Monthly Archives: August 2008

This just in: We really exist

We’ve finally been parodied by Allan! (He does have a good point on one of the other chunks of dust in his asteroid belt, though: What the hell happened to Maffin?) Come back, Señor iPhone. All is forgiven.

This just in: We exist

OMG    JEFF KEAY    OMG CBC spokesthingy Jeff Keay deigns to acknowledge the existence of nouvelle formulation Tea Makers! He top-posted the following: Actually, Joe, I haven’t yet decided whether I’m going to engage with you or not. I chose not to with your predecessor. This is false, of course. Perhaps he’s debating what […]

Worst imaginable quote from someone behind the new Radio 2

“Producer Michelle Parise” (emphasis added): “We never want it to seem like we know so much about this great music and here it is. To be know-y is not our goal. We want to share music with people, just like a friend who always seems to know everything about music, but doesn’t do it in […]

The right audience

Hiring a programmer from the Privates has consequences. By hiring Layfield, management endorsed the programming theories that allowed her to thrive in the Privates. But other theories have worked before. Here’s one: Beyond a reasonable minimum number of viewers, what counts is who they are rather than how many there are. The conventional interpretation of […]

Parallel Universe Watchâ„¢ (2)

Des kiwis et des hommes is a seemingly inexplicable title for a show. It means Of Kiwis and Men; Of Mice and Men is Des souris et des hommes, and kiwis rhymes with souris. It’s a curious cooking-cum-chat show. Maybe the most curious thing is its cohost, Boucar Diouf, who, as a black person who […]

CBC Blogging Manifesto: Missing in action?

Anyone remember the CBC Blogging Manifesto? To refresh your memory quickly (edited version): Use common sense and don’t do anything stupid. Blog to make the CBC better, not to kill it. Ad hominem attacks should be avoided but disagreeing is expected. Be brave. Be honest and tell it straight. Talk about new ideas and revive […]

(Minor?) conflict of interest from Globemedia Temple

Kate Taylor, while otherwise lavishing praise on the Corpse’s Olympics coverage, notes: Expect CBC to be a player in [Olympic broadcasting], despite continuing debate over whether a public broadcaster should cover an area of programming that commercial broadcasters are eager to take over. And again a restatement of the hoary and contradictory talking point that […]

‘Torchwood’ star in gay stripper shocker

Homosexualist ginger Gavin Crawford takes homosexualist sci-fi star John Barrowman to homosexualist strip club, ambisexualist swingers’ club. Film at 11:00.

POV journalism

The myth of citizen journalism holds that everyday people can provide first-person accounts, for free, upon relinquishment of all rights to major media monoliths. Do I have that correct? Or maybe the myth holds that you can report on your own blog and rake in the dough via Google AdSense. We can pretty much dismiss […]

‘Classics… and beyond!’

Kim Jong Il Watchâ„¢ (2)

Today, who has shown themselves to be unclear on the concept that the CBC is a public broadcater, not a “state” broadcaster? For the most part, hacks from the Tubby and incumbent Southam and CanWest papers. And “Toronto’s national newspaper.” “Taxpayers deserve better from their national network; CBC reporter, Liberal MP need Ethics 101 refresher.” Susan […]

‘You wrote half a “jPod”!’

My esteemed colleague told the tale of a guy – the Meanest Guy at the Bar – whose job involved providing telephone “customer service” to closet cases engaged in an antiquated activity – chatting on a phone-sex line. He’d occasionally be tasked with transcribing some of the voice ads for publication in print – and […]

Kim Jong Il Watchâ„¢ (1)

You know that favourite trope of Randroids, Reformers, and red-meat eaters – that the CBC is a “state broadcaster”? It took mere days for somebody to play that card in the comments section. And it keeps coming up. In fact, it’s been a dependable slug in right-wing-assholes’ Saturday-night special for ten years. How do I […]

Ian Morrison calls for closure of CBC Television

That’s exactly what he did – without even knowing it (or himself, apparently) – in ritually and reflexively decrying the fait-accompli revamp of CBC Radio 2. “It’s good for CBC radio to be playing a variety of musical genres,” [Morrison] said, “but this is a radical change. It is moving away from something only the […]

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