE INCREASING OVER TIME! Not much longer will i contribute to those shenanigans !!!
5 13 // Jan 14, 2012 at 6:26 am
Harvey if I were a betting man I would put my money on bust. It has become the buisness mantra do more with less.
NW has filled the airwaves with infomercials. The local news is so watered down that file photo describes what we see and read daily. Its not just media its every aspect of life. Watered down. One size fits all. The cliches are endless but the results are the same. They have all managed to make the CBC look good
6 RossK // Jan 14, 2012 at 8:31 am
Mr. O.–
As a follow-up to Mr. Frosty….I think it is important to remember that the definition of ‘news’ is highly elastic these days.
And with elasticity comes a big, big stretch that can lead to extreme thinness.
(Response: I agree and have railed against the thinning down of content for years. But we can hope that, in investing big bucks and resources to set up a 24-hour news channel, Shaw will be smart enough to realize that they will have to provide a watchable, desirable product. And not just hours and hours of talking heads. h.o)
.
7 D. M. Johnston // Jan 14, 2012 at 2:14 pm
I absolutely have no faith in the shaw family and how they run a business. The anointed ones destroyed NW and I’m afraid a 24 hour news channel will be a political infomercial, a la Fox, to the highest political bidder.
Canadian news has become synonymous with “change the channel”.
(Response: As far as I konw, NW was never a Shaw holding. The station belonged to IBC, then WIC, now Corus …none of them Shaw entities, Or did I miss something? h.o)
8 Lew // Jan 14, 2012 at 5:06 pm
The Shaw family controls both Shaw and Corus. And as such, is responsible for the current continuing decline in program quality at ‘NW. We used to have that station on all day (hell, I even wore a headset and listened while mowing the lawn). Now we tune in for Simi Sara and a bit of Jon McComb, and don’t even go to ‘NW on the weekend. The “news” department is a joke.
The Global news has the occasional good piece, but is mostly fluff and ambulance chasing. Like Rafe used to say, “you only have to be a three if you’re surrounded by twos”.
It seems to me they should fix what they have before trying to build something else.
9 frosty // Jan 14, 2012 at 5:07 pm
Harve: Shaw has the majority of voting shares in corus. I would think Mr Corus knows the Shaw daughter visits radio…having them all painted prison green, deciding where the corus inspirational posters hang, taking down family photos etc…plus cuts a-plenty. Romney looks like a piker!
(Response: See how educational the blogosphere can be! Great info. The 24-hour channel could be an attempt to sew up the tv news market, preventing anyone else from edging in and taking over. But it does represent a new investment in an industry and service that is dwindling almost everywhere else. I’m just hoping the REPORTING and NEWS COVERAGE quality will be there and I won’t be as disappointed as I have been with Suin News Channel … and that, to draw viewers to the News Channel they don’t further strip the Newshour etc. h.o)
10 Robert // Jan 14, 2012 at 5:13 pm
Corus Entertainment is one of Canada’s most successful integrated media and entertainment companies. Founded by JR Shaw, the company was built from the media assets originally owned by Shaw Communications, and spun off as a separate, publicly-traded company in 1999. Since then, the Company’s asset base has grown substantially through strategic acquisitions and a strong operating discipline. Corus Entertainment’s stock is found on the TSX under the symbol CJR.B.
Still a division of Shaw as far as I can see.
11 Maharg // Jan 15, 2012 at 1:32 am
I love your optimism Harvey……..but, I’m afraid you are going to be disappointed. The name of their game is not improvement, but control. These guys want to control both the message and the messenger for the lowest possible cost. Their strategy is to provide more fluff with less substance.
At one time CBC provided counter viewpoints from those of private corporate media. One can argue that many of those that provided differing opinions were lax, but they had a forum where they could provide different points of view without being ostracized. The model they attempted to follow was that of a more ethical BBC.
Surprisingly, for decades BBC managed to maintain its independence until Tony Blair decided to support its rejuvenated British imperialism by latching onto George W. Bush’s sabre-rattling in Iraq.
(Response: Well, I did say “Or is it?” in the title, so I too have my concerns…about not only what they’ll deliver on the new network, but how it might impact The Newshour etc. We’ll see …but you’ve got to admit at least the potential and the possibilities are more fun to look forward to than the “do more with less” suffering workers and viewers have been through in the past decade. h.o)
12 Keith // Jan 15, 2012 at 3:51 am
Hi Harvey,
The movers and shakers at shaw must have done the market research to realize folks are getting jaded with much of the local news and it’s presenters. Haven’t they.?
hours of infomercials for one political philosophy or dissing another,
talking heads discussing the obvious 20 different ways,
the anchor reporting on an issue, then introing a reporter on location to repeat what has already been said, back to the anchor to once again tell you who the reporter was, where, and talking about what which had already been talked about.
weather ad nauseum,
hockey fights.
That should keep the punters happy. Just can’t wait.
(Response: The scary part is, judging by the ratiings, they might beliebe the public want more of what we’ve een getting, or at least will watch it! h.o)
13 Keith // Jan 15, 2012 at 5:10 pm
(Response: The scary part is, judging by the ratiings, they might beliebe the public want more of what we’ve een getting, or at least will watch it! h.o)
Bang on Harvey, based on the ratings they put out more of the same, fill in the blank spots with stuff from the various shaw community channnels, (Voice of B.C. in primetime? , Urban Rush?), repeat through midnight to 5.30 A.M.
Presto!
14 e.a.f. // Jan 16, 2012 at 1:33 am
My concern is the concentration of news in the hands of a few. I doubt this 24 hr channel will provide any real news. Currently Global manages to provide more news that channel 9 but they still don’t provide enough news.
When I write of news I do mean things which actually mean something and is investigative. yes Global did a good job of the Community Living scandal and is actually following up but I find big business just isn’t all that investigative anymore.
CBC does the best job in the country when it comes to reporting the news and producing documentaries. If Shaw can replicate that, then fine, if not, well its just back to channel surfing.
All most stations report can be done in about 10 minutes. Talking heads and rendering of opinions isn’t news nor are discussion panels. Going out into the field and “digging” is where the news is and we see that mostly from independant bloggers. If I really want to know what is going on in the province I check out the blogs such as yours, Rafe Mair, Laila, B.C. Mary, etc.
I wonder if a Shaw 24 hr news station will report on enviornmental issues the way Mair has done or Laila Yuille have done. If they won’t then what is the point of having them.
Currently Shaw simply charges too much for too little. Now it may not be Shaw’s fault that there isn’t much on t.v. stations to begin with but you would think they might try to find something.
(Response: I hope I’m wrong, but unless they do a lot of hiring, I don’t thnk you’ll see much in the way of aggressive reporting. But let’s hope …. I’m at least glad, after years of doing more with less, to see additions to the news output by both Global and CTV. h.o.)
15 Sean in Vancouver // Jan 18, 2012 at 7:27 am
Well Harvey,
Why not come out of retirement? Many pro-athletes have done so, why not you? We need the likes of you!
(Response: You’re very kind, Sean. Thanks. Actually had been thinking of coming out of retirement…for the Olympics. Canada could use me in hockey …. in goal: nothing would get by me! But seriously, I’m really enjoying retirement, sleeping in, enjoying my relaxing days, travel ….. and blogging. And I think you’ll like my next one. h.o)
Leave a Comment
CAPTCHA Code is needed.