I'm counting the days 'til kevin falcon drops the bomb on St. Paul's Hospital.
His track record on transportation doesn't bode well for health care . . . .
Have found the T-C to be surprisingly good, especially over the past year. Must be something in Victoria's water - or some independence of mind on behalf of the editor.
Bob--
I hope you are wrong, but I very much fear you are right.
In fact, I would be very much surprised if Mr. Falcon wasn't brought in to do this very thing.
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Chrystal--
As much as I've ranted on (and on and on and on) the need to deal with media monopolies (Bust the Trusts!), I do agree with what you have to say about the T-C.
It would be interesting to hear a little from Paul Willcocks (if he feels comfortable discussing it) on how this particular CanWest outlet has managed to achieve this.
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We are only a cabinet shuffle or two away from the creation of a Ministry of Things the Government Does Not Give a Damn About (Like Forests). Talk about flogging a dead horse.
Beer--
That would be an excellent way for the good Mr. Bennett to get back into cabinet I reckon.
Oh.
Wait......
Turns out he's already the Minister of Community and Rural Development.
Aren't those already two things the GDGAD about right now?
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RossK:
There’s not much mystery. You have pointed to a couple of recent editorials. The Times Colonist editorial board – effectively three people, the editor in chief, the editorial page editor and me – generally meet in the morning to discuss topics and approaches. We reach a consensus and then the editorial page editor and I write them to reflect the discussion. We’re looking for topics that are important to our community and aim to add information and context and suggest an appropriate response. We do the research – with varying diligence depending on time pressures – and write. It’s critical, in my mind, to be persuasive to all readers – especially ones who might disagree with some or all aspects of the argument.
Most papers go through a similar process.
In terms of straight quality or usefulness, the deciding factor – as it would be in a house-building crew – is the people doing the work. Their diligence and knowledge and judgment and attitude and basic ability.
The same is true for reporters. There are superb reporters working in B.C. – Jeff Nagle, Gordon Hamilton, Lindsay Kines, Sean Holman and many others – and there are really poor ones.
Ownership really doesn’t matter much, beyond obvious issues of resources. I’ve run newspapers for three owners – the Irvings, a foreign-owned corporation and Thomson and now work for a Canwest-owned paper.
None were involved in content decisions during the time I worked for them. I’m sure editors have avoided topics, or covered them, out of a perception of corporate wishes. But rarely, and the topics were peripheral. (The right of proprietors to direct their businesses is a whole other discussion.)
I’m also sure owners, or corporate managers, have occasionally been keen on directing content. But it’s tough to understand issues in Cape Breton from Toronto, and mistakes cost the newspaper readers.
And owners, or their hires, have, for a couple of decades, faced way tougher, more urgent problems than an individual newspaper’s coverage priorities or editorial positions. The stock price – or executives’ career progress – are driven by business success, not the editorial positions of the company’s newspapers.
Newspapers’ strengths and failings are mostly the responsibility of the people who work for them.
Thanks very much for insight Paul.
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