I, like all of my colleagues at Sun News Network, are now into our third day of broadcasts and, so far, for me, at least, it's been both terrifying and exciting. Startups in the media business are pretty rare and I've been fortunate to be in on the ground floor of two now: I was there at the creation when the National Post launched in 1998.
On Sun News Network, I'm hosting a show called the Daily Brief. It's a Monday-to-Friday hour-long news-and-politics show. Because we're based in Ottawa and because of our time slot (6-7 ET), I suspect there will be inevitable comparisons to CBC's 2-hour Power and Politics and CTV's 1-hour Power Play though we are trying, in terms of format and story selection, to offer viewers something a bit different.
The hosts of those other two shows, Evan Solomon and Don Martin, are both good guys — Don is a former colleague — and we've all grumbled amongst each other that some weeks there's no winning with viewers and readers no matter what you do — and all too often it's for what you don't say. Why didn't you ask so-and-so this? Why did you ignore Factoid X? I'm not complaining (and I'm pretty sure those guys weren't whenever we've mentioned this to each other). I'm just sayin' is all. And,in fact, if you're getting shot at from all sides, most journalists will tell you, you're probably doing something right.
Case in point: on Tuesday's Daily Brief , my first guest was Liberal MP Bob Rae. My last was Sun Media columnist and national editorial writer Mark Bonokoski. These two men, I think it safe to say, would likely have opposing views on any number of issues. And that's why, I think, it's great to hear from them. And in In e-mail feedback, on Twitter, and elsewhere, some viewers took issue with what each man said on the program.
But, interestingly enough, the criticism aimed at me was largely similar: I was being taken to task for what I failed to say.
Here's a representative tweet from “Joanne TrueBlue”, a Conservative blogger:
and here's a representative tweet from Alheli Picazo, who is blogging a “(Sun) Media Watch” column at the left-leaning site rabble.ca
Oh well. As always: Appreciate the feedback.
There will always be people who are never happy. I think when you hear a chorus from hundreds, and it is all the same complaint, then you may need to review what happened. Until then, keep doing what you think is fair and balanced. I think that, more than anything else, is what is important to the viewers of the new TV station.
David, I greatly respect your work. It's honest, you clearly care about the quality and it generally moves the conversation forward. Most importantly, you're one of the few journalists who has the ability to impart new information to a news junkie with an insatiable appetite for knowledge like me.
That David is unfortunately MIA from the first two shows. He's been replaced by a David feeding us stale talking points that don't move the conversation forward.
Your very first segment on health care–which was quite one sided by the way–is a prime example. Nothing new was said. We've all heard these same people say this exact same thing for a decade now. How is that different?
It isn't and until you bring the real–and very different–David Akin to the show, you shouldn't expect to receive anything more than the same boring criticism everyone else gets.
My biggest objection was when Bob Rae said “Mr. Harper has tried to change the rules in which he says, 'If I get one more seat than the next guy I've won the election and that means I form the government and that means I get to govern for four years no matter what'”.
It would have been great if you could have asked Bob Rae when PM Harper ever said or even implied that.
However your show is still better than anything else on in that time slot. 😉
Still waiting for my follow, David. You promised. 🙂
http://twitter.com/soundofmusak
But Ms. Blue, that *is* the essence of Harper's argument. Paraphrased, he's been pitching to Canadians for months now 'he who wins the most seats gets to govern, period'.
That is his pitch and no reasonable observer would claim otherwise.
No doubt you will, and that makes you?
Unreasonable.