Bloggers beat back ban
Canada’s draconian election news ban is bloodied but unbowed – for now. “It’s a 20th century law for a 21st century issue,” wrote Alexandra Samuel and Darren Barefoot before backing down and imposing a three-hour blackout at tweettheresults.ca. In the weeks leading up to the election, Canada’s media ban caught some attention south of the border, where NYU journalism professor Jay Rosen coyly suggested a mass tweet-in. After an unsuccessful court challenge by CBC and Bell Media, Elections Canada sent out a stern reminder to emboldened ban-breakers. On e-night, the chastened tweeters restricted themselves to playful hints. Then a few began reporting the results straight up. Then the tweet-in went global and the gates opened. Ironically, one of the first breaches came not from the blogosphere, but from an accidental CBC broadcast. OpenFile has posted a collection of notable election night communications. Sites like electopinion.ca have sprung up and continue to follow the buzz, and it seems results-reporting blogs are now part of the landscape. If bookies are taking money on the next round, the early money is likely on the bloggers, not the ban.
Canada’s draconian election news ban is bloodied but unbowed – for now. “It’s a 20th century law for a 21st century issue,” wrote Alexandra Samuel and Darren Barefoot before backing down and imposing a three-hour blackout at tweettheresults.ca. In the weeks leading up to the election, Canada’s media ban caught some attention south of the border, where NYU journalism professor Jay Rosen coyly suggested a mass tweet-in. After an unsuccessful court challenge by CBC and Bell Media, Elections Canada sent out a stern reminder to emboldened ban-breakers. On e-night, the chastened tweeters restricted themselves to playful hints. Then a few began reporting the results straight up. Then the tweet-in went global and the gates opened. Ironically, one of the first breaches came not from the blogosphere, but from an accidental CBC broadcast. OpenFile has posted a collection of notable election night communications. Sites like electopinion.ca have sprung up and continue to follow the buzz, and it seems results-reporting blogs are now part of the landscape. If bookies are taking money on the next round, the early money is likely on the bloggers, not the ban.
Patricia W. Elliott is a magazine journalist and assistant professor at the School of Journalism, University of Regina. You can visit her at patriciaelliott.ca.