Another CTV Boycott letter

We continue to get letters. Oh yes we do.

Feel free to utilize it.

Here's mine!

Mr. Duffy,

I wanted to let you know that I think it is reprehensible that you broadcast the out takes of Stephane Dion’s interview with the ATV journalist that has now been broadcast all over Canada in this election. That guy’s question was the most poorly worded question I have ever heard! The grammar was atrocious and it is quite understandable that a man for whom English is a second language and who has a mild hearing problem may have a harder time understanding what he was talking about. Since this airing multiple instances of Stephen Harper messing things up in English and in French have surfaced and I don’t think they represent some notion that he is somehow “unfit to lead”

The worst part of it is that your guy made a verbal agreement to not air this bit even after the interview was over – and yet you and/or your organization saw an opportunity to spin this in favor of the party that you so obviously support and you took it plain and simple. In doing so, you threw your journalistic integrity out the window and showed that your show may as well be aired right out of the Conservative war room. Unfortunately in doing so, you only allowed your Master’s true colours to shine through yet again so I hope this shows on election night.

If there is one thing that this Conservative government has been rightfully accused of over the past two years it is the lack of respect for Parliament and the low blow tactics that they have used in their campaign against Dion’s character – before and during the election. Who would have thought that a journalist, whose job it is to be fair and objective and provide us with valuable insights so that we can vote with our hearts, would provide the lowest blow in the campaign and go against his word in order to prop up his favorite candidate’s ridiculous campaign.

I could go on and on here about the obvious bias your show continually shows to the Stephen Harper party and their bizarre personality cult. But I will close by saying that I will NEVER ever watch your show again and I will encourage others to do the same. Perhaps, if you personally apologize to Stephane Dion and the Liberal Party for your journalistic transgression I may consider watching your show again but somehow I doubt that will ever happen.

John McGivern

Harper's French Language Gaffe Surfaces on You Tube

And he has the audacity to attack Stephane Dion? This was during a leadership debate for KEYRIST sakes! He shouldn't be Prime Minister if he can't understand the language of 7.5 million of our citizens.

How come CTV ain't playing this over and over again? Pass this video along to everyone... AND CTV!



h/t to Scott Tribe for getting this.

The CTV - Mike Duffy Boycott...Join in the Fun!

As I've said...We get letters.

-I am organizing a boycott of CTV programming following their decision to air three outtakes of a Halifax news interview with Stephane Dion.

An outtake is discarded 'tape': you've probably seen them at the end of movies -- actors laugh at themselves and each other as they flub lines or miscue. They are standard in all broadcasting, yet these have been strung together by CTV to be used to discredit Dion's knowledge of the issues. (This despite Halifax anchor, Steve Murphy's standard assurances to Dion that the outtakes would be discarded.)

This is not news and is, frankly, a blatantly partisan spin to mispresent a person's abilities and discriminate against their first language and hearing impediment -- and to distract us from real issues.

The airing of these tapes has been objectively condemned by journalist professors such as Stephen Ward (media ethics professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison) and Paul Knox (of the Ryerson School of Journalism).

Regardless of your politics, this type of journalism must not be encouraged in Canada, and probably would not even be acceptable in the US. I urge you to speak out against it.

You may send your response to duffy@ctv.ca or newsonline@ctv.ca

Here is a copy of the letter that I sent to CTV. You may adapt it to your purposes (and enjoy your Thanksgiving weekend!)

Susan

I believe your decision to air the Dion outtakes is one of the worst displays of corporate journalism in this country. As a Canadian I was embarrassed by this example of news coverage.

As a consequence, I will be boycotting all CTV programming, and will be organizing a boycott as well. This boycott will be in effect until Mike Duffy apologizes for airing these tapes on his show. The Dion tapes were not news-worthy, and they were obtained through dishonest means.

I am tired of francophones being cut up for their efforts to use the English language. In addition, you have insulted all people with hearing challenges.

This does nothing to ease the tensions between Quebec and the rest of Canada, or help people make a thoughtful, wise decision on how to vote.