The CBC, Among Other Casualties
This morning, I watched CBC news, and I have to say - what's with all the creepy advertising? I mean, why is a taxpayer owned broadcaster being supported by ads for private healthcare insurance? That sort of thing belongs on Global, not CBC. Who is the target audience, even? Aren't all the idiots who would be suckered into buying private healthcare insurance watching Global, anyway?
As a Canadian taxpayer, I have to say I resent our public broadcaster putting so little thought into who is advertising on our airwaves.
Oh - and those CHIP Reverse Mortgages that are recommended by banks? Well, I'm here to tell you that if that if they're recommended by banks, dear CBC brass - then they shouldn't be being advertised on a taxpayer owned network. They should be advertised on the network for stupid people - Global. I get it that the target audience for both private healthcare insurance and CHIP Reverse Mortgages are old people - but just because they're old people doesn't mean they're stupid. Unless they're watching Global News, of course. Then, by all means, advertise to them private healthcare insurance and CHIP Reverse Mortgages.
Finally, if it's a food *product*? It's not good for you. It's good for McCains. CBC viewers know this already, and any commercial that features a kid saying, "kids don't like fruit", as a lead-in to the *food* product being advertised, should be stripped naked and covered in strawberries and sent to the nearest daycare for a lie detection test.
I mean, really. But CBC news watching this morning followed a brief bit of CBC news watching last night and then a political opinion show featuring Avi Lewis. Hint: I'm ideologically of like mind, but I'm not a wealthy Canadian insider, so, my advice is to LET THE GUEST TALK!!!! I know it's hard when you're on the side of what's good and right, er, left and all that, but, to be born into a life without money worries is a wonderful thing. It just isn't even remotely palatable to those of us who weren't and who may have worked just as hard in life but do not stand even the remotest chance of getting a public affairs spot on our national broadcaster.
So swallow the humble pill and facilitate the spreading of information to your Joe Sixpack and Sally Housecoat viewers by SHUTTING UP!!
But speaking of Frums, why is Ken Whyte the editor of anything? Or have I missed some instance when he wasn't just a wealthy ideologically driven neo-con huckster devoid of any journalistic merit whatsoever?
Really, if anybody has any info, post it here at SooeySays.
But back to Avi's show. He did a bit on China's widening economic gap between rich and poor and since the expert didn't say this, I'm going to: If you look at the timing of the gap, you'll notice that it occurs at the same time Western businessmen started doing their profiteering over there. Mid-90s. Up until then, before Western businessmen could get a foot in the door, China was moving towards a profitable economy, but there wasn't such a gap between those who were doing well and those who weren't. Now, leaving aside that all of China's wealth is happening in the absence of democracy and political reform of any kind (including human rights legislation), it strikes me as particularly heinous that the advent of Western businessmen into China's markets has made life measurably worse for China's poor.
Really, it never ceases to amaze me when we hear our leaders (the ones on the Right - and Center, really, if you ask me) speak about our values and way of life as if they deserve any credit for any of it and instead shouldn't just be slinking around the country with their heads hung in shame.
Oh - and those faulty American car tires that were imported from China? Some Canadian business thingies said, "We'll take 'em."
I dunno. Is there a jail nasty enough for such people? Not that I think we should have nasty jails, but I bet the very guys who think faulty tires from China are good enough for their fellow Canadians do.
