If you’ve been watching my 6 pm show on Sun News Network for the few weeks before the Christmas break, you’ve probably got the hint that we’ve got a new name and brand for the program. Well, tonight’s the night we’re rolling it out.
Some backstory first: For the few months preceding the U.S. general election, the hour-long Monday-to-Friday show at 6 p.m. was called Road to the White House and focused exclusively on that race. Lots of you watched (thanks!). So the new show is going to try to do something similar: Focus on political horse-races. We’ll talk about campaign strategy, the ads, the personalities, election issues – real political junkie stuff. The new name of this new show? Battleground. (You need to say it loud with your deepest, “Ted Baxter” TV anchor voice for best effect — see video above!).
And for next few weeks we’re going to focus every show (M-F at 6 pm Eastern) exclusively on three separate battlegrounds: The big one, for us at least, is “Battleground BC” — the provincial election tentatively set for May 13. Then there’s “Battleground Canada’ – the race to win the leadership of the Liberal Party of Canada which will wrap up in April. And, finally, we’ll focus on “Battleground Ontario” – the race to become the next leader of the Ontario Liberal Party and, in so doing, the next premier of Canada’s biggest province.
On tonight’s show: Our Battleground BC guests are Suzanne Anton (hoping to carry the BC Liberal banner in Vancouver-Quilchena) and Vancouver business owner/political commentator Sandy Garossino; Sun News Reporter Rebeccca Thompson will set the stage for last few weeks in Battleground Ontario; and Martha Hall Findlay will be our Battleground Canada guest. Hope you can join us!