There have been many changes since Danny Williams took office - but the most obvious one to me is VOCM talk shows.
VOCM's Joe Butler sold out to New Cap (publicly traded) and Danny's presence has reduced the effectiveness of the Open-Line forum.
Despite the "take it for granted" attitude of a couple of hosts - people like you and me participate in these forums to promote public debate of public policy.
During an election and even in-between - these programs used to provide 2 and 1/2 hours for the leaders to come on and take questions from the people. Since Danny has been elected - there has not been a full program dedicated to this. Four years and not once did the leaders of the parties spend 2 1/2 hours taking questions.
This is the first time in my memory that this has not happened during an election.
There has also been more rule changes for callers to the programs in the last 4 years than any other time in the past 12.
Geoff Meeker took VOCM to task on anonymous callers a while back - and rightfully so - because the last 4 years has been about "Danny Goons" anonymously questioning the bloggers or regular callers. There has been erroneous and slanderous comments made about me and other regular contributors - but who cares says VOCM.
Then there was the whole episode of Randy Simms wanting the employment history of three callers to open-line because his other employer - newspaper - suggested we were lobbyists.
The shows have become a forum for government Ministers and MHA's with pre-determined messages during CRA polling periods and a place for anonymous callers to question the integrity and purpose of callers who have contributed freely to the program for a decade and some of the very few who will question Danny publicly. The only other regular group nowadays are TONY - LIZ - MINNIE who call to promote the position of a Premier who has a popularity of between 70%-80%.
After the election is over let's see if VOCM will continue in this direction - or really be a forum of open and public debate.
The one thing I have really learned - you don't criticize VOCM and Steele with any different results than criticizing Danny Williams.
5 comments:
The true voice of the common "man" is the House of Assembly. Open lines have not changed one bit! The only change is the callers and their agenda's.
If you are looking for a forum that recognizes the common "man" then use the HOA.
If you are looking for changes in the format VOCM uses, I wish you luck with that one
There is a lot of suppression of some callers on the Open Line shows.
I don't know if that suppression eminates from within the Moderators control because he or she is afraid of suppressing themselves in some way, I am not sure. Or maybe it is coming from the administration behind the Open Line shows because the station might take a hit of some sort? Who will ever know?
I generally have Open Line and Back-talk chattering in the background. I sense a definate coordinated effort to spread a certain partisan message. I've been dumped on for criticizing that sort of bias. My statement was "when I hear or read an opinion am I hearing an ad or an opinion". I'm not a fan of hearing partisan rhetoric.
My challenge to VOCM would be to challenge the callers. A person who calls and is oviously reading from a paper - call them out. A person who starts off with "I'm calling to express my support for Danny/Lorraine/Gerry" ask them to state something they DON'T like about that leader. Or simply state a party/industry affiliation if they have one. That's the only way to get a balanced opinion.
I think it is fair to say that parties and interest groups bombard the call in shows to win public opinion. That should be obvious.
Sue, I admire your persistance and sencible remarks. I am sad this morning tho. This pretty muchsays how I feel. Copied from cartwright.lab: my own entry, "No Doubt I have my crying towel out.
I am crying for Labrador this morning.
This is NOT sour grapes but a fact of life.
Danny has his mandate to strip Labrador, especially the Hydro generation and send it to the island. Three blue seats ensure that.
The Metis has a whole new challenge. The lake Melville vote saw to that, and Danny and John are not friends of the Metis.
The vision of seeing all of Labrador moving ahead as one, seeing Labrador decide how its resources are managed, has all but gone. Now whomever can clammer the best(or gravel the lowest) will get the few morsels Danny drops from his island perch.
Right now, life sucks. "having cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, he left the place, and went away and hanged himself. ..." this will be a hauntin read in years to come, it’s sad.
"The Metis has a whole new challenge"
So what your saying Iceman2 is that no matter what,even if the aboriginal people of labrador wanted to stop the development of the ChurchHill they couldnt stop it if they wanted to.
And,i thought that i was over dramatic when it came to Newfoundland.
I truely find this too be "too" misleading.By,the way do you have a valid URL that can show the people of the world how bad conditions of the region are.
Thank-You.
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