Do You Think You're Dumb?
One says to oneself after an overdose of Mike Duffy, "Thank heavens for Don Newman". Then you watch a show like today's and you know we've hit bottom: intelligent and media can never again be used in the same sentence.
First Newman goes on and on about how complicated Dion's new environmental policy is, then they discuss whether the public will be able to understand the difference between caps and intensity targets, and then they wax eloquent about M. H.'s incredible ability to "dumb down" ideas for the electorate and how Dion needs to learn to do the same.
So, the real public - the ones who are clearly more astute and intelligent than Mr. Newman and his guests - where do they go for political commentary?
First Newman goes on and on about how complicated Dion's new environmental policy is, then they discuss whether the public will be able to understand the difference between caps and intensity targets, and then they wax eloquent about M. H.'s incredible ability to "dumb down" ideas for the electorate and how Dion needs to learn to do the same.
So, the real public - the ones who are clearly more astute and intelligent than Mr. Newman and his guests - where do they go for political commentary?
posted by Susan at 9:18 PM
5 Comments:
Dion does need to start calling it "cap and trade" which is the universal dumbed down version of his plan. Rather than "Carbon tax" which is how the tories will portray it.
I watch CPAC whenever I can - they are not biased.
Duffy is Harper's best PR man. You know the wink-wink, nudge-nudge inside gossip about the Liberals all the time.
I used to go to TVO, back when I was home on weekdays. Their politicial commentary shows used to have a panel of 6, 3 partisan speakers with 3 media panelists to keep them honest. They would debate, with the panelists throwing in questions or calling BS when a partisan went too far. Very informative.
I hear they've discontinued Studio 2 and Diplomatic Immunity (the two shows with that format) and replaced it with "The Agenda with Steve Paikin." I haven't seen that show yet.
Yeah, why the "this is so complicated" approach by Newman? Greg Weston's opinion that Canadians prefer the Conservatives simple communications style ('cause we can't understand and evaluate details) is degrading. Weston and Newman should have listened to David McGuinty's explanation which even I as a grannie was able to follow.
I was 'almost" feeling sorry for these poor folks, their inability to articulate a clear thought was pityfull. I was a little disgusted in light of the fact that my children and I had been having a intelligent conversation on the climate. When I hear Newman state that the plan was to complicated, and he was having trouble undertanding, give me a break, do you and some of your colleages in the media really believe that we "the public" are so dumb. At first I thought some of the media were showing their partisanship, but now I believe they have all gotten very lazy and neglected to do thier research or think in this day of 15 seconds soundbites they only have to make innane comments to get a rise. At times, when I am watching the media and their pundits, I feel I have gone back in time to almost any Saturday night in a the small town I grew in rural Manitoba, where all the "macho" men and thier entourage met on the street for a little action. There seemed to always be few regular people who self proclaimed job was to provide the gossip, and the taunting to get the action going.
The "Harper Macho Man Posse" remind me of all those guys from the next town who descend on any given Saturday night to straighten us folks, take our beer, try to get our us women and tell it was better in their town. It did not work then, they often were surprised by our tenacity and they left town at time bleeding a little and with their tail between their legs.
I always appreciate that my first lanquage is French, and that I can go to the French media for some contrast when Mr. Duffy and even Mr. Newman lose all or almost all thier persepctive as journalist.
This wonderfull called the internet lets me find, read all the newspapers and opinions, this allows me to form my own analysis and oppinion on the issues. I have three young adult children who are able to do the same.
The "old boys network" in my opinion will only succeed in selling us the spin if we let them.
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