Conservatives preparing to battle with reporters as they go ‘for the jugular’ in the 2019 federal election campaign

The Star's Alex Boutilier writes:
"The Conservative party appears to be gearing up for a fight with news outlets as part of its 2019 electoral strategy.
"Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer’s office has revamped its communications team to provide a more rapid response, war room-style operation. And they have not been shy about calling out reporting they don’t like.
"At a rally in downtown Ottawa last Sunday, Scheer said he would stand up to “the media” and accused journalists of siding with the Liberals in the carbon tax debate.
“'We don’t always get the same kind of coverage that (Trudeau) gets in the mainstream media. Have you noticed that?' Scheer asked supporters.
“'(Trudeau has) got the media on his side, he’s got the pundits, he’s got the academics and think-tanks, everyone who wants to lecture you on how to spend your own money and how to live your own life.'”
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Globe reports that Rogers close to a deal on magazine sales

Susan Krashinsky Robertson and James Bradshaw report:

"Rogers Communications Inc. is closing in on a deal to sell almost all of its magazine business, according to multiple sources.

"The Toronto-based telecommunications and media company is negotiating to sell seven of its digital and print magazine titles − Maclean’s, Canadian Business, Today’s Parent, Hello! Canada, Flare and Chatelaine’s French and English editions − to a company owned by Graeme Roustan, the publisher of sports magazine The Hockey News, according to sources with knowledge of the discussions. The deal would also include Rogers’s custom-content group, which provides services to marketers, such as creating branded in-house magazines.

"MoneySense, which has been a digital-only publication since last year, is also for sale but is not part of the proposed deal, sources said. The Globe and Mail first reported in August that Rogers had put the titles on the block and had hired the investment-banking arm of Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce to manage the sale. A deal with Mr. Roustan has not been finalized, however, and is said to require approval from the Rogers board. It is still possible that another bidder could emerge."

Christie Blatchford: Couple seem to believe they are doing God’s work in battle with publishers

The Kinsellas appear to share the view that by fighting to shut down Your Ward News, they are doing noble work that must not be called into question in any manner
Blatchford's column

CHUM's Roger Ashby to retire after 50 years

CHUM 104.5 host Roger Ashby has announced his retirement after 50 years with the station. A release from Bell Media, owner of CHUM 104.5, says Ashby’s farewell broadcast will air live from the Sheraton Centre Toronto Grand Ballroom on Wednesday, Dec. 5 beginning at 5 a.m. ET.

More on the South Bayview Bulldog

Time for a change of regime at CBC?

The Globe and Mail's John Doyle takes on the Corp in a sarcastic column dealing with the non-coverage of Toronto and other Ontario municipal elections on its Toronto station. One has to start wondering why we have a "national" broadcaster. Election coverage has always been its staple.

Here is an excerpt:

 

"The other day, CBC TV made it clear that it will air Murdoch Mysteries and Frankie Drake Mysteries on Monday evening, as usual, in the Toronto region. It is certainly not going to pre-empt those masterpieces of mystery shenanigans to cover the results of the mayoral race and the first reduced-council election. If you want that kind of politics stuff, you can go online. "That’s where the action is, says CBC.

"Far be it from you or me, mere citizens, taxpayers and consumers, to quarrel with this. CBC knows best when it comes to the news and the public broadcaster went its own eccentric way some time ago. I mean, it’s not as though the elections in Toronto and nearby are about Prince Harry and his wife Meghan. Now that would be news. They’re having a baby for heaven’s sake. Or, events in Venezuela. That’s what you call news at CBC HQ.

 

"I put it to you that everything about CBC News has been idiosyncratic since The National started being anchored by what appears to be a five-a-side-soccer team. You just never know what you’ll get.

Take Sept. 10 of this year. That’s the day Ontario Premier Doug Ford reacted to a court decision by announcing, in a lather, that he would invoke the notwithstanding clause to force a reduction in Toronto City Council. "This was a gobstopper of a reaction from a premier. The country was gobsmacked.
 

"Says I to myself, I’ll check out The National tonight to get the lowdown on the notwithstanding clause. Experts will explain. Historical context will be given. The meat and drink of the news story.

"What on earth was I thinking? I should have known that Adrienne Arsenault was at the border between Venezuela and Colombia. That was the main news of the day. Of course it was. Adrienne Arsenault announced, “Tonight we are in Colombia, a country bearing the brunt of a desperate, growing exodus."

 

Full column-subscrition needed

 

CBC to air Murdoch Mysteries instead of municipal election

The CBC has decided to not run live coverage of Toronto’s October 22 election on local television, but will be posting constant updates online and across a range of social media platforms and broadcasting results live on radio after the polls close, the Star's Emily Mathieu reports.
Instead of an election broadcast, the  local CBC station will be showing  Murdoch Mysteries.
Chuck Thompson, CBC's head of public affairs, sent a short statement in response to a question about coverage.
“In planning our election night coverage, we considered a variety of options to best address competing priorities and we know through research that audiences want the results on mobile and digital,” said Thompson. “We’re confident that our coverage of the GTA municipal elections will provide extensive, up-to-date news across all of our platforms.”

Murdoch Mysteries starts at 8 p.m., the same time polls close, followed by Frankie Drake Mysteries at 9 p.m. and The National at 10 p.m. Special election coverage on local CBC television will start at 11 p.m.

Live election updates will be posted every 30 seconds on the city’s website, starting at 8 p.m.

Full Toronto Star story

Steven Ladurantaye becomes head of news at Scottish broadcaster STV

Steve Ladurantaye

Scottish broadcaster STV has named Canadian Steven Ladurantaye as its new head of news as part of a major shake-up, the U.K website Insider.com reports..
Ladurantaye, previously at the CBC, joins the Glasgow-based company in the wake of a restructuring announced in May which saw it close its loss-making STV2 channel and cut a total of 59 jobs including 34 news roles.
Ladurantaye was previously managing editor at CBC's The National and was also global chair of news at Twitter.
He was removed from The National job and reassigned after what has been described as "a cultural appropriation controversy."
Last year, Ladurantaye was among a number of journalists who engaged in a late-night Twitter conversation that was sparked by a contentious magazine article advocating for more cultural appropriation in Canadian literature.
The opinion piece triggered a number of apologies but former National Post editor Ken Whyte responded by tweeting he would “donate $500 to the founding of the appropriation prize if someone else wants to organize.”
Ladurantaye replied that he would contribute $100. He later deleted the tweet and apologized but was not returned to his job at The National,

Where is Ottawa’s help for Canada’s newspapers? Asks John Honderich

John Honderich writes:
"This being National Newspaper Week, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau decided to send out a tweet extolling the value of newspapers to our democracy.
“'In an ever-changing world with an ever-changing media landscape, our local newspapers play a vital role in protecting our democracy,' he wrote. “'We salute the papers — big and small — working to keep us informed.'
"It is reassuring to know the role of Canadian newspapers is appreciated. "For many, myself included, the feeling is deeply inbred that our democracy is only as strong as the strength and vitality of our newspapers.
"Yet in the past decade, at least 137 community and local newspapers have folded or ceased publication."

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