Sun TV News: Origins and Resultant Expectation

Sun, 2011-08-28 00:19

Kanada2America

While I'm at it might as well update Rabble readers on my latest encounter with one of the Sun drones (sorry to be presumptious). They are running a "pay and go" model. So the if the ratings do really really well, they'll invest more; month by month.

But right now? The tv side is being staffed by lackeys who go running around from place to place for hours on end and literally are going back to work within four hours the next a.m. for the "next scoop".

So basically it's a shoestring deal and what I saw tells me that if they don't get more revenue to fund this gong show soon, it's going to float away on the hot air they've been generating.

Tue, 2011-08-30 21:42

#53

2dawall

No I meant if they were distributing the Calgary Sun free etc but I take it not. They are still doing that here.

Kanada2America wrote:

You might be thinking of 24 Hours? That's their freebie-handout that they've done in Calgary and Edmonton. Long on splashy pics and short on content. About a grade 8 reading level. Metro is a much better looking paper but it's in the same mould. Not a lot of in depth jouralism there either. But it is free.

Thu, 2011-09-08 00:08

#54

Sine Ziegler

I work in downtown Calgary and haven't seen any free Calgary Sun's distributed as of late.

Just watched the Source with Ezra Levant. I agree that it is all a waste of time - I follow him on Twitter and get the general jist of what is happening on that side of the spectrum with just a few lines a day. No need for a whole network to entertain me.

They are obsessed with bashing CBC. Makes me love CBC even more.

Fri, 2011-12-02 01:49

#55

CanadaApple

2dawall wrote:

These were the previous numbers I was talking about; in April CBC had 263 000. I wish we could get more important numbers like a Monday or Tuesday in May, November, February, etc. That being said, Pile-a-dough may just keep the one money loser in an otherwise money-making machine just like Murder-doc did. We need Quebecor to get its own hacking scandal to set it back a bit.

I don't think wishing that people will have their privacy invaded just so that it'll make someone look bad is a very admirable thing to wish for.

Fri, 2011-12-02 18:43

#56

knownothing knownothing's picture

They just slipped Sun News onto Sasktel Max, conveniently after the election. Channel 69!

Fri, 2011-12-02 22:00

#57

Kanada2America

Well I don't think the gang at Sun is sophisticated enough to even know what phone hacking is. They might evolve to that stage at some point, but mostly they use the police blotter and the front of the courthouse for a lot their "journalism".

Has anybody ever seen the Gieco caveman commercials? You know the ones where the caveman guy almost sounds intelligent? That's what these guys look like when they're on tv.

Just checked in on their rant a couple of minutes ago to see what's going on tonight. And lo and behold it's one of their grumpy ole white guys who's trying to manufacture a comedy act talking about Afghanistan.

He's got a loud tie with a Canadian flag on it, and a black leather blazer (didn't that go out with the 70's?) - it matches his hillbilly haircut too. Sad.

Sat, 2011-12-03 05:37

#58

Gaian

Even sadder - the huge number of watchers out there who do appreciate the schlock and wind up mindlessly parroting the Sun's politics. You don't have to be sophisticated, just employ a good polling agency and play to the audience. The indrawn breath while laughing is a dead giveaway.

Peladeau does not laugh in that fashion.

Sat, 2011-12-03 09:50

#59

knownothing knownothing's picture

I'm sorry folks but the way people on rabble right off media agencies like Sun News, Fox News and in our province CJME with John Gormley is troubling to me. The listeners and watchers of these media outlets are not stupid; they are individualistic. That is all these media outlets do is feed there individualism and until we can find a way to counter this we will never win. This is why the conservatives have won; this is why the Sask Party has won and will continue to win. Because they have an effective propaganda network. Where is ours?

Sat, 2011-12-03 10:23

#60

Slumberjack

knownothing wrote:
Because they have an effective propaganda network. Where is ours?

You want funding for your own propaganda? There'll never be enough of it to match what they have. In any event, your propaganda will never be permitted to occupy the same time spaces and display shelves as theirs...because they own the time, and the shelves. Try distributing pamplets by hand in the street....most hands won't reach for it because they've been constantly watching or reading another 'truth' for as long as they bother to remember. Instead of inventing new forms of propaganda, maybe finding ways to stop the distribution of what already exists would be a better use of time. I don't know. I do know that I won't be listening to yours either, unless it has something to say.

Sat, 2011-12-03 10:57

#61

knownothing knownothing's picture

Here is what you can do:

Phone in to This Week with mark Sutcliffe and Goldhawk tomorrow and give Canadians a valid argument for a radical leftist position and lets start broadening the debate in this country.

I phone in to these shows all the time. I email journalists and ty to hold them accountable. I email David Frum and Charles Adler and I phone John Gormley. If everybody on rabble phones these shows tomorrow we will influence public thought. We have to speak out!

Sat, 2011-12-03 18:43

#62

Gaian

You're right on kn. And we have to protect public broadcasting from destruction.

I'm reduced to writing letters to editors. Shot my bolt. Meetings end too late in the day, anymore. Same with TV programs...not that I can watch anything with advertising for more than 1 minute anyway.

Tue, 2011-12-06 02:17

#63

RevolutionPlease RevolutionPlease's picture

I need to watch a little Suns News to remind me what I stand for. That Ezra bit did the tonic for now.

Fri, 2012-01-20 23:48

#64

wage zombie

Disgusting hit piece on Canadian dance icon Margie Gillis. It's ramping up.

ETA: This is from June 2011, I only saw it today.

Sat, 2012-01-21 08:52

#65

Gaian

By the way, anyone still working under the misapprehension that Peladeau is just being dumb in this investment, that there isn't a "sucker born every minute" that will watch the crap?

Sat, 2012-01-21 10:09

#66

Unionist

wage zombie wrote:

Disgusting hit piece on Canadian dance icon Margie Gillis. It's ramping up.

ETA: This is from June 2011, I only saw it today.

LOL! If you liked that, you'll love 22 minutes' takeoff:

[url=http://www.cbc.ca/22minutes/clips.html?ID=2137209317]Margaret Atwood admits that libraries cause cancer[/url]

Wed, 2013-01-23 22:56

#67

6079_Smith_W

SUN TV, obviously not doing too well in the free market, has applied to the CRTC for mandatory cable carriage.

Their news host Brian Lilley has asked anti-abortion supporters to lobby for their application:

"Sun News is the strongest voice for the pro-life cause on television in Canada. Bar none," Lilley told anti-abortion site LifesiteNews

http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2013/01/23/sun-news-abortion-crtc-_n_253561...

I don't know why I am shocked that he's make such an openly biased plea, even being from that station. But I am.

Wed, 2013-01-23 23:04

#68

NorthReport

Sun News is not cutting it financially so hopefully they and Warren Kinsella et al will be bowing out soon.

Thu, 2013-01-24 11:01

#69

howeird beale

You can submit a comment on their application for mandatory cable carriage here:

https://services.crtc.gc.ca/pub/Intervention/Submission-Soumission.aspx?...

Thu, 2013-01-24 13:24

#70

Fidel

Slumberjack wrote:
You want funding for your own propaganda? There'll never be enough of it to match what they have. In any event, your propaganda will never be permitted to occupy the same time spaces and display shelves as theirs...because they own the time, and the shelves. Try distributing pamplets by hand in the street....most hands won't reach for it because they've been constantly watching or reading another 'truth' for as long as they bother to remember. Instead of inventing new forms of propaganda, maybe finding ways to stop the distribution of what already exists would be a better use of time. I don't know. I do know that I won't be listening to yours either, unless it has something to say.

Exactly. Mel Hurtig says media ownership in Canada is the most concentrated in the world. No other rich country allows as high a percentage of foreign and mainly U.S.-based book publishers and magazines to dump right wing propaganda in schools, book shelves and magazine racks.

It's why Canada ranks 109th in voter turnout. Number of physicians per 100,000 population? Try 54th. Our rank in reducing pollution? 126th out of 146 countries. Our corrupt stooges sold Canada's soul to superrich American interests with CUSFTA and NAFTA, the stupidest trade agreements in the history of the solar system. They basically control what Canadians and Americans think while robbing us blind of natural resource wealth and untaxed corporate profits.

Thu, 2013-01-24 15:19

#71

Mr.Tea

I don't actually get Sun News and don't particularly want it but this makes me think of the frustrations with cable TV packages in general. Through my cable package (with Rogers), I get about 100 or so channels. Of these, there are only about 10 that I ever watch with any degree of regularity. Most of them, I've never watched for a second. Why can't they just let you pick and pay for channels you actually want? I mean, back in teh day, we probably all bought a music album when we really only wanted one or two songs. However, since iTunes, you can just buy the songs you actually want. Why hasn't television caught up with this principle?

Thu, 2013-01-24 15:27

#72

6079_Smith_W

Good point, though this is different, in that it is a right-wing station criticizing our national public broadcaster for the same thing (even thought the CBC has far more responsibilities by mandate), yet it has no problem pushing up to the trough, and violating some basic journalistic principles, when its bottom line is threatened.

Thu, 2013-01-24 20:05

#73

radiorahim radiorahim's picture

Interestingly, Sun TV shut down their "over the air" transmitter in Toronto on UHF Channel 52 in November, 2011.

Not being a cable or satellite subscriber, and relying on "free to air" TV, I am being boycotted by Sun TV.

link

Sat, 2013-02-23 19:55

#74

Boom Boom

Petition: Stop “Fox News North” from being on every TV in Canada.

Mon, 2013-04-22 11:32

#75

Snuckles

[url=http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2013/04/22/scott-stinson-sun-news-is... News is the go-to network for praise of Sun News[/url].

Tue, 2013-04-23 15:45

#76

onlinediscountanvils

I just started watching the application hearing. This is entertaining stuff.

http://www.cpac.ca/eng/direct/cpac2

Sat, 2013-04-27 16:53

#77

onlinediscountanvils

[url=http://www.theglobeandmail.com/commentary/columnists/sun-tvs-abandonment... TV's abandonment of principles is TV comedy gold[/url]

Quote:
It was like watching Mr. Dressup walk into someone’s house, wreck a child’s crafts and become really impatient with the family dog

Quote:
the equivalent of an episode of The Littlest Hobo in which the German shepherd suddenly stopped helping people and started eating them.

Quote:
It was riveting. The plea for mandatory carriage was some of the most gripping, if occasionally hilarious, Canadian programing ever aired.

As it turns out, the total abandonment of core principles makes for great television.

Wed, 2013-08-07 10:51

#78

Snuckles

D-Day arrives this week.

http://www.torontosun.com/2013/08/06/sun-news-networks-crtc-decision-com...

Thu, 2013-08-08 11:37

#79

Snuckles

[url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/story/2013/08/08/pol-crtc-sun-tv-news-ru... there will be much wailing and gnashing of teeth at Sun News[/url]

Thu, 2013-08-08 13:40

#80

Catchfire

*sniff*

CRTC says 'No' to Sun TV: Right-wing network's bid for mandatory cable spot rejected

And the Broadbent Institute compiled a list of "greatest hits": Sun New gone but (sadly) not forgotten

Sat, 2021-11-20 20:38

#81

jfb

.

Thu, 2015-02-12 20:56

#82

6079_Smith_W

Closing tomorrow morning

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/sun-news-network-to-shut-down-perm...

Thu, 2015-02-12 21:09

#83

Mr. Magoo

Evidently the marketplace has spoken.

It used to be that if you clicked on a link to a Sun News Network video story from whereever, you'd get to watch an ad for SNN that included a voice over to the effect of "Brian Lilley and Ezra Levant --- they bring you the [i][b]real[/b][/i] stories...", but the VO guy dragged out the word "real" in the most sleazy/pious/verbal "wink" way you could imagine. As though every other news outlet simply lacked the courage to admit that white men are the actual victims of most tragedies in the world. Too funny.

Oh well. I guess SNN is to FoxNews as Target is to Walmart. Too bad, so sad.

Thu, 2015-02-12 21:45

#84

Unionist

I don't believe in capital punishment. Relieved that they're dying a swift natural death. May their name be erased from the annals of decent folks everywhere. So shall it be His will. Amen, selah.

Thu, 2015-02-12 23:04

#85

sherpa-finn

I always found David Akin to be a professional, critical and reasonably objective journalist. Hope he lands on his feet. The rest of the front-of-camera crowd, meh!

Fri, 2015-02-13 00:49

#86

alan smithee alan smithee's picture

This is good news (pardon the pun). I'm glad it failed and it deserved to.

Just for the record,I never seen one second of Sun TV News.I never tuned in and now that it's gone I can certainly say I never will.

Good riddance.

Fri, 2015-02-13 01:25

#87

NS

I think CBC was the one to break the news but I could be wrong

200 Sun News workers axed due to top executives fighting over severance packages, after $47 Million losses and failed bid by Zoomer Media

Incredible!

Fri, 2015-02-13 02:05

#88

NDPP

Oh No! No more of this?!! What will we do?!!

http://www.sunnewsnetwork.ca/video/4049806080001

Thank god there's still the CBC...

Fri, 2015-02-13 16:38

#89

NS

Linden MacIntyre: Sun News Network died for a simple reason, and it wasn't the original concept (or Ezra)

Then someone got the bright idea that Canadians were ready for a real up-front conservative alternative in the mainstream media. And whoever “they” were, they might well have been onto a viable idea. But they forgot something important. Canadians tend to regard bombast and abuse as, at best, amusing when the targets are appropriate, and pomposity and posturing to be even more offensive coming from people who, when all is said and done, have nothing, really, to complain about. Taxes? Socialist conspiracies about climate change? Feminism? The menace of diversity? Are we really going to begin and end each day with a “Hell, yeah!” response to another rant about head scarves?

Sun News Network died for a very simple reason and it had nothing to do with the original concept, or with Ezra’s costumes, not even his commentaries and his ridiculous hyperbole.

The media, like politics, has always been about performance. But performance isn’t just about volume and projection, wigs and histrionics. The objective of performance isn’t only to be noticed. It’s to communicate. The problem viewers had with Ezra and most of Sun TV wasn’t the performance but the content. There was nothing there but style. And it was a style that was embarrassing to people who might have had some thoughtful things to say.

And maybe now that Sun is toast - they will.

Highly doubt it.

Sun TV News: Origins and Resultant Expectation

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