What's the media climate like in your neck of the woods?

[tuvor]

CKNW talk radio in Vancouver seems obsessed with Martin's notwithstanding "bombshell" announcement in the debate a couple of nights ago, as well as the Lib attack ads on Harper. Granted, Martin and co are fucking up here and there, but the radio station seems to be leaning in such a pro-Harper way that it's irritating me. Never anything negative about the Harper campaign.

For better or for worse, that's all I can glean from the leanings of my local media. (Sorry, CBC doesn't count, not enough clout with enough listeners.)

How's by you?--Especially you Ontarians...?

[MrPrax]

1. True...

CKNW (save for Bill Good to a point) for the most part sets it's 'topics' for it's call-in shows to 'showcase' Tory platform perspectives, esp. crime stuff that's connected to the xenophobia stuff which is connected to the 'fear' stuff which is connected to...etc etc!!.("Guns don't kill people, East Indian gang members do!")

In fact, they all spend way too much on crime (strong suburb demographic appeal I suppose). But the bias is locally muted IMHO for a change...I think that given that Gordo (a liberal given lots of federal perks) is in power, the media, here anyway, is a bit conflicted. Not likely to jump ship unless until the water hits their ankles.

Yeah, the CBC, both nationally and locally, seem to be out to lunch. Both are running 'aboriginal' related features with the added local content (the morning show) that is doing a lot of 'immigrant' multicultural stuff--which is liberal policy boilerplate for the most part. The tone of all this pieces is that the ONLY problem with say, First Nations and immigrants, are personal adjustment issues and the LACK of support from the various gov'ts. (Since this is always the 'money shot' lectures, one wonders why they bother to 'investigate' anyway).

The two 'value-added' newspapers seem solidly Tory, the freebies seem neutral, except for the The Dose...but I assume their 'snarky' anti-Tory stealth page layouts are merely 'style' considerations.

The usually reliable Georgia Straight is pretty muted, prefering to showcase 'issues' rather than parties...oh and writing weird pieces like this.

In all honesty, the media seems to be in a holding pattern--they are not sure how it will turn out and as such, like a good corp. citizen, will promote whoever appears to be the front runner.

The Tory smuggling thing is getting early traction in BC...

Story here...Link to CBC Story
Harper just dumped the guy...
(mind you, smuggling a good car and lots of booze is probably a 'winner' with some voters in BC...only thing missing is "9 pounds of high grade marijuana, with what the RCMP claim, to have an estimated street value of 16 billion dollars!" hehe)

[TrogL]

2. 9 pounds of high grade marijuana

Has a street value of under a thousand dollars, at least in downtown Vancouver (no, I won't name the street nor how I know)