Good job. You won’t find much here that is complimentary about a broadcaster whose work I once respected. But, he deserves credit for working Canada’s Coast Guard story on the west coast, nailing the Conservative government for stupidity, disrespect and callous disregard for public safety. This government keeps chauffeured limousines
Continue readingTag: CKNW
Northern Insight: Yes Bill, you are ill equipped
Biill Good & Premier’s Director of Outreach It was an interview so tortured that I suspect Bill Good’s briefing notes had fallen irretrievably from the desk just as his guest was introduced. This morning, the Corus Radio star failed to twinkle light on the glacial pace of re-implementing PST as
Continue readingNorthern Insight: A challenge to corporate media
British Columbia’s inept Liberals slide toward oblivion and Alberta’s long reigning Conservatives are already at the brink. No doubt, social media and online commentary contributes by impacting political dialog but the output of corporate media, with few notable exceptions, is limited by commercial interests, a situation made worse by today’s
Continue readingNorthern Insight: See what happens when you split the vote
On today’s Trailing Edge from the Ledge, BC Liberal press officer Sean Leslie disclosed strategy to be followed after the party’s candidate, federal Conservative wonk Laurie Throness, fails to win the once friendly riding of Chilliwack-Hope. “If the NDP actually pulls a win out there because the Conservatives and the
Continue readingNorthern Insight: Wingnut alert!
REPLAY: First published Oct 22, 2010, this small piece, with minor updates, remains apropos. BC Liberals Keith “Fore!” Baldrey and Bill “That’s an old story” Good, with Mr. “I’ve Seen No Evidence” Palmer, said on Corus Radio that bloggers are anonymous “wingnuts” writing “things they don’t know.” I might be
Continue readingNorthern Insights / Perceptivity: Behind the ostensible government
Before Gordon Campbell, the BC Liberal Party had been roused from the near dead and invigorated by Gordon Wilson, then a youthful populist leader. However, business interests chose Wilson’s party as the vehicle best suited to replace the discredited Social Credit coalition. Led by Patrick Kinsella and Gordon Gibson, the
Continue readingNorthern Insights / Perceptivity: Toothless media accommodates political fraud
In 2006, Rafe Mair wrote News Media, Defanged for The Tyee. It included the headline: “Politicians, not too long ago, feared the press.” Of course misreants particularly feared Rafe Mair during his post-politician days. Rafe had been a successful lawyer and a capable cabinet minister in Bill Bennett’s coalition and
Continue readingNorthern Insights / Perceptivity: Self-interested blather from Edge of the Ledge
Wonderful demonstration today of how BC’s tight little circle of political reporters is wilfully blind to the real issue at stake in the CBC conflict of interest matter. Of course, I did not expect anything else from this trio on CKNW because I question their own journalistic ethics because of
Continue readingNorthern Insights / Perceptivity: Best and worst of CKNW
I am quick to criticize CKNW, mostly because I remember the years it did excellent work. Its newsroom, when run by Warren Barker, was the single quickest and best source for local news. Reporters like George Garrett were our trusted friends. The morning news talk show under matchless hosts Jack
Continue readingNorthern Insights / Perceptivity: CKNW charity boosts corporate profits
In early December, Corus Radio holds its annual pledge day, raising money for the CKNW Orphans’ Fund, a charity started when Bill Rea founded the station in 1944. A Northern Insights reader suggested I look at how financial management of the Orphans’ Fund had altered in recent years, changes made
Continue readingNorthern Insights / Perceptivity: Good tax, bad tax
News item, The Guardian, November 3, 2011:
“Bill Gates will tell the G20 group of developed and developing countries on Thursday that they could raise an extra $48bn (£30bn) a year to fight global poverty by levying a small tax on share and bond tr…
Continue readingNorthern Insights / Perceptivity: REPLAY: "It’s a tough spot but Premier Clark is thriving, I mean, she seems to really. ."
First published April 3, 2011 but worth another read. Be sure you listen to the audio clip at the end.
CKNW’s Bill Good and producer Jessica Hyatt want you critics of Christy Clark and BC Liberals to be quiet. You are all greedy beggars, demanding se…
Continue readingNorthern Insights / Perceptivity: Tossing the myth of impartiality
CKNW’s Bill Good took a little heat this week from callers but did his best to defend Gordon Campbell’s appointment to the OBC. Good’s ire rises quickly if callers slip through the screening and point out puffball treatment of the former Premier, his g…
Continue readingNorthern Insights / Perceptivity: Labour Day – Canadian heritage moment – Rerun
First published here in 2009
I was flipping the radio dial on Labour Day and noticed that CKNW’s Christy Clark featured a guest who seemed a strange choice. It was a Fraser Institute automaton, there to talk once more about our “unsustainable medic…
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