J-Topics
Sep 23, 2008
- Posted by Deborah
Jones
Excerpts from a scathing piece by Andrew Coyne in Maclean's on the performance of political journalism in Canada:
"...in one respect every election is the same: the press coverage. It's always an embarrassment, and always in exactly the same way. Politicians learn from their mistakes, sometimes. We just go on repeating ours.
The media "... are hurting democracy. We aren't just missing an opportunity to help the public make sense of things at a critical time. We're making things worse. We're actually getting in the way."
Coyne especially dislikes horserace reporting:
Readers, he says, want to know about political candidates: "Who are these people, and what are they going to do to us? Tell us about the candidates who are running for office, their values and character. And tell us what they would do with the power they seek from us, their policies and platforms. If you need to add a little colour to make it entertaining, fine, but don't let that obscure the main point.
"What, instead, do we tell them? We tell them who's ahead, over and over and over. And, of course, who's behind."
Ouch.
"...in one respect every election is the same: the press coverage. It's always an embarrassment, and always in exactly the same way. Politicians learn from their mistakes, sometimes. We just go on repeating ours.
The media "... are hurting democracy. We aren't just missing an opportunity to help the public make sense of things at a critical time. We're making things worse. We're actually getting in the way."
Coyne especially dislikes horserace reporting:
Readers, he says, want to know about political candidates: "Who are these people, and what are they going to do to us? Tell us about the candidates who are running for office, their values and character. And tell us what they would do with the power they seek from us, their policies and platforms. If you need to add a little colour to make it entertaining, fine, but don't let that obscure the main point.
"What, instead, do we tell them? We tell them who's ahead, over and over and over. And, of course, who's behind."
Ouch.
Sep 23, 2008
- Posted by Deborah
Jones
Sez Charlie Smith of the Georgia Straight on the subject of television journalism (his blog in the alternative newspaper is a rant about the resignation of a NDP candidate in British Columbia):
Jeez Charlie. Why don't you tell us what you really think?
"Dumb, celebrity-obsessed, issue-avoiding television news programs played a role in turning over control of the White House to George Bush and Dick Cheney. This led directly to the debacle in Iraq and the financial meltdown plaguing global markets this past week.
"In Canada, our dumb, pot-smoking-obsessed, issue-avoiding television news programs are probably elevating the risk of a Conservative majority government. Time will tell if Harper can replicate the financial and foreign-affairs records of the Bush administration."
"In Canada, our dumb, pot-smoking-obsessed, issue-avoiding television news programs are probably elevating the risk of a Conservative majority government. Time will tell if Harper can replicate the financial and foreign-affairs records of the Bush administration."
Jeez Charlie. Why don't you tell us what you really think?
Sep 22, 2008
- Posted by Regan
Ray
The current election campaign has shut reporters out of Parks Canada,
according to a recent story in the Canmore, Alta.-based Rocky Mountain
Outlook...
Sep 22, 2008
- Posted by Regan
Ray
The blogosphere has emerged as the main resource for "truth-squading" candidates in the 2008 U.S. election. But here in Canada, news outlets are missing a big opportunity, writes former NPR ombudsman Jeffrey Dvorkin, by not paying much attention to bloggers.
The blogosphere has emerged as the main resource for "truth-squading" candidates in the 2008 U.S. election. But here in Canada, news outlets are missing a big opportunity, writes former NPR ombudsman Jeffrey Dvorkin, by not paying much attention to bloggers.
Sep 22, 2008
- Posted by Patricia
Elliott
Two prominent Newfoundland journalists have crossed the line to run as candidates – and “it’s not pretty,”
observes Greg Locke in this J-Source post.
But when the Sydney Morning Herald threw out the question to readers – Should Ex-journos
Become Pollies? – the response was milder than you might expect. The
question brings to mind the case of former MP and ex-journo Dick Proctor, who
flipped into ‘journalism mode,’ scribbling notes at the sound of a juicy high-level
conversation on an airplane. Jon Filson raises the question: What would a working
journalist have done with the notes?
Then there’s the reverse play: when politicos become
journos. Eric Green of the Washington-watching website America.gov argues politicians may bring
their spin with them, but they also bring an inside track on issues that the
rest of us can only dream about. In Blurry
Line Separates Politics, Journalism, Green points to the example of the
late Tim Russert, an ex-politico who established a solid journalistic reputation.
But this only works when allegiances are shed, the article cautions. In other
words, blurry or not, the line matters – and once you’ve crossed, it’s not so
easy to go back.
Two prominent Newfoundland journalists have crossed the line to run as candidates – and “it’s not pretty,”
observes Greg Locke in this J-Source post.
But when the Sydney Morning Herald threw out the question to readers – Should Ex-journos
Become Pollies? – the response was milder than you might expect. The
question brings to mind the case of former MP and ex-journo Dick Proctor, who
flipped into ‘journalism mode,’ scribbling notes at the sound of a juicy high-level
conversation on an airplane. Jon Filson raises the question: What would a working
journalist have done with the notes?
Then there’s the reverse play: when politicos become
journos. Eric Green of the Washington-watching website America.gov argues politicians may bring
their spin with them, but they also bring an inside track on issues that the
rest of us can only dream about. In Blurry
Line Separates Politics, Journalism, Green points to the example of the
late Tim Russert, an ex-politico who established a solid journalistic reputation.
But this only works when allegiances are shed, the article cautions. In other
words, blurry or not, the line matters – and once you’ve crossed, it’s not so
easy to go back.(Gagglescape image)
Sep 21, 2008
- Posted by Deborah
Jones
Has the defence department muzzled its employees?
Reported Canadian Press: "The Defence Department has ordered staff to limit media interviews during the federal election campaign in a move critics charge is nothing more than an attempt to contain potentially damaging coverage of the Afghan mission." CP quoted Carleton University journalism professor Chris Waddell criticizing the order: "Whether there's an election on or not, these people are public servants and accountability shouldn't be suspended in the course of an election campaign nor should information be suspended."
But the CP story also quoted a statement from an un-named spokeswoman in the department's media office that officials "continue to communicate with media and the public and grant select interviews."
Clear as mud.
Reported Canadian Press: "The Defence Department has ordered staff to limit media interviews during the federal election campaign in a move critics charge is nothing more than an attempt to contain potentially damaging coverage of the Afghan mission." CP quoted Carleton University journalism professor Chris Waddell criticizing the order: "Whether there's an election on or not, these people are public servants and accountability shouldn't be suspended in the course of an election campaign nor should information be suspended."
But the CP story also quoted a statement from an un-named spokeswoman in the department's media office that officials "continue to communicate with media and the public and grant select interviews."
Clear as mud.
Sep 21, 2008
- Posted by Deborah
Jones
Federal delays in responding to public requests are at a "crisis level"
and Canada lags behind many other countries on openness scale, says a recent report on freedom of information access laws worldwide.
Sep 19, 2008
- Posted by Fred
Vallance-Jones
Elections produce a lot of numbers. A guide to some of the online resources available to help you get on top of the numbers game.
Sep 18, 2008
- Posted by Deborah
Jones
How prepared are journalists to analyze and report on economic issues?
Sep 16, 2008
- Posted by Alan
Bass
Canwest News Service reporter Archie McLean looked for coverage of our federal election in the foreign press and didn't find much. News media that have reported or commented on the Canadian campaign include The Guardian (columnist despises the Harper government), The Wall St. Journal (editorial writer loves the Harper government) and The New York Times (amazed Canadian politics gets dirty).
Politics
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