When I started to get political, I watched Mike Duffy, CPAC, Question Period, and Don Martin. I listened to radio shows like Rutherford. I went to sites like Rabble, and quickly realized they were practicing freedom of speech, only for lefties. I finally found Free Dominion, and enjoyed commenting there. The first blog I found was Small Dead Animals, and I was instantly captivated by Kate's style. She was and is a refreshing voice for all things political.
I watched, I listened, I commented and finally, I decided to try blogging. I spent years blogging to myself mainly, but it was a great release for me, so I kept at it. Then I made the main page on Blogging Tories, and my page hits went up dramatically. All of a sudden, my voice was being heard! I still take it as a great honour to be a Blogging Tory.
As I evolved politically, I stopped watching political TV shows because of their bias and with a full time job, I just really don't have the time to listen to them. So far, I'm not missing much as far as I can see.
I would like to know what the viewing numbers are for CTV now that Duffy has left. The way they treated him was despicable and probably turned off a lot of people. He was popular until he became a Senator, then the lefties got nasty. Wasn't Liberal PEI involved again in slagging a Conservative? Typical. Same goes for CBC with Martin gone, what are the numbers for the new show? I suspect the viewing audience has diminished quite a bit. Are those numbers available anywhere? Only political junkies really care about these shows.
A typical day in my life, is dog pooling, work, make supper, help with homework, watch the local news, and then blog about something that bugged me that day. Who has time to watch the real Question Period, or any of the political shows? They come on here in Alberta at 3:00 while everyone is still at work. Nice Ontario bias by the networks. So they are catering to the Toronto audience. That is why the Liberal party only wins in Toronto.
Is anyone watching political shows anymore? Maybe the better question is: Why should we?
22 comments:
I've never watched any political tv shows consistently, except a couple Fox News programs because their perspective is so different from what you get in Canada.
I mostly read blogs, and listen to talk radio (Adler and John Gormley here in Saskatchewan). I subscribe to the Dennis Prager Show out of California as well.
If I want to get angry then I'll watch CBC or CTV. Maybe it comes from the horse I bet on being in government.
I get angriest when I see Goodale or McCallum on TV.
Or Trudeau the heir head apparent.
Ignatieff doesn't bother me so much.
Anyone ever notisss how long he lingersss on hisss essesss?
He constantly contradicts himself and is always sending up mea culpas in the American press that he thinks we don't read.
He can't be taken seriously even when he tries to be threatening.
I just find him amusing because he's in a box that he built and he can't get out of it.
There's that guy on CPAC who seems reasonable, mostly.
The biggest impact on my perception of the MSM was how it ignored the ClimateGate emails.
Global warming had set off my BS meter for years and finally here was proof.
The blogosphere was ablaze with it and the MSM was somewhere else tending crickets.
When they did finally get around to it, their response was like Officer Barbrady off of South Park: 'Nothing to see here people. Move along.'
So, I have largely foresworn watching domestic news on TV.
The save local TV campaign got a shrug from me.
No, it actually gave me hope.
Hope that I could finally have the opportunity to opt out of paying for those stations on my cable bill.
If I want my local news, I'll listen to talk radio.
Even the CBC but mainly for Rex Murphy on CCC.
As it stands, I am paying for bandwidth I don't want.
And my cable provider is forced to allocate it regardless of real demand.
It's a misallocation of resources.
They've gone to the well one too many times.
Hunter, it's funny you should bring this up because I have been planning a poll of what political shows (radio or television) do people tune in to? I just haven't gotten around to taking suggestions for it.
Thus far I am thinking for options:
1) Charles Adler
2) Roy Green
3) Soloman Show
4) Rex Murphy (his CBC weekend radio show)
5) And I suppose CTV's Question Period
6) The Mercer Report (which counts as quasi political)
I feel as though I need about 10 nominations, with some left wing options just to see. I watch the Soloman Show, but only as a hall monitor. The poll will allow for multiple selections, so it isn't just what is the best show, but what you consume.
I too use to watch Mike Duffy faithfully - but since Tom Clarke came to town with his liberal bias - I refuse to watch it at all... The same with the Tabor/Oliver/Fife/Travers liberal show....They use to have regulars from the West - but they were too Conservative - and having Travers on regularly did it for me.. They twist and turn - and when Jane was caught laughing on live TV with Sheila Copps about not giving the Conservative panel member any time, that was enough for me... I haven't watched it since. If and when I ever see any of them come on CTV for up-dates, I immediately change the channel, because I know they swing and twist everything for their liberal party. They are becomming nothing but tabloid reporters - I depend on the blogs for my information...and we must expose them for what they are....
Because of all the new taxes and fees being applied to the cable/satellite bills and the inability to choose what I wan't to watch I recently cancelled my satellite subscription and went HD OTA via an antenna. This allows my wife to watch all her serial shows from the US free of monthly charges. As an added bonus I deleted the CBC from my channel list. No I do not watch any political shows on TV. A 1 hour show consists of 40 minutes of propoganda and 20 minutes of advertising.
Canadian TV ratings.
Political junkies are not normal.
Take a look at NASCAR fans, not your normal demographic tv habits.
http://bbm.ca/index.php
There is a reason why many political shows are on early Sunday morning opposite informercials.
For a brief moment the coalition madness in Nov 2008 caught expanded the political junkie interest. The danger of another coalition has fallen of the radar.
Same with Obama's message.
Honeymoons, crisis is over.
Our media delivery choices has greatly increased in the last 10-15 years.
The key is "content" for the consumer.
Is the content worth the $, timely?
Internet, Antenna, Cable, DVD, mail, Satelite.
The cost has gone from free, basic 30 - $100 now?
Habits for parents have changed. Our parents opened the door and told the kids entertain yourself!
Today kids are time-managed, chauffered to hockey,dance, parties etc.
There are still Canadian political shows on Canadian TV? I guess that explains why I never watch them since I have blocked all the Canadian networks on my TV.
Canadian news I get off the net with a health dose of blog comments to keep things in perspective.
National Enquirer is in the running for a Pulitzer Prize after uncovering the John Edwards scandal.
This is what passes for award-winning news these days.
What I ask myself is whether the National Enquirer has elevated its status with this announcement or has the competition finally been revealed as being nothing more than gossip sheets themselves and have been brought down a peg or two as a result?
This week it's Helena Guergis.
Last week it was her husband.
Another week it was doorknobs. (No pun intended)
Gotcha politics as reported by those who are trained to dig out facts but prefer instead to read press releases and talk with their fellow journalists at the local watering hole.
I watch The Michael Coren Show as often as I can at six o'clock here in southern Ontario. He's always available on the Internet for those living outside of Ontario and Alberta.
I like the fact that he always has on guests who have opposing views and the discussions can sometimes get quite heated.
I haven't watched Power Play or the CBC show since I found Corner Gas starting at five o'clock on one of the TV channels.
I used to watch the political shows (I call them 'politainment') but the humour I was seeing in them was borne more out of a frustration over the laughable bias as opposed to anything really and truly funny like you'll find on even the oldest and most watched Corner Gas reruns.
Fox News for me - Greta and Bill O'R. Haven't watched CBC for 4-5 years so don't know what they offer. Used to watch CPAC until I went digital. As Hunter said most of the live shows are on in the afternoon out here on the west coast - I have better things to do. I have given up 2 newspapers as well - NP was a tough call but just too expensive (on my now limited budget).
Its Blogs and the news blogs for me.
I sued to religiously watch both Don Newman and Duffy, to the point of recording what I couldn't watch live, but I just can't get into the new incarnations. Clarke started off well, but has now turned completely Liberal. I actually like Solomon, he seems like an OK guy, but his guests are all lefties with the occasional Kory Teyneycke (!!)piece.
I also used to watch Question Period on Sundays, but out here on Van Isle it seems to have disappeared completely. According to my TV guide, it was supposed to be on CTV News channel on Sunday at 5 pm, but it was just the regular news show. Maybe the audience out here is so small, they can't get advertising support, so it's easier just to run the news feed.
Gret idea for a poll Joanne. It seems to me that fewere people are watching the shows. There used to be lots of comments on your blog, but recently not so much.
Peter van Dusen on CPAC is by far the best, but the timing is a bit inconvenient.
Generally I watch both CTV/CBC evening political shows, with my finger on the mute button (I have a lot of spare time. Of the two I prefer Tom Clark over Evan Soloman.
I will not listen to Taber, or Oliver.
CBC used to play lip service to balanced political panels, but on Solomon's show many days the panelists seem to be 2 NDP and 2 Liberals,or at least I am unable to identify the conservative. This situation is compounded by Solomon identifying them by place of employment, rather than political affiliation. For example, Susan Smith, is not identified as a former Liberal functionary, though that is pretty obvious. Tom Flanagan was the designated conservative some of the days. This has changed with the addition of Kory Teneycke, a real commentator unafraid to state the truth, as in, Terry Milewski is a pompous ass. The show would be greatly improved if Tenycke is retained.
That being said, I concede that neither show is worth watching. I receive my news from the NP and various blogs.
I used to watch Duffy too. I had found him pretty fair and balanced.
I do not watch any political shows in Canada anymore. I am more of a Foxnews fan now.
That my friend is what Canada is missing a Foxnews Canada.
I do listen to Dave Rutherford, Charles Adler, and Roy Green. I also tune into when I can online Lowell Green. They do make a difference but still somewhat voices in the wilderness.
Mary H:
Well said. We must think alike as you covered everything and the way I portray these people.
Although I have blogged for sometime, I find the newspapers delete your entry after a short run because they think your out of line or some other such silly reason, or just because they don't agree. I'm a pretty reasonable guy, but I know bias when I see it and I don't swear or lie. Check out the facts and present them truthfully, that way you don't have to lie if you are ever asked about an entry you produced.
Some days are better than others, but blogging certainly relieves stress - at least for me!
I am keeping my fingers crossed that when all this comes out it a few media honchos will get their fingers slapped for running with rumors not facts. Also, I hope whoever leaked private info gets fired, charged and fined. If this is all finalized before the next election, and the media is slapped, they will have a difficult time pushing iggy on us.
Who will believe anything they say or print.
it is too much to expect fair play from the MSM? All Canadian viewers get is Foul Play!
I watch political shows on FOX News channel. They always have lefties on to balance to right wing view.
Most of the Lefties on Fox are at least bright and reasonable if misguided.
Canadian new is all socialism all the time. All hate the right all the time. All hate the Jews all the time, all hate Harper all the time, All hate American all time time.
I guess you could sum up by saying the all Canadian political shows are all HATE all the time.
I used to watch Canadian political shows and listen to talk radio, I'm a political junkie after all. I quit that a few years ago as it became very dull, clearly repetitive and catered to or leaned more to leftist concerns, causes or hot button of the day issues.
The biggest drag on actual 'free speech and 'debate' on Canadian airwaves in my view is the Canadian Broadcast Act as it contains a 'fairness doctrine' type clause. Unlike American media were it is very wide open Canadian media talking heads have this sort of sword of Damocles hanging over their heads. And they know it. One complaint is all it takes and the risk of a law suit for defamation is huge.
I don't need Taber, Fife or the Toronto Sun ' journalists' opinion. Guys like Rutherford know who butters their bread. Adler is entertaining to a degree but his biggest fan is himself - loves to keep blathering away, consuming air time, getting in the ads and blanding it up for the CRTC.
Canadian Political Shows? Boring!
Looks like i'm in the minority ... I watch Solomon's Power & Politics on CBC. Although I agree he seems like a nice enough guy, I find he often interrupts the Conservative reps. He asks a question, and even though the Conservative hasn't finished his/her reply, he'll bombard another question on a totally different issue or direction, so that the person cannot finish his/her train of thought.
I also find he injects himself into the interview too much. By that I mean he may rephrase what a person has just said, or restate it, as if people watching were kiddies who need "the lite" version -- which usually turns out to be more convoluted than the original version.
And yes, I'm guilty. I watch both QPs. The original version in the House allows me to catch MPs lying (can I say that? will I get sued?), like this pm, when Martha Hall Findlay said Rahim Jaffer had broken the rules on lobbying. Well, Ms. Findlay, check your facts. The lobbying rules do not apply to ex-MPs, nor to FORMER chairs of the Conservative caucus.
And the Sunday QP? I watch it to see who hasn't been to the hairdresser lately and is in dire need of a dye job, like last Sunday (April 11) Jane always reminds me of the old Dan Ackroyd/Jane Curtin segments of SNL (Jane, you ignorant s***). Jane was bloated, puffy, and her hair was greasy. Oliver OTOH had gotten HIS hair dyed yet again.
In addition to those, I'll watch CPAC's Prime Time Politics whenever I remember it's on, and a Sunday RadCan "Les Coulisses du pouvoir" with regular panelist Chantal Hébert.
No, I'm not a masochist, but I figure I want to hear the nonsense straight from the horses' a**, rather than second hand.
Why are liberals trying to hard to imply that Jaffer is a public office holder, or a designated public office holder. DPHO for short. What public office does he presently hold.
If he is not a DPHO, lobbyist rules don't apply to him. MHF was out to lunch today.
Iggy wants to know who the 3rd party was that gave info to PMSH, maybe the same unidentified airport employee who contacted Easter. Lots of ink being spilled today with, if there is no investigation etc, PMSH will have egg on his face for calling in the RCMP. I think those spilling the ink are afraid that just maybe all their lies and insinuations will come back to bite them.
Holland was again trying to bring the Mulroney/khs non scandal back, and Gilles got a few digs in re adscam.
Thank you Kate, at SDA's for linking to my post! I wondered why my numbers were huge today, and then saw that Kate had linked to this post.
The Iceman has started a poll for what political shows you watch, so far the results are very interesting. Advertisers might be interested in the results.
Hey Hunter, nice place ya got here.
I don't watch any news shows. In fact, I don't watch TV. I went to the extent of not even getting cable or broadcast.
This is because as you know, EVERYTHING on TV is slanted to the far, far left. News shows, comedy, drama, even the commercials. It irritates me.
But the capper is how appalling the content has become. You can't have the TV on anything other than Treehouse if kids are around. Not Discovery channel, not History, certainly not any network or cable. Nothing.
So, at some point I decided I was a sucker to pay money for that, and stopped.
Interesting though, I found it easier to quit drinking beer cold turkey than to quit watching TV. A year later I get strong TV cravings, I never did get cravings for beer.
Tells me a lot right there, eh?
Pull the plug!
We need to go after the professulas who inflicted America-hating Trotskyite Deming Juran Japanese participative Toyotagate management on this country! "Industrial engineering" is soviet economics and "financial engineering" is soviet finance because they don't believe in free markets and try to manipulate trends instead. Bitter Gallusour impuned te intellect of GWB43. Climategate is what happens when universities become addicted on federal grants for research, so they invent catastrophes like Y2K or global warming to extort a bigger fix of money. This is a continuation of Climategate and ACORN/PIRG/ARA-gate, used to make America subservient to the professulas. If securities rules applied to federal research grants, half the professors would be in jail! The Professulas, trial lawyers and union organizers are Obama's core constituencies. Universities, libraries, museums and other public beneficiaries extort their patrons to lobby on their behalf using taxpayer resources. That's what ACORN and PIRG are about. They even encourage students to max out their loans and invest the proceeds so the school can up its total. Obama learned the trick when he worked for Don Kent at tuition-funded Arms Race Alternatives, while they denied admission to Young Americans for Freedom or even the pro-nuclear Social Democrats. Ted Markowitz used the Xerox 9700 to make fliers for the June 12th nuclear freezers, but persecuted students for smaller infractions. Look how they destroyed a supply side hero like Jeff Bell! Shows how much he valued free speech then and now, and who put him up to it, and what they were really up to, racketeering for federal funds. Sovern incited the 1968 riots so his cabal could get the booty: UPI June 6, 1992 Sovern took over at Columbia after student protests of 1968 and New York's fiscal problems in the '70s resulted in less financial support for the school, a situation made more dire by recent federal government budget cuts. . . But Columbia will be looking for a new president in a period troubled by criticism for destroying records that were being reviewed for improprieties. Universities in general have been under greater scrutiny for how they charge the government for federally sponsored research.
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