Primary Sites:
* CNN: Bringing new meaning to the term 'Style over Substance' *
During the American election, CNN's Jessica Yellin was recorded as a hologram and beamed into the studio. This triumph of technology begs one obvious question: "Why?"
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* Garber Rant: The future of World Communications *
The connections -- and common ground -- out here in Cascadia (Western BC, Coastal Washington and Oregon) have everything to do with transportation and communication.
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* Local radio stations respond to Salvation Army theft *
"Toys for Teens Day" takes place Tuesday, December 9, from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on all Vancouver commercial radio stations.
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* The end of an era in US news: Peter Jennings dies at 67 *
Jennings defined an era in news for Americans; for them, Peter Jennings was the elegant one.
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*evalu8.org launches *
Anne Garber, Managing Director of evalu8.org Media Inc., is pleased to announce the successful launch of www.evalu8.org on Monday, July 1, 2002.
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A Canadian way for Al-Jazeera *
There was a time when banning the importation of Al-Jazeera, the Arabic news channel, would have been consistent with Canadian values. Indeed, in the early 1930s, a principal rationale for regulating radio was to protect our sovereignty.
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A timely example of why we must have the CBC *
Tonight, the CBC is doing one of those things that it inevitably does and that Canadians expect it to do. It's not just journalism. It's an act of creating context and it connects Canada to far-flung parts of the world.
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Al-Jazeera news service sets up English Web site *
The Arab satellite station Al-Jazeera launched an English-language Web site yesterday, five months after hackers brought down a temporary site at the height of the Iraq war.
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All hail Britain's inquiring minds *
One of the headlines in the British press about the Hutton Inquiry was, "A very British sort of inquiry." Isn't it, though, I said approvingly, and was surprised to find the author thought this was a bad thing. He felt the inquiry was scattered in its intent. He sound miffed, like an English schoolmaster...
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All the news that's fudged to print *
The New York Times sacrificed its top editor for the wrong reasons, says Harper's publisher JOHN MacARTHUR. If you think Jayson Blair was loose with the facts, look at how the Times covered Iraq
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All we can hope for is . . . Canadians going to hell, U.S. host says *
When a hockey incident in Canada, in this case Todd Bertuzzi's attack on Steve Moore, dominates the conversation on phone-in shows across the United States, something extraordinary has happened.
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America's cultural offensive *
Washington hopes to ease foreign-policy woes in the Middle East by wooing hearts and minds with a new Arabic-language radio network, satellite TV channel and glossy monthly magazine. It's the funky side of the war on terror, SIMON HOUPT writes
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An eye on the Bottom Line *
Drummer PETER VON ALTHEN studies the view from a famous stage, and explains why Canadian musicians have found a home in a particular niche of U.S. radio
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And the laugh was still there *
John Doyle, well into his allotted 15 minutes south of the border, went toe-to-toe with Fox News' Bill O'Reilly and his ilk. Now he finds himself swamped with notes from sympathetic Americans who are frankly embarrassed for some of their countrymen.
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André Alexis: A nomad at play in radio land *
Given carte blanche by the CBC to try his hand at writing for radio, author ANDRÉ ALEXIS discovered it's all about voice.
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Anti-Bush sentiment busts out all over *
And it's not just the usual suspects taking shots, SIMON HOUPT writes. The fire is coming from feature film, theatre and TV.
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Are the U.S. airwaves about to lean to the left? *
Al Gore and others think they can scoop some viewers who aren't likely to be tuned to Fox News, SIMON HOUPT writes
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Arthur spinoff keeps Canadian content *
A new live-action and animation travelogue show is part of PBS's effort to offer more children's programming, PAUL WALDIE writes.
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As It Happens: Who can resist a ringing telephone? *
In the 1960s, a very simple idea was born for a CBC radio show. And the rest is As It Happens history, writes co-host BARBARA BUDD on the phenomenon's 35th anniversary.
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Ask the Bargain Shopper: Canadian Telemarketers await No-Call Decision, Tougher Rules on Hold *
The new rules are on standby while the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission studies the feasibility of a national no-call list in Canada.
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Ask the Bargain Shopper: For Canadians -- Stopping telemarketers *
CRTC-governed telemarketing Rules, proposed 'do-not-call' legislation -- and why Canadian survey companies remain exempt. . .
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Ask the Bargain Shopper: Getting added to the 'no call' list -- if you are in Canada *
The CRTC is like the U.S. Federal Communications Commission in that it regulates telephone carriers. Though it cannot directly control telemarketers, it can order telephone carriers to bar them access to the phone system should they break the rules.
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BBC chief resigns over Hutton report *
The head of the British Broadcasting Corp. resigned Thursday after a judicial inquiry harshly criticized the network's journalistic standards.
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BBC to launch on-line archive of shows *
The British Broadcasting Corp. plans to make much of its vast television and radio library, including portions of shows such as Dr. Who and Monty Python's Flying Circus, available for free on the Internet. It's an initiative that the BBC hopes will encourage other public broadcasters to do the same.
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Billions at stake in CRTC Internet phone decision *
Big telcos want limits on them lifted, but CRTC ruling likely to help upstarts, independents.
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Black says he won't cede control of Hollinger Int'l *
Conrad Black now says he won't cede control of newspaper publisher Hollinger International Inc., backing away from a highly publicized announcement made just one month ago.
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Blair and the BBC *
Lord Hutton, one of the 12 Law Lords on Britain's highest court, has considered many complex issues in his time, including the 1999 question of whether Chile's Augusto Pinochet was immune from prosecution. He should therefore be up to the task of sorting rumours from facts in the suicide of government adviser and former United Nations weapons inspector David Kelly, and determining what if any censure the Labour government of Tony Blair and the British Broadcasting Corp. deserve in this affair.
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Blair carries the day at Kelly inquiry *
Smooth as silk, Prime Minister Tony Blair testified yesterday and tore apart the BBC's allegations about his controversial Iraq dossier, saying that the broadcaster had attacked "the credibility of the country" and that he would have resigned if his office had exaggerated the threat posed by Saddam Hussein.
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Blair wanted dossier public: aide *
Britain Prime Minister Tony Blair's communications director, a key figure in a controversy over the government's case for war in Iraq, said Tuesday that it was Blair who decided to publish a contentious dossier on Iraq's weapons of mass destruction.
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Blair's in the spotlight as judicial inquiry begins *
There will be little celebration today for Tony Blair as he becomes the longest continuous-serving Labour Party prime minister in history under the shadow of a judicial inquiry that goes to the heart of his style of government.
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Blair, the BBC and the devil's dilemma *
'There's no doubt in my mind that I would have aired the report,' says veteran broadcaster MARK STAROWICZ
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Blatchford to join Globe *
Award-winning journalist Christie Blatchford will be joining The Globe and Mail, the newspaper announced Friday.
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Bonnie gets the Star treatment *
Vanity Fair has pushed the envelope of cattiness with its latest profile of Canadian-born celebrity magazine editor Bonnie Fuller.
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British government ministers pressure BBC to apologize *
Government ministers stepped up pressure Saturday on the British Broadcasting Corp. to apologize for reporting that officials doctored intelligence information to justify war with Iraq.
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Canada Reads promises to be a thriller *
Canada does not tend to have the kind of literary tempests that churn through the cultural tides of other countries. There's no Canadian equivalent of Roddy Doyle slamming the reputation of James Joyce, as the author of Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha did last week to eye-widening, delicious horror in Ireland and Britain.
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Canada regulator -- CRTC -- expected to limit big telcos on VoIP *
Canada's telecom regulator will likely rule this week that the country's biggest phone companies won't be free to set their own prices for phone service that uses the same technology as the Internet, analysts said on Monday.
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Canadian content overhaul urged *
The federal government's formula for defining Canadian content in the film and television industries should be overhauled, says a report, which aims to make the broader system more efficient and able to stimulate greater domestic production.
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Canadians shouldn't be denied Fox News *
Canada made The New York Times last weekend, and that is never a good thing.
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Canadians' radio listening down over past decade *
Canadians are spending an average of 90 minutes less per week listening to the radio than a decade ago, says a report on radio listening habits released Friday by Statistics Canada.
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CanWest buying Alliance *
The proposal requires approval from Alliance Atlantis shareholders this spring as well as regulators, including the CRTC.
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CBC axes Disclosure after three seasons *
Disclosure, one of CBC Television's highest-profile public-affairs shows, has been cancelled -- a victim of poor ratings.
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CBC considering a changing of the guard at Hockey Night *
When Hockey Night In Canada conducts its annual review, a big issue will be the disappointing work of announcer Bob Cole and analyst Harry Neale in the playoffs.
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CBC dodges bullet this week *
CBC Television's imposed seven-second delay on commentator Don Cherry had the network's sports department struggling yesterday to figure out a way to apply the time constraint.
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CBC employees take to the 'pirate' airwaves *
Locked-out workers in Western Canada hosting programs on community, college radio stations
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CBC is the problem: Salutin *
The Cherry crisis: The Don Cherry crisis is not about Don Cherry. It's about the CBC. Nor is it a crisis, it is a chronic problem: The CBC's connection to popular culture, in the sense of "mass" or "vulgar."
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CBC on defensive over trip to Kabul *
Peter Mansbridge's stint in Afghanistan was seen as a way to improve CBC News' image, in the wake of a recent study that suggested the public broadcaster seemed stuffy in the public's eye.
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CBC planning foray into HDTV *
The CBC has applied for a licence to transmit high-definition television content, and the first HDTV production is likely to be a Hockey Night in Canada game.
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CBC sends in the knucklehead police *
It's not the language police who should be investigating Don Cherry. It's the logic police.
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CBC to face $10-million shortfall *
The CBC will have to get through the next six months without the $10-million that Heritage Minister Sheila Copps earlier said would be available to it.
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CBC Workers Launch CBC Unplugged and Studio Zero *
Imagine a bunch of locked-out auto workers standing outside the factory gates and saying, "All right, let's build our own cars."
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CBS chairman defends Jackson interview *
CBS's top executive has complained that the network's news division, embroiled in questions about how 60 Minutes obtained an interview with Michael Jackson, is held to a higher standard than its rivals.
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Censoring Cherry proves tricky for CBC *
CBC officials were scrambling yesterday to figure out just who will censor hockey commentator Don Cherry, and how the network will operate the seven-second delay system that's meant to muzzle him.
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Cherry dodges bullet by holding his fire *
Commentator back with Hockey Night
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Chicago paper overstated its circulation *
Hollinger International Inc. says the Chicago Sun-Times overstated circulation figures, the latest scandal to hit the Hollinger International Group of newspapers.
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Chocolate: CBC's Flavour of the Week *
This new national program, which follows Lee and Gallagher as they explore a new culinary flavour each week, will air on Friday, July 27 at 7:30 p.m. on CBC Radio One.
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CHUM apologizes for Conan sketch *
A TV comedy sketch in which a grouchy puppet took potshots at French Canadians was called unacceptable and racist garbage by some federal politicians Friday.
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CHUM cutting 29 jobs at Victoria TV station *
CHUM Ltd.'s television unit will cut 29 full and part-time positions at its Victoria television station, The New VI, including those of politico Moe Sihota and Pia Shandel.
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Coach's Corner put on time delay *
The CBC is putting a seven-second time delay on Don Cherry's Coach's Corner segment after the federal official languages watchdog said it would investigate a quip by the hockey icon.
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Cocky CBS playing with fire *
What's really interesting about CBS right now is its breezy tendency to alienate people. Talk about pride before a fall. While the other networks are weeping and gnashing over a season gone horribly wrong, CBS couldn't care less.
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Come on, people. Ottawa wants to hear from you *
Do you have a pen and paper handy? Good. Write this down -- "Dear CRTC." You can continue from there and I'll gladly leave the rest up to you. But first I'll explain...
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Countdown to 2010: TV rights could spur a bonanza *
These Games will have a huge impact on Canadian broadcasting. The networks are set to enter a bidding war...
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CRTC move threatens new media *
Funding cutbacks deal a body blow, industry says
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CRTC muzzles Quebec shock jock *
He's been sued, criticized and isolated, but outspoken Quebec City radio host André Arthur is not about to clam up — not yet. He may just run in the next federal election.
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CRTC sets deadline on phone numbers game *
The federal telecommunications regulator set a March 14, 2007 deadline on Tuesday for Canada's wireless operators to let most Canadian customers keep their phone numbers when they change carriers.
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CTV's Gateway opens door to a TV news revolution *
The broadband evolution has sparked a broadcast revolution. TV newsrooms across Canada are shunning traditional satellite and fibre-line feeds in favour of Internet protocol (IP) technology to move their video.
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Curling, Canadian Tire and other Commie plots *
Well, it seemed that we could leave this Fox News to one side for a while, but no such luck. I am informed that on Wednesday evening on the Fox News Channel, chief ranter Bill O'Reilly took a swing at me, The Globe and Mail, and the CBC. I'll admit that I've been baited into paying attention.
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David Brinkley, 82 *
David Brinkley, who first gained fame as one-half of NBC's Huntley-Brinkley anchor team and for more than a half-century loomed large in the newscasting world he helped chart, has died. He was 82.
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David Brinkley, 82 -- And so, 'Goodnight, David' *
Huntley-Brinkley Report brought fame to newscaster
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Democracy deficit on the block *
Backroom deals, secret trials, rigged contracts, abuse of taxpayer dollars. Canadians are fed up. They are demanding accountability from governments and they expect the media to help hold governments to their promises.
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Disaster coverage -- Galveston *
When disaster strikes, every type of human emotion is exposed. We get an opportunity to be at our very best -- and our very worst.
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Don't bet on looser telecom rules *
Read the press reports and you'd think Canada's phone and cable companies were about to emerge from decades of protectionism and join the 21st century, where free markets, not regulation and ownership rules, dictate business strategy.
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Drowning in swag for a good cause *
There's a very good rule at this newspaper: You don't accept swag. Not at Christmas, not ever. I'm convinced the no-swag rule is carved somewhere on a wall in the bowels of this building. They take it that seriously and rightly so.
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Editors play musical chairs at Canadian women's magazines *
Are Canadian women's magazines as fickle as the fashions they report on? The last two weeks in the industry have been tumultuous, with senior editors playing leapfrog and the industry itself playing musical chairs, leaving one magazine without a seat.
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Engaging viewers is key *
CHUM's new president advises fellow broadcasters to follow Quebec's example on home-grown drama, GAYLE MacDONALD writes
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Ex-head of BBC blasts Blair on Iraq *
'We were all duped,' Greg Dyke writes in a blistering attack on the British PM.
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Fahrenheit 9/11 heats up Alliance's bottom line *
The box office success of Michael Moore's controversial film Fahrenheit 9/11 has begun to spin revenue for its Canadian distributor Alliance Atlantis Communications Inc.
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Father Moses still an influence as CHUM grows *
Some insiders say it will be impossible to de-Znaimerize the company, while others feel the new team is right to impose its own style.
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FCC flooded with Jackson complaints *
The Federal Communications Commission said Friday that it has been flooded with more than 200,000 complaints about last weekend's Super Bowl halftime show. Most of the complaints specifically mentioned the one-second flash of Janet Jackson's breast, the FCC said.
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FCC ruling will erase Canada's on-line edge *
When the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced last week that it would ease its regulation of the media, critics warned of a wave of mergers, with monopolies or oligarchies emerging to control what the public sees or reads. Democracy would be damaged; diversity would die.
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FCC to limit digital TV piracy *
U.S. federal regulators say broadcasters may embed an electronic marker in high-quality digital television shows to make it harder to copy and distribute the programs over the Internet.
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Feedback: captive audience exploitation *
One of our readers is convinced that music piped in to stores from radio stations is more than just annoying; he thinks that the ads included in radio programming -- and broadcast to unwilling customers -- should be made illegal. What do you think?
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Filmmaker Spike Lee and Viacom settle lawsuit *
Filmmaker Spike Lee and Viacom have settled a lawsuit Lee filed to keep the media giant from calling its TNN cable television network "Spike TV."
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Flawed Disclosure was better than icky reality TV *
Over at CBC, the bosses have been making a list and, more or less, doing their internal version of who's naughty and who's nice.
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Former head of CMA settles with CBC North *
The former head of the Canadian Medical Association has discontinued a defamation suit against CBC North after the public broadcaster agreed to a financial settlement. The CBC would not disclose the amount.
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Fox News. Not here yet, but already hilarious *
I've never been called "a douche-nozzle" before. At least, not that I know about anyway. The insult came from one supporter of the Fox News Channel.
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Garber on Business: How to get the media exposure you (think you) deserve *
Nothing annoys a member of the media -- whether they're in print or electronic media -- more than hearing the word "ad." Few of us ever write anything even mildly approaching "advertorial," and we resent the suggestion that our precious words could possibly be up for sale.
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Gilligan joins BBC exodus *
The storm consuming the British Broadcasting Corp. sent a chill through British journalism Friday, as senior figures warned that a judge's harsh criticism of the broadcaster could discourage tough investigative reporting.
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Gore buys former CBC channel *
After months of speculation, former U.S. presidential hopeful Al Gore and some well-heeled partners finally cemented a deal yesterday to acquire the 24-hour cable channel Newsworld International, which is programmed by the CBC.
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Governments fund study of cocaine use: CBC *
The federal and provincial governments have contributed close to $700,000 for a series of studies at McGill University in which a psychiatry professor is offering people $500 to use cocaine, the CBC reported last night.
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Grammys expected to the staid and surprise-free *
Super Bowl fallout likely to have impact on Sunday's show.
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Greens deserve airtime *
In a lifetime of covering politics, I can remember only one occasion when I participated in a high-level and significant political discussion.
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Grinding the axe and passing the buck *
In Britain, it's the suicide of a scientist that spawns the blame game; here, it's the Great Blackout. Grinding various ideological axes, the media weigh in. Governments establish inquiries to reassure voters the cock-up will never again occur, at least until the next time.
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Groups call for ban on Fox News slogan *
Fox News' use of the slogan "Fair and Balanced" constitutes deceptive advertising, two political-advocacy groups said Monday in a petition filed with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission.
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Hoax continues: Jessica Lynch receives a hero's welcome *
Former PoW Jessica Lynch returned home to a flag-waving hero's welcome Tuesday, saying "it's great to be home" in her first public words since being rescued.
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Hoax on radio show gets Castro cursing *
Cuban leader Fidel Castro apparently fell victim to a prank by a Miami radio station and used crude expletives against talk-show hosts who led him to believe he was on the phone with his Venezuelan counterpart, President Hugo Chavez.
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Hollinger sells Telegraph Group *
Newspaper publisher Hollinger International Inc. has sold Telegraph Group Ltd., which includes Britain's Daily Telegraph, to the Barclay twin tycoons in a $1.3-billion US deal.
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How Shelagh got her groove back *
The veteran broadcaster used a very public break from her radio career to rediscover her private self. That introspective voice will join her when she returns to the airwaves this week, SARAH HAMPSON writes
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How VoIP is ringing in change *
Voice over Internet Protocol, or VoIP, is a new way of making phone calls that can be cheaper than traditional phone service.
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If you don't like Don, change the channel: Bobby Orr *
I'm writing in response to the recent controversy surrounding comments made by Don Cherry...
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Indie music and beyond *
CBC Radio 3 has been hailed as a model for the future of broadcasting. But many Canadians have never even heard of the award-winning virtual network, ALEXANDRA GILL reports.
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Jeffrey Kofman -- He's, gasp, Canadian *
When an ABC reporter recently broadcast a story from Iraq that infuriated the Bush administration, White House officials scrambled to find the best way to hit back, says NPR ombudsman JEFFREY DVORKIN
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Keep lid on foreign ownership: Broadcast report *
A two-year study of Canadian broadcasting has called for a vast overhaul of both the industry's public and private wings — but pointed in a starkly different direction than a parallel parliamentary committee recommended just six weeks ago.
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Keeping the Lights on at The Bright One *
Sometimes a story comes along that is so well-written, that we just have to write to request the chance to share it with our readers. This is such a piece -- by Dennis Byrne as seen in the Chicago Daily Observer. Enjoy!
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Layoffs, union vote hit Maclean's *
Staffers are expected to join CEP in the wake of job cuts and a bureau closing.
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Lessons in picking the top science story *
There is nothing like the New Year to make one look back over the past year with bright and sometimes teary eyes. Everyone has been coming up with their top 10, or 25, or 100 lists of the most science important stories of 2003.
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Linda Groen named head of CBC Radio current affairs *
Linda Groen, former executive producer of The Sunday Edition, has been named the new head of current affairs for CBC Radio.
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Loose lips tell us Bay St. is about to get 'Franked' *
ERIC REGULY dishes on how ex-Globe seat-mate became front man in magazine takeover
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Maclean's at the crossroads *
On the eve of its centenary, the once-venerable newsmagazine faces sagging circulation, low staff morale and a fierce fight for advertising dollars, MICHAEL POSNER writes.
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Martin descends on Washington *
Prime Minister Paul Martin headed to Washington Wednesday to begin a round of talks with congressional leaders and U.S. President George W. Bush—amid some signs of growing antagonism from the United States.
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Media not behind 'genohype,' study shows *
The media are often accused of exaggerating the importance of developments in the field of genetic research. Those who level the allegation have even coined a term to describe it — they call it genohype
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Media snakes eat their own tails *
Who reads profiles of people in magazines? Who buys Vanity Fair and People? Who wants to read gossip about the personal lives of people they don't know? What kind of short-attention-span, superficial ninny wants to read about what's in a newscaster's closet rather than about ideas and events?
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Media watchdogs call for inquiry into killing *
Journalism watchdogs called for an investigation into the killing of a Reuters cameraman by U.S. troops.
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Memo to CBC: How to deal with the delay *
Frequently Asked Questions about seven-second broadcast delays...
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MiRoamer Internet Radio (Garber review) ****
A new online platform allows you to better organize your listening pleasure -- regardless of the devices you might want to use as you travel. Four stars.
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Moses's long goodbye *
CITY-TV founder Znaimer's farewell was so great it will be reprised -- and televised.
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Networks brace for expensive labour war *
A full-season stoppage could cost CBC between $55-million and $60-million.
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New allegations levelled against bleak Conrad Black *
A filing this week in U.S. District Court in Chicago spells out a dozen alleged misdeeds by "Lord" Conrad "Tubby" Black, the former chairman and chief executive of Hollinger International. He is accused of plundering millions of dollars from the company's coffers.
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New York Times to end paid Internet service *
The New York Times Co. said on Monday it is ending its paid TimesSelect Web service and making most of its website available for free in the hopes of attracting more readers and higher advertising revenue.
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No babes, please, we're the BBC *
One afternoon last week, it being a fine day and all, I moseyed down the street to a nice new hotel and spent an hour talking to Mishal Husain from the BBC.
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Numbers back Cherry's rant *
Close examination shows Europeans, Quebec players leading the way.
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O'Brien aftershocks reverberate in U.S. media *
Nearly a week after U.S. talk-show host Conan O'Brien stumbled into a Canadian political controversy, the aftershocks are finally hitting the American media.
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Ottawa may ease tobacco ad ban *
Impact of losing Montreal Grand Prix spurs government to revisit legislation
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Out of the blue, you've got rabbis and orgasms *
A friend told me a joke the other day, and I think it's such a good one I've told it to a dozen or more people in the past week. But don't worry. This isn't the best place to tell it. It requires a presentation that is slightly more demonstrative than what I can muster, here on the printed page. And quite possibly, a well-told joke is a little more noise and activity than you'd like to have to deal with, out there, waiting for the coffee to drip.
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Peter and the crew troop off to Kabul *
It was touch and go for a few hours, but Peter Mansbridge, CBC chief correspondent and anchor of The National, and several other journalists, producers and technicians arrived in Kabul over the weekend in preparation for almost a week of broadcasts from the Afghan capital.
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Pony up: Taking wagers on some new editors-in-chief *
Now that my good friend John Honderich has departed the Toronto Star, the newspaper his family ran for more than 50 years, the man who effectively displaced him, publisher Michael Goldbloom, is looking to fill the other title Honderich had arrogated -- editor-in-chief.
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Press release 1: evalu8.org goes live July 1, 2002 *
Evalu8.org is an entertainment, food, travel and review site with its roots in Vancouver, the British Columbia region and the Pacific Northwest.
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Press release 2: evalu8.org launches a new feature to simplify Christmas shopping online *
evalu8.org launches a new shopping feature designed to help harried BC and Pacific Northwest consumers sort through the myriad gift choices available online.
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Press release: evalu8.org celebrates its second anniversary with a 250,000 PV breakthrough! *
Today, on the occasion of the first day of our third year in operation, we are delighted to announce that we have just broken through the barrier to our new level -- 250,000 page views per month!
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Prison Grey is the New Black: Conrad Black is found guilty *
Has this man no friends or allies? It seems that everyone is crowing as "Tubby" Black goes down. No less respected organ than The Times of London used the word "swindler;" the lofty Guardian even headlined: "For all his wealth and influence, the fallen media mogul Conrad Black is little more than a common thief. . . ."
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Private broadcasters enjoy blockbuster year in '03 *
A robust economy, strong advertising rates and a spate of cheap reality programming helped make 2003 a blockbuster for private broadcasters.
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Private radio broadcasters score big hit *
FM stations seen driving robust profits
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Probe focuses on Cherry's comments *
A controversial quip by CBC hockey icon Don Cherry about French-Canadian players who wear visors will be investigated by the federal official languages watchdog.
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Public airwaves: where Delahunty can roam free *
Mary Walsh of CBC's This Hour Has 22 Minutes planted a heavily lipsticked kiss on Stephen Harper's mouth, leaving the Conservative leadership hopeful amply smudged and more than a little taken aback. It was a typical comic mission for Marg Delahunty, fan/scourge of high-profile politicians. But since then, the incident has been cited as proof of a leftist conspiracy at the network.
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Public radio sees boost in listeners *
A Statistics Canada report released Thursday shows the number of listeners who tuned into both French and English CBC radio stations has steadily increased over the past five years.
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Report urges tighter, simpler CanCon rules *
Canadian content regulations in television and film are "inadequate" and require substantial changes, says a report commissioned by the Heritage Department.
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Rock 105.3 launches today in Medicine Hat *
First rock station in this local market will feature artists such as Red Hot Chili Peppers, Nickelback, ACDC and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.
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Roger Ebert to undergo cancer treatment *
Film critic Roger Ebert has a cancerous tumour in his salivary gland and will receive radiation treatment, the Chicago Sun-Times reported on Wednesday.
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Rogers Media and Hearst Magazines Digital Media combine to sell ads *
Media giants announce their exclusive Canadian marketing and sales partnership, effective November 1, 2007.
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Sabia sees new rules for Net phones *
Expects CRTC to loosen regulations.
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Santa's Anonymous -- Miracle on Broughton Street *
CFAX-radio's fund-raiser. Victoria, BC, December 16, 2005.
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Save Don Cherry website logs 21,000 hits *
Outraged and distraught at the prospect of Don Cherry not returning to Coach's Corner on CBC, law student Tyler Banham launched http://www.savedoncherry.ca to garner support for hockey's icon.
[More]
Shhh! It's conspiracy talk radio *
Some blame the Internet, but aliens could be behind it. MICHAEL POSNER reports on why talk shows about government plots, space invasions and other things that go bump in the night are booming on radio
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Should we hear this voice? *
Because Canadians need other perspectives to better understand the world, we should give Al-Jazeera a chance, says RICK SALUTIN
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Singer's son spars with CBC over documentary *
Simon Collins threatens to sue over the way he is portrayed in a film about children of stars
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SOCIAL STUDIES -- Wednesday, September 17, 2003 *
A DAILY MISCELLANY OF INFORMATION BY MICHAEL KESTERTON
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Split-run TV ads could boost Canadian industry *
Give the man a proper hearing and Kevin Shea may prove himself to be the white knight of Canadian broadcasting.
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Stations take Stern measures *
In the continuing fallout from the latest controversy swirling around talk-show shock jock Howard Stern, the president of Clear Channel Communications -- the largest owner of radio stations in the United States -- yesterday told a Congressional subcommittee he was ashamed of recent violations of standards of decency.
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Stern airs frustration over Clear Channel ban *
A day after the nation's largest radio station chain suspended shock jock Howard Stern's show for alleged indecency, Stern vented on the air Thursday with uncharacteristic restraint.
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Telus abuse (of its own customers) continues, unabated *
“Telus abuse” is aptly named, only what they don’t tell you is that you, the customer will be the party subject to the “abuse”. . . It's a BOMB!
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Telus wants to dial out Shaw *
More whining from Telus about losing its stranglehold/monopoly on local phone service. . .
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Telus wants to launch national IP service *
Calls on CRTC to allow it to offer phone service similar to Primus's and Vonage's...
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The Back Lot with Lynne McNamara *
Column for January 30, 2007
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The Back Lot with Lynne McNamara *
Column for January 17, 2007
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The Broadcast Act needs teeth *
Canadians want a more effective national broadcast system, says heritage committee chairman CLIFFORD LINCOLN
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The CBC is worth fighting for *
More cuts are destroying CBC/Radio-Canada's ability to portray this country's victories, concerns, and history, warns CBC chair CAROLE TAYLOR.
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The Fuller effect and the perils of tabloid-ization *
Ooh, the celebrities are not keen on Bonnie Fuller, not keen at all. "She is the devil," Gwyneth Paltrow told me in London on July 16, while wearing frayed jeans, a white eyelet shirt unbuttoned here and there, and modish sport shoes.
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The lights are on but nobody's home at The Times *
First, the news. The New York Times, a paper of wobbly reliability these days, has unleashed a TV-related, hold-the-front-page scoop. It stunned me, for sure.
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The little network that could, and did *
It may be located on the nosebleed end of the dial, but native broadcaster APTN's delivery of a nightly newscast has boosted its numbers and its reputation, GRAEME SMITH writes
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The Tyee & media story from the Seattle PI: Who really speaks freely? *
This story -- an analysis of how Vancouver's media differ from newspapers and radio in the U.S. -- originally ran on Monday, May 16, 2005 in the Seattle P.I.
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The writing on the wall? *
The end of The Report suggests tough times for magazines, GUY DIXON writes
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Thomson joins Canada AM *
Beverly Thomson, a news anchor at Global Television, is taking over Lisa LaFlamme's co-host job at CTV's Canada AM, it was announced yesterday in Toronto.
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Thrilling TV drama, Italian-style *
The CRTC has to choose sides in a bitter battle between RAI and Telelatino.
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TIFF: Ink-stained airheads asking wretched questions *
What is to be done about the alleged press conferences during the Toronto International Film Festival? They should be a golden opportunity -- rows of glittering cast members from the hottest movies provide salient quotes to a lot of reporters who can't get one-on-one interview time.
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Times gets new editor *
Maybe now The New York Times can get back to reporting the news instead of making it. The Times yesterday named Bill Keller to be its new executive editor, writing a calming epilogue for the drama that convulsed the newspaper this spring after a young reporter's plagiarism and fabrications led to a coup d'état that pushed Howell Raines out of the top job.
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Too big for the small screen? *
Amid a groundswell of public support, the U.S. House of Representatives has quashed the expansion plans of the major TV networks. As Bush threatens a veto, SIMON HOUPT looks at the debate
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Torian Wireless Launches MiRoamer for Consumers *
Online Portal gives users access to the world's largest and most diverse selection of Internet radio content and the ability to customize their experience.
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TV networks living on Fantasy Island *
Canadian broadcasters and producers are going to have to integrate more with "the global media business" to prosper in "the new digital environment."
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TV too blue, group says *
The use of foul language on television is increasing, a study of the major U.S. broadcast networks indicates.
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Vancouver's Raif Mair fired *
Rafe Mair, the best-known radio broadcaster in British Columbia and perhaps all of Canada, has been fired by host station CKNW, amid controversy over off-air blue language by Mr. Mair.
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White House told not to shred papers *
FBI investigates e-mails, phone logs in leaking of name of CIA operative.
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Who needs cultural armour? *
As Ottawa reconsiders our broadcast policies, let's admit that defensive government intervention has outlived its usefulness, says media watcher PETER DESBARATS
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Who sexed up the story? *
They say that dead men tell no tales. But sometimes their deeds speak volumes. By killing himself, British bio-weapons expert David Kelly has turned Britain's political crisis on its head -- and left the BBC with a whole lot of explaining to do.
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Why is Harper bent on gutting the CRTC? *
A week or two ago, when the Conservatives trailed in the polls, the party's threat to scrap the broadcast regulator and replace it with a circus ticket booth -- Get your TV channels here! -- could be dismissed as amusing but irrelevant.
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Why the BBC is to blame *
The public broadcaster's dubious standards led to David Kelly's death, London-based commentator JOHN LLOYD asserts
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Why the fuss? A-G's report deals with a drop in the tax bucket *
When Auditor-General Sheila Fraser speaks, the media pays attention...
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Why we need a public newspaper *
Our highly concentrated, privately owned media give us a mountain of trivial and biased news. Here's an alternative: a print-form CBC, says PATRICK WATSON
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Will Al-Jazeera win its war? *
It's not likely that protests from bodies such as the Canadian Jewish Congress will stop the CRTC licensing the currently illegal Arab station, JAMES ADAMS writes.
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Secondary Sites:
'Impressionistic' Blues journey worth the trip *
Well, I woke up this mornin' and, Lord, I had The Blues (PBS, Sunday, 8 p.m.).
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07 -- TV Week Magazine (February 10, 2007 edition) ****
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TV Week trounces last days of TV Guide *
In September 2004, TV Week magazine doubled its editorial content. In addition to its comprehensive TV listings, the magazine refocused its editorial to target women by adding new columns about health, home, recipes and shopping.
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Against opinion's tide *
Journalist David Beers has launched a feisty on-line journal, writes ALEXANDRA GILL.
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Alistair Cooke, 95 *
Alistair Cooke, the broadcaster who epitomized highbrow television as host of Masterpiece Theatre and whose Letter from America was a radio fixture in Britain for 58 years, has died, the British Broadcasting Corp. said Tuesday. He was 95.
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An open letter from worried journalists *
As former, or practising, newspaper people, we...believe the independence and quality of our media are becoming more important to Canadians
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Better brace for history's blowback, Mr. Blair *
So now it is up to history to make the case for war against Iraq? In a week when Tony Blair appealed to the verdict of history and Hollywood studios have upped the ante on digital pirates in Asia, it strikes me that in their urge to impose their authority, these masters of mass media forget the incontrovertible, inexorable logic of history -- that those who dream of dominating the world should expect the world to overrun them.
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Canadian films still struggling at home, Statscan says *
Canadian films and videos continued to struggle on their home turf, with foreign entertainment grabbing the lion's share of this country's market in fiscal 2000-2001, Statistics Canada said Friday.
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CBC banks on Hanomansing to mine after-hours gold in B.C. *
The CBC's Ian Hanomansing will be stick-handling past the news department on weekends to indulge in a bit of jock talk.
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Copps cuts magazine dollars *
Smaller pot of cash to be made available to a larger number of periodicals -- but it may spell the end for magazines like Homemaker's.
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Direct e-mail tips for Tourism Marketers *
How tourism marketers can
make the most of limited advertising dollars now, while the industry is
facing major hurdles through world events that have precipitated tourism
declines.
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Drawn and quartered *
They're funny until they get mad. Editorial cartoonists in the United States are at war with each other. DOUG SAUNDERS describes the battlefield
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Excuse me, your grammar is dangling *
No column I have written in the past three years has provoked as much response as did the two I published this year on common grammatical errors. I have said outrageous things in this space: I expected to be pilloried for my views on drug use; I expected to be publicly executed for my views on marriage. I had almost no response of any stripe about those things. My inflammatory rages fell into a deep silent void, and no echo came back. And yet, I have a stack of letters on my desk -- I mean a real stack, about six pounds' worth -- of painstakingly handwritten letters from people (many of them retired teachers) who are thinking about grammar as much as I am, and thinking about it, apparently, all the time. It is impressive, and refreshing, to see how much passion is tied up in this pursuit.
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Exhausted and infuriated *
Toronto's Lola Magazine and Vancouver's Blinding Light Cinema were two of Canada's richest cultural voices. Their demise says a lot about cultural burnout
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For CBS, it's okay to talk profits, but not pervy stuff *
An American TV executive is perfectly prepared to talk about profits and the pedigree of new TV shows, but he's not prepared to talk about genital warts.
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Garber on Business: Safe-guarding your reputation *
Should you worry about your reputation? What is your good name worth to you in business? They say hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, but these days the maxim should be amended to "…no fury like a journalist deceived."
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Global doc a misfire in tin-pot 'media war' *
Global is reopening a can of worms tonight when it repeats an already controversial documentary.
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Gretzky part of special moments *
Television poised to capture an NHL match on an extravagant pond.
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Iraqi press runs free and wild *
With little in the way of television news, print is king. Even conservative estimates put the number of new publications at 90. MARK MacKINNON reports on the growing pains of a burgeoning industry
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Is this the saviour of Canadian TV? *
Last Thursday was one of those days on my beat. From beginning to end, it illustrated what a mess we're in.
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It's all beside the point *
A journalism student at the University of Texas, interviewed on Sunday on the CBS program 60 Minutes, irked me. The topic was The List, websites naming profs at U.S. universities who have been accused of letting their left-wing or anti-Israel bias pollute the pure academic air of their classrooms.
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Lynn Coady: If only this trash would take me out *
To be a fan of good television is to live in a perpetual state of anxiety. It's like dating the latest in a thrilling yet doomed series of superlative lovers. Someone new and intoxicating -- endlessly hot, endlessly fascinating. Yet the whole time you're with him, all you can think is, "Oh no, it's so good." You've been burned one time too many.
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Macho, macho mags *
For years, U.S. men's magazines have served up a testosterone-packed diet of fast cars, cool gadgets, sophomoric humour and barely clad babes, ALEXANDRA GILL writes. Canadian men could only watch with envy. Until now...
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Martha Stewart: a Personal Observation *
Is her indiscretion worthy of the kind of media attention she is currently receiving, or are the legal forces in the United States using her as a distraction from some of the real big-time business rip-offs they have lately been plagued with? What is the real reason Martha is the person we most love-to-hate?
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Master's in Digital Media program at GNWC -- Open House *
This intriguing program starts next September and is perfect for anyone involved in technology, gaming etc. Burnaby, BC -- Open House Saturday, November 25, 2006, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
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More turmoil at troubled NY Times *
Pulitzer-winner may quit over freelancer question, SIMON HOUPT reports
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Networks keen to offer TV shows on-line *
Networks are tripping over each other in the rush to offer everything from individual programs to season subscriptions -- online. Web viewers can even watch some shows for free -- with advertising, of course.
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New York Post makes Yankee win gaffe *
It's not exactly "Dewey Defeats Truman," but the New York Post made a colossal error today on its editorial page.
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New York releases 9-11 tapes *
The City of New York has released hours of radio transmissions and thousands of pages of oral histories from firefighters, paramedics and police who responded to the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center.
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New York Times criticises Bush’s response to disaster *
US President George W Bush was heavily criticised today for his response to the devastation in New Orleans caused by Hurricane Katrina.
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Now available from HRDC: A computerized aptitude test that tells apples to be oranges *
It is not an easy thing to do, writing a letter of resignation.
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One Hen, Two Ducks *
This is the so-called the "Announcer's Test" popularized by Jerry Lewis when he sat-in for Johnny Carson on the Tonight Show.
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Press release: evalu8.org approaches 4th anniversary at EAT! Vancouver *
This year, we have really pumped up content in our Games section, Tech gadgets, Recipes, Destination travel, Graphic novels, Baby goods, Cosmetics and Consumer advocacy, to name but a few.
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Sportsnet veteran's resignation raises speculation about purge *
A front-office move at Rogers Sportsnet has Scott Moore, the head of production since the launch of the network in 1998, leaving at the end of July.
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Star-crazed editor abducted by Enquirer *
Bonnie Fuller, the Canadian-born editor who took Cosmopolitan, Glamour, and US Weekly to new sex-charged depths (and sales heights) during brief turns in the editor's chair of each magazine, is moving to a place it will be tough to take more down-market.
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Survey says: Canadians want their TVs to do more *
A survey released today by HP and Ipsos Reid suggests that Canadians are ready to embrace big-screen TVs that will access everything from TV shows and movies to music, digital photos, and games, right from the comfort of the couch.
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Televised fare takes ad battles underground *
Canada's commuter business looks to increase revenue, entertain riders. Is Vancouver next?
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The Rime of the Beleaguered Columnist *
As my lines of communication with the outside world fall away, one by one, the problem I face is trying to decide whether this is a good thing. It's possible that complete ignorance of everything that happens beyond the confines of my own body is a healthy alternative to subscribing to cable television, reading Toro and listening to drive-home radio shows. You never know.
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Victoria's Secret prompts few complaints *
The protests — if not the outfits — are muted for the third annual broadcast of the Victoria's Secret fashion show.
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Western culture vultures spy eastern meat *
I want to start out by saying that this column was intended to be a celebration of western Canadian -- particularly West Coast -- magazines. It was geared, therefore, toward assiduous avoidance of all things Toronto.
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What the butler saw *
Prince Charles returned to Britain from Oman on Sunday to headlines that hinted at embarrassing allegations that would blacken his reputation, but which stopped short of exposing the claims made by a former royal servant because of a court order.
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What's black and white and red-faced all over? *
The Tampa Tribune apologized to its readers and the Tampa Bay Lightning Tuesday after mistakenly running an editorial saying the hockey team had lost Game 7 of the Stanley Cup finals.
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What's striped on the outside, but has a heart as black as night? *
This man has no friends, nor allies; everyone crows as "Tubby" Black goes down; today, Canadians learned that the disgraced Conrad Black will be sentenced to between 6.5 and 8.1 years in prison. Prosectors sought more, but at least it can be said that "Prison Grey is the New Black."
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Why so timid on TV drama? *
Broadcasting is a privilege, not a right: If you want to launch a newspaper tomorrow, you can pretty much go ahead. Print your news on paper and sell it if you can. If you sell some advertising, good for you. Nobody is going to stop you. If you want to launch a TV channel, it isn't so easy...
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