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Sun News elicits most Canadian Broadcast Standards Council complaints in history

15K views 67 replies 34 participants last post by  Nighthawk 1 
#1 ·
From The Star this morning...

Canadian Broadcast Standards Council national chairman Ron Cohen says his organization has received more than 4,100 complaints about a June 1 interview between host Krista Erickson and Quebec-born dancer Margie Gillis.

The council typically receives about 2,000 complaints in an entire year.

“It’s the most individual complaints we’ve received about a single incident,” said Cohen in a telephone interview from Ottawa on Tuesday, noting that the number is only surpassed if petitions are included.

In fact, the council issued a release Tuesday asking Canadians to stop sending in complaints because the volume of letters already exceeds the council’s resources.

During the interview in question, Erickson quizzed Gillis about whether it was appropriate that she receive government grants to support her dance work.
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/...elicited-record-complaints-says-watchdog?bn=1
 
#2 ·


Part two where the host becomes really obnoxious



I had to stop watching.

A host saying " I don't understand where you get off..."

Incredibly unprofessional.

who is Krista Erickson anyway? (never heard of her before this morning)
 
#6 ·
#7 ·
Youtube Video has 8,700 views so I'm sure that some watched that.

What I find ironic here is that Krista's job is dependent on the massive amounts of government handouts and special priveledges given to her employer (Quebecor) for its newspapers, radio, tv stations etc.

People in glass houses really shouldn't throw rocks.
 
#21 ·
qft

Part two where the host becomes really obnoxious



I had to stop watching.

A host saying " I don't understand where you get off..."

Incredibly unprofessional.
I saw where she interviewed Jamie Farr (Klinger from MASH) who was appearing at Stage West. She was just as bad - actually spent more time talking herself than the guest. Compare that to when I heard Farr being interviewed on CHCH with Bob Cowen who talked for, at most, 10% of the interview. So this isn't just about politics/arts funding IMO.

She's horrible on air talent. Now that Sun has apparently dumped Theo Calwell they should get rid of her too for someone actually competent.

Sad thing is she's completely destroy her rep as a reporter in this country so if Sun ever cans her I doubt ANYBODY would hire her. At least Theo can go back to banking or whatever he does.
 
#8 ·
I was more upset about the fact that lady has received over 1 million in arts funding...
That's less than $100,000 per year for funding a foundation, dance troupe and personal grants. That's not a lot of money. It's far less than many other publicly funded groups and individuals receive. It's less than some MPP's receive as a lifelong pension after serving a similar length of time in office. (Up to $140,000 per year starting at age 55.)

IMHO, public funding is also quite reasonable in light of the fact that she and the foundation's artists represent Canada in international competitions and on world tours. If you compare that to some other publicly funded institutions that represent Canada, it's quite a bargain. (For example, it costs Canadians over $50 million a year to fund the Governor General's office.)

Regardless of whether you think public funding of the arts is appropriate or not, Erickson's conduct was atrocious.
 
#9 ·
its a slippery slope when we fund things like this...everyone feels entitled to tax money for being in the arts. Then we get into debates about what is art and what is not.

I feel if its something worth while then it can sustain itself without handouts...or maybe I should just start my new art career and apply :cool:

In regards to her conduct...its her show and she can do what she wants with it. I saw nothing wrong with the discussion and if that is how she wanted to handle the guest its her prerogative... we all have remotes. We have no right to judge her "art" hehe...
 
#10 ·
Margie Gillis represents and promotes Canada favorably around the world. That's enough for me. Artists do not get paid for rehearsals or for participating in international competitions. Maybe you want to withdraw funding for Olympic athletes as well. I don't agree.
 
#11 ·
I think the discussion is about people being upset at how the reporter treated her guest and the complaints that followed.

But i see how things always go back to what is worthy of public funding and what is not. My values are never everyone's values. Hopefully the taxpayer got its money's worth from her service.
 
#12 ·
I think the discussion is about people being upset at how the reporter treated her guest and the complaints that followed.
Thank-you for getting us back on topic

Please let's focus on the complaint and NOT whether we should or should not subsidize the arts or specialty channels etc.
 
#14 ·
CBSC is simply an association paid for by the industry. It's rulings aren't binding and toothless. Clearly the industry doesn't give them much money either!

If people have complaints about what they see and hear on our airwaves they should send them to the CRTC.
 
#16 ·
I take it that the complainers aren't required to rationally explain what their beef is.

Krista Erickson was polite throughout, gracious in her praise, willing to admit that she didn't understand Swan Hands and Brain Plasticity, etc.

She and her guest did talk over each other a few times, which is annoying but hardly complaint-worthy.

I can only conclude that there are people who will complain about anything and who are completely shocked that a host would dare question the waste of tax-dollars on "art".
 
#17 ·
She was a little heavy handed in dealing with her guest, but their was nothing adverse to complain about here. It was an interview. I've seen worse on some U.S. news network interviews shows. IMHO I think taxpayers should not be on the hook for any funding of the arts. Let people who want donate money.
 
#18 ·
Which will send them back to the CBSC, AFAIK.
Most times they do but if they get a lot, then they get involved. The CBSC is the CRTC's excuse for not doing their job.

I take it that the complainers aren't required to rationally explain what their beef is.
I think you'd have to read the 4,000 complaints to know.

I watched parts of it an found it a pretty shoddy excuse for journalism. The goal of an Interviewer is to ask questions on both sides of question and allow the interviewee to tell their side of the story and defend it. A good interviewer is one that is fair and reasonable but still asks the tough questions.

In this case, the sunshine girl ambushed the woman and became an attack dog rather than an interviewer.

The result is that the Interviewer and the network lose all credibility.
 
#19 ·
IMHO I think taxpayers should not be on the hook for any funding of the arts. Let people who want donate money.
FWIW, I agree so I also believe the subsidies given to Quebecor, Videotron and the Sun to produce "Canadian Culture" should be cut off.

BUT AGAIN

this thread is about the interview and the complaints to CBSC so keep it on topic.

Any future discussions about Arts Funding etc will be removed. We have lots of other threads to discuss that.
 
#20 ·
"The goal of an Interviewer is to ask questions on both sides of question and allow the interviewee to tell their side of the story and defend it. A good interviewer is one that is fair and reasonable but still asks the tough questions."

All of that happened.

Funding questions were asked. Funding questions were answered... and so forth.

"I watched parts of it an found it a pretty shoddy excuse for journalism. "

I watched all of it. The over-talking was indeed shoddy and she stopped that after the ad break. Considering how Swan Hands tried to excuse herself by talking about artists making sacrifices, I can understand how the interviewer lost her cool. Annoying in part, but hardly complaint worthy.

Credibility was only lost by the guest. I was proud to see a news network standing up to an air-head taxpayer-funded "artist".

The more I think about this, the less and less likely it would appear the complaints to be valid. It must have been campaign-driven by artists and other like-minded leftees and not genuine complaints.
 
#22 ·
Political posts removed.

I have removed two posts, one that appears to be on the political left and one on the political right. I say this so we don't get the inevitable silliness about left or right leaning!

The thread is not about debating politics. Its about a complaint put forth to the CSBC so as asked earlier, lets discuss it without the nonsense.
 
#25 ·
Not sure how the host made the link (in her head) to soldiers and the guest statement about "lack of compassion" but it was a sleazy trick. Either that or she is incredibly stupid and does not understand what the guest was saying.
I hate to say it but I suspect she may have some unmediated mental issues; I've dealt with people like that before and it just looks all too similar.
 
#24 ·
Well I watched both of those videos,
Sum of it, Crazy Dumb Blond reporter, very aggressive, looking for blood, sensational type junk reporting. meanwhile Margi remained very calm, and could not believe what moronic questions or statements kept coming out of the Rabid reporterss mouth.
I may not agree with spending so much money on the arts, but this is just junk interviewing, Fox News North I guess.
 
#29 ·
It’s kind of like Laura Ingram on Fox, a real bit**. But really this is about people who clearly take our money gleefully then criticize us. Don’t bit the hand….
 
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