Media Bias [Merged]

[toyotatundra]

A Globe and Mail article on one of the CBC journalists most often accused of political bias.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/terry-milewski-an-equal-opportunity-offender/article2082381/

Canada suffers from an outrage shortage, CBC's senior political correspondent reports.

But don't blame Terry Milewski: If anyone can turn that shortage into a surplus, it's the cultivated 61-year-old with the bushy mustache, the unplaceable accent and the gift for antagonizing people who wish he would shut up.

 

[Kirkhill]

“It's my job to try and stop people tuning out,” he says. “People imagine that the CBC is this grand public service funded entirely by taxpayer dollars, but my job is to sell ads. You won't catch me saying, certainly not on tape, that we at CBC have some grand mission to speak truth to power.”

From the article referenced by ToyotaTundra (good catch by the way  ).

And in that paragraph you may have the answer to the CBC "Bias".  In a fractured and fracturing world the ability of the CBC to deliver a reliable 8% of Canadian households (something like 6% of the ROC and 40% of Quebec via RDI? for a total of maybe 2,400,000 bodies) is a commercial asset of value.

The fact that those numbers strangely mirror my previous analysis of left wing NDP supporters and the will-of-the-wisp Quebec voter seems remarkably curious....

CBC: Socialism for fun and profit?

 

[FSTO]

... next time you are commenting on an event involving the Navy get someone knowledgeable about the Navy to help you. It was more than embarrassing to hear not one but two Newsworld Hosts call the Flight Deck a Bridge.  :facepalm:

 

[Halifax Tar]

... next time you are commenting on an event involving the Navy get someone knowledgeable about the Navy to help you. It was more than embarrassing to hear not one but two Newsworld Hosts call the Flight Deck a Bridge.  :facepalm:

Have you never been to "Upper Canada" and had someone reply to you "We have a Navy ?"

I'm never surprised when the CBC FUBARs something Navy, its par for the course from these wing nuts. I'm just happy they didnt call HMCS Montreal, HMS Montreal.

 

[Neill McKay]

Ignorance of military matters is endemic throughout the media although, in fairness to them, I've been happy to see not quite so many "the HMCS"es in the last few years.

 

[Edward Campbell]

Ignorance of military matters is endemic throughout the media although, in fairness to them, I've been happy to see not quite so many "the HMCS"es in the last few years.

It's not ignorance; it's idleness and it reflects a lack of respect. They cannot be bothered to get small things right, to waste five minutes on fact checking, when it's only the military. But it's OK, by me, because I despise journalists as innumerate twits who couldn't get real university degrees or real jobs, either. Thus I expect what I get from 95% of them: twaddle.

 

[Strike]

It's also a matter of the liaison (PAO or whoever it happens to be) emphasizing the importance of stating certain points and why.  Media aren't military.  They don't always understand how important certain things are.

 

[Oldgateboatdriver]

...not to mention that they had to stand back when the frigate came alongside because they would be throwing "monkey's hands" instead of heaving lines with monkey's fists.

Also they mentioned that tugs had put the ship alongside.

I did not see any in the pictures and, while always possible, I very much doubt it was the case. I've put enough ships alongside that coast guard wharf to know that it's one of the easiest alongside you can get: you are straight up into a four to seven knots current that parallels the wharf and you just park with power on and the wharf effect making it nearly impossible to accidentally bump into it.

I too was discussed by the report.

 

[xena]

It's not ignorance; it's idleness and it reflects a lack of respect. They cannot be bothered to get small things right, to waste five minutes on fact checking, when it's only the military. But it's OK, by me, because I despise journalists as innumerate twits who couldn't get real university degrees or real jobs, either. Thus I expect what I get from 95% of them: twaddle.

You know, you probably shouldn't hold your frustration in so much.  Speak your mind.  Let it out.  >

Seriously though, well put, sir!

 

[FSTO]

...not to mention that they had to stand back when the frigate came alongside because they would be throwing "monkey's hands" instead of heaving lines with monkey's fists.

Also they mentioned that tugs had put the ship alongside.

I did not see any in the pictures and, while always possible, I very much doubt it was the case. I've put enough ships alongside that coast guard wharf to know that it's one of the easiest alongside you can get: you are straight up into a four to seven knots current that parallels the wharf and you just park with power on and the wharf effect making it nearly impossible to accidentally bump into it.

I too was discussed by the report.

Yep I had to laugh when he said that. Also not to discredit any PAFO's out there but they should consult a MARS or Bosn when it comes to seamanship.
I would suggest that someone in the PA world have an ready made email with a representative picture of all our ships; pointing out the bow, bridge, flight deck, etc. and a very short lexicon on common naval terms that they would send directly to the CTV, CBC Global anchor desk. This would do 2 things, save the media from looking like idiots (again) and save my wife listening to me rant and rave at the TV.

 

[jollyjacktar]

:rofl:  Did they REALLY say that? That's too funny.  Monkey hands... lol

It's the cutbacks, they could not afford fists so had to settle for hands.........

 

[The Bread Guy]

I would suggest that someone in the PA world have an ready made email with a representative picture of all our ships; pointing out the bow, bridge, flight deck, etc. and a very short lexicon on common naval terms that they would send directly to the CTV, CBC Global anchor desk.

Getting it to the reporters' bosses =/= getting it to the reporter covering the event.  Most editors/news directors are too busy to make copies of fact sheets for reporters and telling them, "hey, if you ever have to do a naval boat thing, remember this."  Good PAO liaison and explanation face-to-face is probably best, especially after the reporter arrives and before the event happens.

 

[Maskell PDT883]

Read the last sentence for what Global News called the Navy.

http://www.globalwinnipeg.com/Will+Kate+send+Canada+message+soldiers/5035374/story.html

 

[chrisf]

Read the last sentence for what Global News called the Navy.

http://www.globalwinnipeg.com/Will+Kate+send+Canada+message+soldiers/5035374/story.html

They're also apparently holding a reception for "war bridges"

 

[Gunner98]

Yep I had to laugh when he said that. Also not to discredit any PAFO's out there but they should consult a MARS or Bosn when it comes to seamanship.

And what is a PAFO?  Isn't it MARS Officer and a BOSN? (Maybe throwing stones on a public forum is unwise?) :facepalm:

 

[FSTO]

And what is a PAFO?  Isn't it MARS Officer and a BOSN? (Maybe throwing stones on a public forum is unwise?) :facepalm:

Alright then, Public Affiars Officer. And I was not throwing a stone, but if you want a subject matter expert then is it not better to go to the source?

 

[toyotatundra]

... next time you are commenting on an event involving the Navy get someone knowledgeable about the Navy to help you. It was more than embarrassing to hear not one but two Newsworld Hosts call the Flight Deck a Bridge.  :facepalm:

I have a bud who works in local TV. He is required to do a wide range of stories on a large range of issues. Early morning, he might be covering a medical issue. Late morning, a legal proceeding. In the afternoon, a military story. And before he heads home from work, a report on the local synagogue.

A lot of folk probably agree with you about the ignorance of journalists. I am wondering, however, if we can expect media generalists to be knowledgeable about the terminology of the groups they cover.

Imagine the rabbis rolling their eyes at my friend's story confusing mikvah with mitzvah. Or two cardiologists laughing at his replacement of atherosclerosis with arteriosclerosis.

 

[FSTO]

I would hope that someone in the PA empire in Ottawa would have a word with the director of news at the national networks and point out the errors and offer assistence when timelines allow.

 

[jollyjacktar]

I still remember the time when we had Breakfast TV on Preserver prior to our deploying on NATO in 2000.  Those of us not involved in the many dog and pony spots being conducted at various locations throughout the ship were watching the live show in the main cave.  Not once but three times both on ship and in the studio the various talkling heads and johnny on the spots called us HMCS Perverter.  A slip of the tongue, yes, but we nearly split our sides laughing when they did it each time.  And for the rest of the day we were asking each other "Who's your Daddy?" 

 

[MJP]

I would hope that someone in the PA empire in Ottawa would have a word with the director of news at the national networks and point out the errors and offer assistence when timelines allow.

I am certainly not in the PA world but have worked with them quite a few times in my short career.  In my experience they spend a good amount of time calling news agencies to correct factual errors but honestly once it is out there most agencies are not going to change much.  Joe civvy doesn't really care if it is a tank or a LAV, a bridge or a flight deck.  All they see is something military that looks cool.  The PAOs time is finite and they can't always be spending the time finding a SME if they don't know the answer themselves.  They certainly do if they have no idea how to proceed but for a routine military do-gooder story not likely.

I think that connecting with Canadians about the military is much more important than getting everything right.  Ya it might torque a few of us when they get something wrong but it is certainly better than no media coverage at all.  Canadians of all ilks hold us in pretty high regard right now (although there is some debate on if it is only an inch deep type regard) and it serves our best interest to keep em interested.