Media Bias [Merged]

[OldSolduer]

I agree with the transparency. If this were DND the press would be all over us about "lack of transparency" "cover up" etc

 

[Fishbone Jones]

What State TV station? If your argument had any validity, then they'd be singing the company song and telling us all about how great the government of the day is - rather than questioning its motives.

Sorry. If CA hadn't linked I would have missed you, because you're on Ignore.

Anyway, I consider your response in the same light as to it's validity. Meaning, it has none.

 

[larry Strong]

Considering that it records more news viewers than any other network in Canada (and more people watch CNN than either of its competitors, CTV NewsNet or that joke that is Sun News, I'd say that we can fairly safely dismiss this statement.

As of last week CBC News did not even get into the top 30. I went back a couple of months, week by week and the only CBC program that did was the Hockey programs.

 

[Remius]

As of last week CBC News did not even get into the top 30. I went back a couple of months, week by week and the only CBC program that did was the Hockey programs.

The only problem with that period of time is the playoffs.  CBC news is shoved in between periods as shortened verisons or pushed back.  That may be skewing the numbers somewhat.

This article quotes numbers from Aug to Mar 2012 with the numbers comparing the various networks. Not necessarily newscasts or news programs.  just a comparison with networks.  CBC news network does indeed lead the other networks.

http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2012/04/18/sun-news-network-turns-first-anniversary_n_1433521.html

Edited to add missing link

 

[larry Strong]

The only problem with that period of time is the playoffs.  CBC news is shoved in between periods as shortened verisons or pushed back.  That may be skewing the numbers somewhat.

This article quotes numbers from Aug to Mar 2012 with the numbers comparing the various networks. Not necessarily newscasts or news programs.  just a comparison with networks.  CBC news network does indeed lead the other networks.

Link?

 

[Remius]

Whoops.  here you go.

http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2012/04/18/sun-news-network-turns-first-anniversary_n_1433521.html

 

[bridges]

I'm just going to assume that you didn't read any of the previous posts.....or the thread's title. It's about bias, not profit.

But thanks for playing along.

I read some of the posts, not all 31 pages.  Several of the posts talked about funding & profitability, issues that generally go hand-in-hand with perceived bias when folks are talking about the CBC.  Often the people who are particularly angry about perceived bias seem to take the most umbrage with the current funding model.

Even if the discussion of profit were unrelated, which it's not, there's no rule against pursuing any of the tangents in a thread, or introducing new ones for that matter.   

As for bias - I echo other posters that, if anything, there may be a bias against the government of the day - whatever party is in power.  Consider the CBC part of HM Loyal Opposition.    There are also many aspects of CBC coverage that have nothing to do with politics.  Probably a good idea to keep that balance as long as we can. 

 

[Redeye]

I have no doubt that the CBC, broadly and generally, is anti-conservative (as the word is broadly used) and that leads it to be anti-Conservative, too. The fact that the Conservative Party is the government and is, therefore, "fair game" anyway just makes the inherent bias 'acceptable.' But I am not convinced that the CBC is pro-Liberal or pro-NDP. I believe the CBC, again broadly and generally, reflects the views and attitudes of the young, generally well educated, urban, Central Canadian, multicultural community from which most of its executive, managers, journalists and programmers are drawn. A Conservative Party that adheres, broadly, to conservative values represents a different community: older, somewhat less well educated, rural, Western Canadian and Anglo.

So: is there a bias? Yes, in my opinion there is. Is it anti-Conservative? Yes. Is it, therefore, pro Liberal or pro NDP? No.

Put another way, they reflect what seems to be the mindset of the majority of Canadians (who, according to voting results, do not support the Conservative Party - nor any party for that matter). I agree with your assessment that perhaps it's "anti-Conservative", but I don't think it's any more "anti-Conservative" than it is pro any party. If it was, it wouldn't have covered things like AdScam as critically is anything the Conservatives do. To suggest otherwise is just not true.

 

[Redeye]

As of last week CBC News did not even get into the top 30. I went back a couple of months, week by week and the only CBC program that did was the Hockey programs.

You'll notice I (and the link, citing BBM) referred specifically to news programming - not TV in general. CBC leads in that specific area.

 

[PuckChaser]

(who, according to voting results, do not support the Conservative Party - nor any party for that matter)

That is such an awful argument. The last time we had a government with at least 50% of the popular vote or high was the Conservatives in 1984. Before that, it was 1958 with, surprise surprise, the Conservatives under Diefenbaker. But at least you put down that no party enjoys popular support, which in itself is a misnomer since we've never had more than 80% of the voters show up for an election.

 

[Remius]

Careful redeye.  the link you and I posted is about 24hr News networks not programming per se.

CBC the National might have less viewers than CTV News.  I'm not sure.

 

[Fishbone Jones]

Never let a poor argument get in the way of extraneous facts 

 

[Redeye]

That is such an awful argument. The last time we had a government with at least 50% of the popular vote or high was the Conservatives in 1984. Before that, it was 1958 with, surprise surprise, the Conservatives under Diefenbaker. But at least you put down that no party enjoys popular support, which in itself is a misnomer since we've never had more than 80% of the voters show up for an election.

So, by the facts you have stated, indeed, it's not really reasonable to suggest that any party enjoys the support of the majority of Canadians. and those who don't bother to vote, it's fairly reasonable to assume I'd say, can't be counted to support any party.

 

[bridges]

Never let a poor argument get in the way of extraneous facts 

:rofl:

 

[vonGarvin]

They were just as vigourous in going after the Liberals during "AdScam". That's the job of the press.

That's the whole point.  They went after the Liberals for "AdScam".  They are going after the conservatives with equal vigour for much, much less.

 

[PuckChaser]

That's the whole point.  They went after the Liberals for "AdScam".  They are going after the conservatives with equal vigour for much, much less.

Exactly. $45,000 is a drop in the bucket compared to the billions the Liberals stole. In fact, I think if the Conservatives do cancel the F-35 and we incur cancellation penalties, they'll burn in the media for the cancellation fees even though the media is manufacturing the outrage to cancel the MOU in the first place.

 

[Redeye]

Exactly. $45,000 is a drop in the bucket compared to the billions the Liberals stole. In fact, I think if the Conservatives do cancel the F-35 and we incur cancellation penalties, they'll burn in the media for the cancellation fees even though the media is manufacturing the outrage to cancel the MOU in the first place.

Er, sorry, what billions, exactly?!

As far as the F-35 goes, they probably will get all sorts of coverage over cancellation fees if they apply. Just like the Liberals did when they cancelled the EH-101. See how that works? The government of the day gets criticized by the press regardless of what party they are.

And the fact is, in the eyes of a fair number of Canadians, the principle of the matter, not the amount is what counts. The Conservatives ran on a platform that included lofty statements about things like accountability and transparency. They, therefore, can be expected to be particularly scrutinized on issues where those principles come up.

 

[PuckChaser]

Adscam, Shawinigate, HRDC Boondoggle.... but the Liberals were totally accountable for their actions.  :

 

[Redeye]

Adscam, Shawinigate, HRDC Boondoggle.... but the Liberals were totally accountable for their actions.  :

AdScam - around $14 million
Shawinigate - $615,000 loan (can't find any data on it being paid back or not), $164,000 grant that was possibly influenced by the PMO. But may have met guidelines for existing programs.
HRDC Boondoggle - for which people were arrested and prosecuted - was trumpeted as a "billion dollar boondoggle", but the actual extent of it was substantially smaller, despite lots of hyperbole.

So, allow me to ask you again, what billions? And as far as accountability goes, the Liberals were thrown out of office in the federal election that followed. That's how the system works, is it not? That paved the way for all those bold claims about transparency and accountability for the party that prorogued Parliament to avoid a vote of non-confidence, and is keeps getting caught up little stories like that which undermine those claims a bit.

Incidentally, all of those scandals you covered were extremely well and critically covered by the CBC, and other "left leaning" media at the time.

 

[bridges]

the media is manufacturing the outrage to cancel the MOU in the first place.

The media didn't manufacture my outrage - I don't know about anyone else's.