It’s no secret that, to any branch of the news media, the availability of information is critical: whether voluntarily provided; deliberately revealed; earnestly sought out or inadvertently discovered.
But what is not so well known is how dependent today’s media are on FREE information … interviews granted or questions responded to by ordinary people … even tragedy victims in the midst of terrible personal anguish …, business leaders , government officials or spokespeople for both public and private organizations … all in the interest of supporting media reporting and discussions of issues as an integral part of our democratic system.
And sometimes, these sources will go to a great deal of trouble, drawing up/reprinting documents, data, preparing reports or opening their office and factory doors to reporters, camera crews … taking up time and resources, often for no real personal or corporate benefit, except to support the public’s right to know what’s going on in our “free” society.
You may even be surprised to know that, apart from the actual radio hosts, television broadcasters or print reporters themselves … almost none of the ”experts” you hear, see, read being quoted/interviewed are paid for their time, professional expertise, direct experience or unique perspective or compensated in any way.
I have been interviewed on issues, from politics to the media, many times since my retirement … even spent full hours on various radio shows, appeared on panels etc. etc. without asking for any fee or compensation. I do it, and so do almost everyone else that the media depends on for information and comments, because we believe in supporting our democratic media and the public’s right to information.
Which brings me to the Vancouver Sun and The Province …. the two major city newspapers … neither of which could properly function without the “free” flow of information and the willingness of people to talk to them, answer questions and provide information.
Readers of my previous blog will no doubt be concerned about the questions raised last weekend when the two papers each published the SAME two stories about the growing popularity of PVR technology for home television … right next to the SAME ads from Teleus promoting its PVR services.
There was nothing in either paper to indicate the stories and accompanying ads were part of an “Advertorial” or “Special Advertising Feature” … just two stories, looking like news reports that just happened to be published next to Telus ads.
And what really surprised and concerned me is that both full-page treatments ran in the “A” section of the papers, which I have always believed was kind of sacred as the “real” news part of the newspapers. Maybe they were just ordinary stories that just happened to be placed next to a Telus ad on the same subject. But maybe not.
So I sent e-mails to Province Editor in Chief Wayne Moriarty and Sun Editor in Chief Patricia Graham:
“Is it just a coincidence that these two pieces appear on that page beside the Telus ad?,” I inquired.
“ Are the stories part of a package deal of some kind with Telus? If so, do you consider it ethical for a newspaper to publish these kinds of promotional stories right beside ads without advising the reader in some way of a link between them all?”
Now you might think that any newspaper executive would rush to defend the integrity of his or her newspaper, especially when informed a blog was in preparation that would raise the issue of the two stories/ad???
And you might also expect, in light of the dependence that the news media itself, as outlined above, relies on people and organizations responding to ITS requests for information and interviews, that they would similarly respond to questions directed at them.
You would be wrong.
There was no response from Graham or Moriarty to either of my e-mails. So, out of professional courtesy (even though I’m retired 
) and a determination to find out the truth, I phoned both: neither answered the call directly, so I left messages on their personal voicemail.
Graham’s assistant phoned back and said the Sun’s Editor in Chief had received my e-mail and phone call BUT WOULD BE TOO BUSY ALL WEEK TO RESPOND. And apparently, no one else at The Sun could be designated to explain?
How would The Sun fare if people they approached for interviews responded in the same way? Didn’t answer their e-mail requests for information? Had no time to take even a phone call? What would happen to the paper’s stories? What would be the implications for journalism if that kind of apprently dismissive attitude caught on with those they depend on sao heavuily for information?
The Province”s Moriarty’s response was even worse. Nothing! No response to either my e-mail or to my message on his voice mail. Perhaps he was out of town? Surely the Editor in Chief of a major newspaper would be well enough organized, in such cases, to have someone checking his e-mails and voicemails to ensure his newspaper doesn’t miss the BIG story? LOL!
Now, let’s be very clear. There is no requirement that they answer ANY questions, from me or any other reader. That is their right and I would defend it completely.
But I must say, from my point of view, it looks arrogant and like they aren’t concerned about the questions I (or tens of thousands readers of this blog) might have about the integrity of stories in their newspapers.
Very scary!
Without their response about this particular case or any reassurance about the integrity of their content, how are we to know whether what we are reading in The Sun or The Province is real news or paid-for propaganda?
This Saturday’s Sun carried a “Tech Toy” item “New Canon targets video buffs”. Did reporter Gillian Shaw come up with this story on her own… or is it a bought plant?
There was also a reprint from the North Shore News, ”North Vancouver Boyz video strikes YouTube gold”. Did the North Shore News or the music group pay to have this put before Sun readers? This kind of stuff really scares me: readers of my generation will remember the media payola scandals of the sixties to promote music groups.
The Province Sunday ran a piece “A head start on a rewarding career.” Was that a real feature or bought space?
And if private companies can buy advertorials that are not identified as advertorials, can governments be far behind? Or foreign countries with p.r. image problems? Just imagine the possibilites.
The Sun and The Province owe it to their own readers and the readers of this blog to come clean.
They MUST clearly let readers know what is paid for copy. And if anyone, whether blogger, or subscriber (which I am) or casual reader inquires about whether a particular story was real or a paid for promotional piece, they should provide answers.
It’s the least we should be able to expect from an industry that depends so much on responses from others to produce their product.
In the meantime, until this uncertainty is cleared up, I urge you to send a link to this blog www.harveyoberfeld.ca to everyone on your mailing list, so they can be aware questions have been raised: that what they are reading as in The Sun and The Province as news articles just might not be!
I still await their assurances about those PVR/ad pieces and will be happy to publish them. And I will even answer any questions they might have about the content on my blog!
Harv Oberfeld
22 responses so far ↓
1 Toby F // Sep 5, 2010 at 7:59 pm
Harvey, you asked if can governments be far behind. When I watch or listen to the news, I often wonder if those military stories are supplied by National Defence. I read somewhere that Canada’s Defence budget includes half a billion dollars/year for PR; so where does that money go? The very nature of military and security makes controlling the message easy.
2 Doesn't apply to me // Sep 5, 2010 at 8:37 pm
Harvey, I am surprised that you are just finding this out.
Why do you think that their subscription level is so low?
When you read balanced research that show clear evidence that the best way to spread propaganda is not directly to the people but through ‘the most trusted names in NEWS’, there is no question about what these papers, and TV and radio news are all about.
For those people that listen to the AM rabble rousers, still read both of the Vancouver rags (with the reading level of grade 4), they are ripe for the infusion of ‘what they, the top ten percent who own 80 to 90% of the wealth’, want the people to believe and spread as truth.
Yet, we the people, the 90% of us can not seem to do the math and realize that we are at the bottom of the pyramid, hunting and pecking for a meager livelihood as the ‘kings, and lords and ladies leaping at the top’ laugh, dance, and consume at our expense.
And, if they believe that they still don’t have enough, they make sure that the propaganda is spread through their media boys so that we will give up more to them through taxes, wage cuts, layoffs, broken contracts, . . . what more can I say?
And they do it by pitting each and everyone of us ‘hunters and peckers’ against each other, creating anger, frustration, and hate.
The media makes the ‘lies’ take on a completely different message. Messages like:
Why do ‘they’ get a raise when I don’t.
And so on and so on . . . . .
Yet when the politicians give themselves a raise, the silence is deafening. In fact the silence is deafening when it comes to the top 10%, except when they want the propaganda message to be spread.
Take a good look at history, medieval times, and compare the pyramidal spread of wealth, . . . . remember grade 8 social studies?
Keep the people uninformed (destroy public education and denigrate teachers), and keep the people unhealthy (constantly comment on how the medical system is unsustainable).
Makes sure the people are unable to combine their strength in unity ( keep them fighting amongst themselves, . . . hunger and loss of pride does terrible things); and ensure that all of us ‘hunters and peckers’ continue to be the messengers of the spread of propaganda, and the world will evolve just as the top 10% want.
Hold athletes, musicians, and actors in high esteem, pay them royally, and make sure the people believe this crap.
When you take a good look at the ‘wealth’ and take a survey of what the top 10% have done for the better good, it is obvious that they have done for ‘themselves’ at the cost of the ‘better good’.
They do not find the cure for disease, yet they keep us from the health care by denying the cure through exorbitant cost.
They (the top 10%) have foreign accounts, where they are not required to pay taxes, to hide the riches, our tax money, our money to buy the overpriced crap that is in the adds that you have described in your blog. And then to pour salt in our wounds, they seize the taxes that we pay under the threat of criminal prosecution.
And those that consume the propaganda spewed through the media boys, are the one shouting the loudest about how these ‘people deserve’ their wealth because they work so hard to get it.
Nothing is more morainic then the statement, ‘if we want to attract the best people, we have to pay them well’. This apparently only applies to those CEO’s, ‘the kings and lords and ladies leaping at the top’.
The rest of us are considered, . . . . ‘not the best’ WTF????????????
And how do they do this, well they keep us ‘hunters and peckers’ fighting amongst ourselves by spreading the word about our incompetence and substandard ability.
Did you know that in all of history it has been the ‘incompetent and substandard’ 90%ers that have made the discoveries, ones that HAVE the potential to advanced the ‘good for all’ under the employment of a CEO, who reaps the rewards and in many cases passes down the ‘pink slip’.
Why are we such sheep???????? Absolute obedience to those in power, control, those that apparently hold our lives in the balance?????
When are we going to wake up? It is my belief that if everyone of the 90%ers could believe that just for a day, if we all completely stopped being productive, we could do major damage to the ‘kings, and lords and ladies dancing’. We could begin again to be humanity not the fallout of capitalism. It would not destroy the world as those would like us to believe.
How many people will make the comparison to me and my comments ‘ I am not like this narrator’, therefor this doesn’t apply to me.
And so it goes . . . . . . and keeps going on.
(Response: An interesting read, but I must say I am not as cynical as you. There are still many fine writers at the MSM and I think ,after getting over their initial shameful chuckling and reluctance to take Vander Zalm and the HST seriously, the media have been doing a very good job of exposing all the gory details of Liberals’ handling of the HST. So I’m not ready to join the revolution you seem to think is needed: I just want them to say if those PVR stories were truly independently conceived and published or were part of a joint promotion/ad deal with Telus. Surely if they care about saving their own reputation they can answer that ..and apologize if they erred. h.o)
3 Guy In Victoria // Sep 5, 2010 at 9:44 pm
Enjoyed this and the previous article very much. However as some of your readers have already commented, this is nothing new ( but it’s good to be reminded). Harvey, I spent over 12 years in the broadcasting industry and have seen it all. I’m now retired and along with my other activities, I thoroughly enjoy reading the BC Blogs. I have not opened a Province or Sun newspaper in more than 10 years and I am quite sure that my knowledge of local, provincial & national affairs is equal to any avid news junkie. In other words, my life is quite fine without biased & paid for reporting, BESIDES the bloggers offer so much more in depth stories, that I continue to recommend yours & others ( Yuile, Farrel, Schreck,Tieleman,Alex, etc.) to all my friends.
(Response: I may have missed it before …but IF this is advertising “stories” (we still don’t really know for sure) In Section A without being identified as such, I think it represents a further decline in what we can trust. I hope they respond and clear it up. h.o)
4 sunshine coast girl // Sep 6, 2010 at 2:01 am
Both Graham and Moriarity always respond to me when I email them asking questions, but their answers are always condescending and arrogant. Not at all the kind of response you’d expect from people wanting you to patronize their business.
Last time I got a response from Moriarity, not only was he arrogant in his response, but I guess he kept thinking about my question and sent me a second snotty response over an hour later. Hah!
(Response: Of course your description of their responses is a subjective reaction. They may have thought they were clear and concise.
Their lack of response to me, all week, just makes me suspicious that I was on to something they’re not very proud of in my inquiry. h.o)
5 Norm Farrell // Sep 6, 2010 at 3:27 am
Arrogant acts and unprofessional journalism by traditional media paves the roads for alternatives. Some of the best discussions of issues are in blogs and online journals. I enjoy point and counterpoint discussions but the Vancouver press has an agenda to promote particular points of view and that doesn’t allow for fair treatment of all issues.
Look at the one-sided justifications they gave to HST, using experts selected to continue the preferred line. Now it comes to light that studies were available giving more accurate information about initial negative effects of HST. How come the good doctors of economics such as Milligan and Kesselman didn’t explain the whole story when they contributed articles to the local press?
Wouldn’t it be informative and great fun to have a newspaper that gives platforms to rational observers from all sides. For example, public and private power – there are good arguments for both. Consumption taxes such as HST can be more efficient but you cannot change one element of a tax system without considered the whole system. Why not explore all ideas with diligence?
6 Paul // Sep 6, 2010 at 5:54 am
The Province and Vancouver Sun newspapers are now owned by Canada’s newest media company, Postmedia Network Inc.
The new board includes – David Emerson, director.
David Emerson is now a director on a board of a new company that now owns:
—————————————-
Advertising:
—————————————-
The Flyer Force
Go!Local
—————————————-
Newspapers:
—————————————-
National Post
Calgary Herald
Edmonton Journal
The Gazette
Regina Leader-Post
Ottawa Citizen
The StarPhoenix
Times-Colonist
Windsor Star
—————————————-
Pacific Press Newspaper Group Inc.
—————————————-
Vancouver Sun
The Province
—————————————-
The Van Net Newspaper Group
—————————————-
Abbotsford/Mission Times
Burnaby Now
Chilliwack Times
Coquitlam Now
Delta Optimist
Maple Ridge/Pitt Meadows Times
New Westminster Record
North Shore News
Richmond News
Surrey Now
Vancouver Courier
Langley Advance
—————————————-
Vancouver Island Newspaper Group Inc.
—————————————-
Alberni Valley Pennyworth
Alberni Valley Times
Campbell River Courier Islander
Comox Valley Echo
Cowichan Valley Citizen
Harbour City Star
Nanaimo Daily News
Oceanside Star
Tofino-Ucluelet Westerly
—————————————-
Other community newspapers
—————————————-
The Kingsville Reporter
LakeShore News
LaSalle Post
Shoreline Week
The Tilbury Times
Windsor Parent
—————————————-
Magazines
—————————————-
Financial Post Business
Living Windsor
Swerve
TVtimes
—————————————-
Online
—————————————-
Canada.com
celebrating.com
connecting.com
Dose.ca
driving.ca
househunting.ca
remembering.ca
shoplocal.ca
working.com
FPInfomart.ca
* They also own all of the above websites *
(Responses: Media ownership by corporations is nothing new. But it’s no excuse for the papers not to maintain the highest ethics in journalism, especially on their news pages. h.o)
7 chrisinchaos // Sep 6, 2010 at 6:34 am
I have wondered also, how these ‘unpaid experts’ manage to find their way onto highly viewed newscasts. Take Globals Morning News for example. Chris Carter discusses the latest business news several times during the newscast. He also manages to mention his website (or Steve or Lynn does it for him), and also where he can be reached. As you suggested in your post Harv, these experts often lend their time to outlets free of charge, but what is this free exposure worth to Carter? Clare Newell is also a regular, dispensing common sense travel tips, and also promoting her business and web site, also free of charge??? Probably, but my guess is that these individuals (and others like them) pay Global a ton of money for these valuable cameos, I can’t imagine Global not recognizing this airtime as an advertising opportunity and surely must be cashing in some how. Am I on the wrong track here? Shouldn’t these ‘guests’ also be presented as advertisers, rather than guest experts?
(Response: Actually I have no problem with that at all. At least we know who they are, who they work for and where “they are coming from’ in their remarks. I doubt they pay stations for this exposure: kind of tit for tat …I’ll give you answers …you give me publicity. The media depends very highly on people agreeing to talk to them and contributing to public discussion and undertsanding. And in return, if they promo their company …no big deal. It’s in the open. I’d rather that than paying for unidentified interviews … so we’d have absolutely no idea if they have much expertise or which could lead people to say almost anythnig just to cash in. h.o)
8 Paul // Sep 6, 2010 at 6:44 am
Before last years election.
- Vancouver Sun EDITORIAL (May 8, 2009)
QUOTES:
[1] “With a couple of minor exceptions, compared to past B.C. governments, Campbell’s Liberals have been relatively scandal-free.”
[2] “Campbell says his priorities for the next term are reviving the economy, fighting climate change and establishing better relations with aboriginal people.”
[3] “If re-elected for a third term, Campbell will become part of an elite group.”
[4] “In the past century, only three other premiers have been so rewarded by British Columbians.”
[5] “We think he has earned a chance to show he belongs.”
=====================
Do you think that’s an editorial endorsement of Gordon Campbell or a paid infomercial?
It seems like a Gordon Campbell infomercial to me.
I wonder how much the Vancouver Sun and the Province newspapers receive for publishing those full-page “Playnow.com” online casino ads.
Where was their criticism of government-controlled online gambling?
(Response: You raise an interesting issue. Readers will know I have often pointed to what I regard as pro-Liberal editorial bias in the MSM. And yes, all media receive loads of government and party $$$ from ads, especially around elections. But I have absolutely no hesitation in saying I totally doubt those articles/editorials were paid for directly in any way. That’s just their editorial slant …which they are entitled to have ..and really fools almost no one. That’s quite different from publishing articles directly part of an ad campaign. h.o)
9 Ruraidh // Sep 6, 2010 at 6:49 am
A more relevant question is what set of ethics are taught at journalism schools?
Do they differentiate between copywriting and journalism?
The essence of the question that Harvey is asking is that senior management at MSM outlets sees no difference.
Can the J School graduates weigh in on this?
10 D. M. Johnston // Sep 6, 2010 at 2:30 pm
The arrogant and demeaning attitude by the Province and the Sun are nothing new, it has been going on for decades. The Sun and Province preach, what they are told to preach, by a government who supples ample advertising funds to their coffers.
The none to subtle hint is: “If we do not like what you print, the flow of advertising dollars may diminish!”
I am quite knowledgeable on a certain subject and have been a semi regular guest on local radio stations for about 15 years. I have even been interviewed by you (must of been a very slow news day)!
The Sun and Province, for over a decade and a half have refused to print opt-ed pieces of mine and may print one letter (heavily edited) a year.
At this point, I would like to say my experience with the Black Press has been very good and have had good relations for many years including a threat of libel against me on one of my articles printed in one of their papers.
(In the end, nothing came of it)
I find that both the Sun and Province not only write “puff” stories on the subject I am so interested in, they twist the truth so much that George Orwell would have been proud.
(edited for legal reasons..h.o.)
What we have in BC is managed news, which makes the Sun & Province somewhat like the the ‘Pravda’ of old. The real reporters are the the provincial and corporate ‘spin doctors’, making the mainstream media reporter mere copy boys/girls.
“If the news fits, they will print it!”
(Response: They used to identify all their advertorials quite clearly …so you knew what you were reading. IF the two stories that appeared in the Sun/Province next to the exact same Telus ads WERE advertorials and did not say so, print journalism enters a dangerous phase. For example, Sunday’s Province carried a story “Dr. Iggy prescribes stronger dose of health care” right across Page A-24. How do we know the Liberals didn’t pay for this item? The newspapers really should respond to questions and assure us stories are stories and advertorials are clearly identifed as such. If they erred, they should own up. h.o)
11 Genuine // Sep 6, 2010 at 5:40 pm
A little off topic here ,but remember when baird said leave my staff alone the responsibility remains with the minister I am responsible to answer any questions about your inquires at the Afghanistan comission ,now hansen and campbell,pull a complete 360 and blame the staff, what ever happened to ministerial responsibility,can you have it both ways?
(Response: I guess the rules are different: on the federal scene, the minister bears the responsbility; in the provincial realm, the responsiblity belongs to the staff, the media or anyone else a minister can stick it to. h.o)
12 Paul // Sep 6, 2010 at 6:08 pm
On May 11, 2005, Canwest Media Inc. “donated” $50,000 to the Gordon Campbell “Liberal” party.
On April 5, 2009 Georgia Straight editor Charlie Smith interviewed premier Gordon Campbell at the Straight offices.
Charlie Smith: “What do you say to someone who wonders if the government has directed government advertising to Canwest in return for political contributions?”
Gordon Campbell’s Press Secretary Bridgitte Anderson (who recently quit) objected to the question and it was never answered.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kdZTIGc1Lb0
=====
I don’t think that the May 8, 2009 editorial was “directly” paid for either, but I totally agree with D. M. Johnston – “If we do not like what you print, the flow of advertising dollars may diminish!”.
I believe that this large media corporation’s main focus was (and probably still is) on pleasing their shareholders.
13 Paul // Sep 6, 2010 at 6:31 pm
@ D. M. Johnston – “The real reporters are the provincial and corporate ’spin doctors’, making the mainstream media reporter mere copy boys/girls.”
I agree.
Previous to taking a job with Gordon Campbell, his former Press Secretary Bridgitte Anderson worked as a broadcast journalist at CKWX, CKNW, Standard Broadcast News, CTV Vancouver, CTV Newsnet, and Canada AM.
(Response: Many, many ex-reporters go to “the dark side” and become fart catchers … sorry, press or public relations types, and often make more money than they did in the media. However, must say some are still very open and honest off record and I knew some pretty fair ones while working. But they have a job to do …and sometimes have to deliver the party or corporate line. I still marvel on how they do that …with a straight face. I’d burst out laughing if I ever tried!
h.o
14 A Dave // Sep 6, 2010 at 8:40 pm
Harvey, thank you for raising yet another important media issue, and for taking the time to contact these editors and give them the opportunity to respond – a truly balanced approach that is often so lacking in the blogosphere, let alone the MSM.
I think major newspapers are caught in a downwards cycle that they, so far, have not been able to find a way out of. Shrinking advertising and readership clearly leads to these types of poorly disguised shill pieces, yet when readers see these, they only tune out more and buy less newspapers. I’m not sure how this cycle is going to be broken, since there clearly isn’t much revenue being generated by online versions of newspapers.
Another related issue came up in a conversation I had recently with a publications director of a certain large institute, who said basically that there was a time, only five or ten years ago, that when a story on one of their research reports was published “above the fold” they could count on about half the population reading about it. But these days, even a front page story in the Sun or Globe might only reach 1/10th or less of the population.
Subsequently, their influence on popular opinion has diminished to such a point that their methods have had to change dramatically to get anyone to notice. Again, I think this is causing a downward cycle, as communications departments try desperately to maintain relevance, and MSM tries desperately to generate ad revenue in non-traditional (and less than ethical) ways.
My concern is that the rising power of the blogosphere, and the shameless partisanship on many blogs that present otherwise well-researched facts but clothe them in rhetoric and hyperbole, is not necessarily providing a healthy forum for debate.
Dissenting comments are mercilessly piled on by partisan readers, who rarely address the issues being raised (it occasionally happens here, too, but thankfully not too often). Instead of a debate, dissenting opinions most often result in ad hominen attacks or claims that the dissenting commentators are “plants” paid for by their political masters.
As a result, while I read many of these blogs (kind of like driving by a car accident, being horrified by the gore, but still can’t look away) I rarely offer a dissenting opinion because I know it will predictably lead to being attacked personally, and won’t lead to a healthy debate of the issues.
Where is all this leading, I wonder?
(Response: I still hope, more than a week after I contaqcted them, that they will respond. If they don’t assure us those stories were “coincidential” to the ads or apologize for an editing error in not saying they were part of an advertorial, I (and many many others now) will never really know from now on what is real reporting and what stories are being bought. That cannot help circulation growth! h.o)
15 BC Mary // Sep 6, 2010 at 8:44 pm
Excellent topic and great discussion, Harvey.
The failings of West Coast media are immense and have caused me (and others) 4 years’ work so far — no exaggeration.
I believe good information is essential to a just and democratic society. If West Coast media had been fulfilling their role after 32 uniformed sergeants of police raided the BC Legislature (Dec 2003), bloggers wouldn’t have felt the imperative need to fill the dangerous news vacuum.
The Basi Virk Basi issue is a small issue, when considered against losing control of a big railway. But losing Canada’s 3rd largest railway — the lifeline of a prosperous province — is a huge issue … and yet it probably wouldn’t have come to trial at all, if bloggers hadn’t kept shining a bright light into those many dark corners of secrecy.
Only recently, with the minor shake-up with CanWest becoming Post-Media, has there been a slight condescension in reporting on what National Post began calling “The BC Rail Political Corruption Trial”. Only minor.
One example: can you imagine that a genuine news media would ignore the trial of the man who police were tracking when they raided the BC Legislature? Without a syllable mentioned, he was brought to trial in June 2008, found guilty in August 2008, and sentenced to 9 years in Sept. 2008 … the guy thought to have been kingpin in the West Coast drug trade. The guy who caused the Legislature raid.
Was that media silence a co-incidence? I don’t think so.
I broke the story in Dec. 2008, thanks to a tip from a citizen who had attended a Basi Virk pre-trial hearing. He looked around the courtroom, Harv, saw NO paid reporters present, and decided to pass the tip to me, at The Legislature Raids.
Frankly, I couldn’t believe it. But I did the digging, got the Judge’s “Reasons for Judgment”, and broke the story.
You think that caused a flurry of reports? Ha. You know it didn’t. Two more months of silence went by, and after I mentioned it in passing to Ian Mulgrew, he picked it up, (Feb. 17, 2009) did a column on it, and credited me. And not another word appeared, not then, not since.
Make of it what you will. I’d be interested to know how you’d explain it.
(Response: I can’t explain it. But sounds like a good story to me! h.o)
16 BC Mary // Sep 6, 2010 at 11:06 pm
THANKS, Harvey.
Now for a bit of credit where credit is due: three reporters undertook the following examination which they titled:
Special Report: Access denied in B.C.’s open court system
in an excellent 4-part series.
http://www.timescolonist.com/opinion/Special+Report+Access+denied+open+court+system/3156767/story.html
17 SB // Sep 7, 2010 at 3:18 am
simple explanation – stick butt in air head in sand and get paid for you know what
im sad to say my opinions of MSM work is at that point now good thing we have internet .
18 Henri Paul // Sep 7, 2010 at 4:24 am
Its very so simple to get a message to these two papers. “Do not support them”, like “Guy In Victoria” I have not purchased either of these papers for about 7 years.
Reading papers is a habit very much like smoking cigarettes , which both of should be avoided.
19 Wondering // Sep 7, 2010 at 8:08 pm
Nick Davies a British journalist has written an ineresting book about British newspapers. The basic premise is that newspapers are being produced by fewer and fewer journalists; thus the lack a real research and investigation. The majority of journalists now take interest group based press releases and rewrite them as an article. Most articles in any Canadian newspaper are written in this mannner.
This does not even touch the impact of veritically integrated news – when on media reports on a matter related to another media.
(Response: You touch on another major issue ….the increased use of press releases, press conferences, produced reports, lack of research and investigation. But that’s quite different from newsppaers (or radio or tv.) being PAID to run/write “stories” and not letting their readers, listeners, viewers know. Until the Sun/Province answer our questions about those PVR/Telus coincidences .. I will not TRUST their stories …especially positive or promotional looking ones ..as being real journalism. And I suspect many others will not either. Silence is their right …but in my view a totally dumb (incompetent?) management reaction. Loss of credibility and trust will do nothing to increase circulation ..that’s for sure! h.o)
20 Matlock // Sep 7, 2010 at 9:16 pm
BC Mary,
You are absolutely right.
I needed to listen to the court recordings in my own case but was told I could not due to privacy reasons. I told the clerk that I was one of the participants. The clerk then told me they combine several court proceedings on one disk. I mentioned that court proceedings are open to the public.
She then told me I was able to purchase the transcript. The cost would have been over $400.00!
I wonder if there is wide spread corruption going on that they don’t want the public to know about?
21 Genuine // Sep 7, 2010 at 11:31 pm
Matlock,there’s nothing to wonder about ,look around you and take a deep breath can you smell what deceit is cooking.
22 Norm Farrell // Sep 8, 2010 at 1:58 am
SB says good thing we have the Internet.
Does it surprise anyone that our right to an Internet that allows free exchange of legal information does not exist. One of the Canadian Internet companies believed that blog traffic was taking too many resources so they began to limit access. Complaints led them to stop but suppliers still believe they have the right to limit what you can read.
Be worried for the future. As independent news sources and blogs gain influence, the powerful will implement controls to reduce the influence of the modern day pamphleteers.
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