Jack: Canwest Global and Fox
Pierre Bourque is headlining two stories about the financial troubles of Canwest Global today:
Canwest Global saved by the recession
The rude realities of the Canadian media industry will be exhibited in all their excruciating detail tomorrow when Canwest Global Communications Corp. issues its third-quarter results.
The Winnipeg media company has been sticking fingers in the dike for the last several months, holding back the floodwater of debt holders at exactly the same time the global recession has dried up revenues.
But Canwest’s results will likely show, as they have done fairly consistently in the past, that operationally (not counting debt servicing costs), most of its units are still able to squeeze out some money.
That is ultimately the reason why, no matter how many missed interest payments on its bonds or bank covenants Canwest breaches, the company will not likely be liquidated.
That, and the fact that this is probably the worst market in decades in which to try to sell either television stations or newspapers.
[...]
Many visitors that come here to read the entries on this site comment about their desire to see a news outlet like Fox News in Canada and the thought which has often run through my mind (because I am not entirely oblivious to the trials and tribulations of Canwest) is that Fox News should try to secure a controlling interest in the company if they can’t buy it outright and in the process change the entire political picture up here in the great white north.
I don’t know whether it would be permitted but I leave it for readers to kick around. My feeling is that it would be a hugely popular move in Conservative circles. So much so that it just might blow CTV and CBC right out of the water (not to mention the Star and the Globe).
I’ll leave the idea for more knowledgable minds to think and comment about but my gut reaction to Pierre’s links is that it’s far past time Canadians began to consider the concept as we continue to be held hostage in our own land by a left leaning media for far to long. A change would be nice and Canwest Global is really cheap right now — a real bargain.
Popularity: 89% [?]
Male, retired and the rest is of little interest to anyone. The site keeps me busy and if it helps others to stay abreast of daily events then my time is well spent.
Sandy Says:
An interesting idea Jack.
Posted on July 9th, 2009 at 7:18 pm
Jack Says:
Just putting it out there while the thought is in my mind, Sandy. I don’t know if it would be possible or even if Fox News would be interested.
Posted on July 9th, 2009 at 8:09 pm
WCT Says:
I’m a fox watcher (much to my wife’s chagrin) and would love to see a “Canadian Version” of the Fox Nation – Rutherford Live at Five.
Posted on July 9th, 2009 at 8:37 pm
ward Says:
I would love to see Fox take over some Canwest outlets. Then simply by changing the editorial content to the Fair and Balanced format – and that it is – start making a pile of money as viewership and ad revenues rose dramatically. Then see what our media elites have to say about that.
Posted on July 9th, 2009 at 9:27 pm
ward Says:
The current share price is also a good rebuttal to anyone who says the meida outlets take the polarizing editorial (read anti conservative) stances they do to sell product. If it really was about profit, they would change their tune in a hurry, but since its not they don’t.
Posted on July 9th, 2009 at 9:33 pm
Cynapse Says:
If CanWest couldn’t do it, what makes anyone think FOX is going to do any better? The hard right shout-format has at best a niche market in Canada. Fox and Al Jazeera should just enter the Canadian market as specialty channels.
Posted on July 9th, 2009 at 9:35 pm
MaryT Says:
Rutherford at 5.00 would be great, but to be fair and balanced we should give Sheila Copps about 3 minutes at 2.00a.m.
Posted on July 9th, 2009 at 9:51 pm
Fay Says:
My dream come true is a Fox News in Canada!!!We would then be a fair and balanced Canada. Surely that is not too much to ask! What say you?
Posted on July 9th, 2009 at 11:54 pm
Jean Says:
The next best thing to having fair and unbiased media, would be competing left leaning and right leaning media to balance each other out and keep the other ” honest “.
Left or right slanted is O.K. if acknowledged by the media itself as opposed to hypocritical claims of impartiality that are untrue. ( Current situation with the CBC & CTV etc … )
I would still prefer that right or left each try to at least be factual rather than be competing and lying propaganda machines ! Sure they would ” balance ” each other out but lies from the left versus lies from the right are still lies !
Posted on July 10th, 2009 at 12:38 am
Joe Molnar Says:
FOX cable news is a big winner in the US from all appearances because they are the only medium tilting to the right.
CAN WEST should adopt the same course and I suspect they would succeed financially just as FOX has in the US.
However I suspect the dyed-in-the-wool Liberal loving Aspers couldn’t stomach the tilt to the right.
Pity!
Posted on July 10th, 2009 at 9:01 am
Soccermom Says:
To hell with fair and balanced! If liberals can have all the other stations, I want one exclusively conservative. Even 1 minute of screeching Sheila Copps would be too much and would lose me as a viewer, LOL!
Posted on July 10th, 2009 at 11:54 am
KL Says:
I guess the irony of this is lost on everyone. A right wing media giant in Canada is having trouble surviving so the answer is to bring in an even more right wing media giant?
I gave up subscribing to Canwest rags long ago because of the right wing dribble it spouts on a daily basis and many other Canadians I’m sure feel the same way.
Posted on July 10th, 2009 at 12:08 pm
nomdeblog Says:
I agree KL the NP is right wing. That’s why I buy it.
But I almost never watch TV so I’m not sure what you’d call Global … it is probably mush.
Unless we have a TV outlet that would have Steyn and Ezra on it regularly then our views are not represented on TV, so I don’t go there for info.
The real problem is the CBC that I have to pay for even though it presents views that I detest.
Posted on July 10th, 2009 at 12:18 pm
beentheredonethat Says:
”My feeling is that it would be a hugely popular move in Conservative circles. ”
The majority of Canadians would not only welcome but benefit from a FOX News broadcaster. A Pew Research Centre poll recently found that 28% of regular CNN and 21% of regular Fox viewers considered themselves democrat. A tiny minority label Fox as shout-format programing probably because Bill O’Reilly got angry and refused to let that big dumb ass Barney Frank blatanty lie about his involvement in Fanny & Freddie. Bottom line, democrat supporters identified their reason for watching FOX as it is the only MSM outlet that provides, and on a continuous basis, both sides of any story. FOX also has a considerable number of dedicated democrats ’on retainer’ who are always given equal time to debate issues with republicans. Specifically Bob Beckel, Juan Williams, Alan Colmes and Kirston Powers to name but a few. Can somebody identify any left promoting MSM outlet anywhere that actively and regularily not just seeks out but employs a pool of republican supporters to debate leftist views. Come’on, just one! FOX is wildly successful because it walks the walk as its motto pledges ‘we report you decide’. It doesn’t make the news it simply reports it. Anyone who labels FOX as being far right should try watching it for a while and make their own judgement instead of simply being sock puppets for far left conservative hating wingnuts.
Posted on July 10th, 2009 at 12:40 pm
KL Says:
CBC right wingers: Rex Murphy, Andrew Coyne, Don Martin, Chantal Hebert.
Anyone who says CBC doesn’t give the right wing a voice is obviously not a viewer. Nomdeblog, if you like the National Post than At Issue is right up your alley.
Yes, Fox is fair and balanced. I like how they label Republican as Democrats whenever they are embroiled in scandal. Which it seems is frequent.
http://www.mediachannel.org/wordpress/2009/06/25/fox-news-labels-disgraced-republican-mark-sanford-a-democrat/
Posted on July 10th, 2009 at 12:57 pm
Sandy Says:
Hmm. Looks like Jack has hit a nerve. Anyone who thinks any of the current crop of media outlets and pundits are balanced or right wing, apart from a couple radio guys, they haven’t been paying attention. Andrew Coyne used to be more right wing when he worked for the NP but certainly not anymore. I mean, he’s the guy who gave Michael Ignatieff praise at the end of the year “issue panel.”
And, Don Martin? He trashes the PM and the Conservative gov’t every chance he gets.
But, I will agree that Rex Murphy and Chantel Hebert are balanced. The exception rather than the norm.
Posted on July 10th, 2009 at 1:03 pm
beentheredonethat Says:
FOX has its democratic defenders (most if not every one of them) on air literally every day discussing and analyzing every single issue of importance. No other media outlet expends so much time ensuring viewers are provided with both sides of every story.
Posted on July 10th, 2009 at 1:33 pm
Cynapse Says:
Can somebody identify any left promoting MSM outlet anywhere that actively and regularily not just seeks out but employs a pool of republican supporters to debate leftist views. Come’on, just one!
Pat Buchanan is a regular on MSNBC. Can’t get more right wing without throwing up a swastika.
CNN (which is closer to balanced than FOX) also had Buchanan, plus John Sununu, Tucker Carlson and Lou Dobbs. The difference is that Fox’s Democrats are wilting flowers while CNN picked shark conservatives.
Posted on July 10th, 2009 at 1:45 pm
beentheredonethat Says:
‘wilting flowers’…ha, that’s a good one. Even funnier, CNN is closer balanced than FOX. Cynapse, what’er you smoking?
As for people like Buchanan PMSNBC use his not to present an alternative view of an issue (to the tiny insignificant number of people who actually tune in….. ever) but as a weapon against conservatism by presenting him to viewers so as to cause them believe that everyone on the right are lunatics. But hey, don’t take my word for it. The democrats who watch FOX regularily (and their viewer numbers are probably higher than those who regularily watch PMSNBC at anytime) agree.
I’d love to hear somebody like Bob Beckel’s response to being labelled a ‘wilted flower’. It’d be a hoot for sure.
Posted on July 10th, 2009 at 2:42 pm
KL Says:
So let me see if I get this straight. Canwest owns the following which is pretty much all of the mainstream media in Canada:
National Post
St. John’s Telegram
Montreal Gazette
Ottawa Citizen
Windsor Star
Regina Leader Post
Saskatoon Star Phoenix
Calgary Herald
Edmonton Journal
Vancouver Sun
Vancouver Province
Victoria Times-Colonist
The Van Net Newspaper Group
The Vancouver Island Newspaper Group
Windsor-Essex Community Papers
Canada
Global Television Network
CH Hamilton
CH Vancouver Island
CH in Montreal
CHBC – Kelowna, British Columbia
CKRD – Red Deer, Alberta
Prime TV
Men TV
Mystery
DejaView
Lonestar
Fox Sportsworld Canada
Xtreme Sports
Canwest is run by the Aspers who have publicly endorsed the Conservatives on a number of occasions. The Conservatives are a right wing party and all of the editorial content of the above media is slanted to the right. Especially given the fact they have a national editorial policy which all major dailies must adhere to. Vancouver dailies are in constant fawining support of Gordon Campbell is but one example of the right wing bias.
As well, the Aspers have tried to silence those in opposition to their viewpoints such as Gwynn Dyer who by all accounts has a better understanding of middle eastern affairs than either of the Brothers Asper.
Now, what’s the problem? Can anyone give me an example of a left wing journalist working for Canwest? Where is this so called left wing bias so evident in Canadian mainstream media?
Posted on July 10th, 2009 at 3:09 pm
Sandy Says:
KL — Where have you been the last few years? Living under a rock? You have to be kidding right?
You asked for one example. We can start with Don Martin.
Now, please do provide links to any or all columns that Don Martin wrote that are not anti-conservative. You will note I did not say anti-right wing because the current gov’t is middle of the road at best — much to the chagrin of some conservatives.
You must be new to the blosophere because I have been writing about this topic — here at JN and Crux of the Matter – for over two years.
Posted on July 10th, 2009 at 3:15 pm
anti-foxist Says:
The good people at Fox News know what’s best for all of us.
Check this out, and rejoice.
http://tinyurl.com/njjmdh
Posted on July 10th, 2009 at 3:46 pm
Jack Says:
“Anti-foxist” — go back to sleep. Dragging that sorry assed country we used to be associated with gives me heartburn and it won’t get any better until they fire Gordon Brown..
Posted on July 10th, 2009 at 3:55 pm
KL Says:
Being a Liberal supporter does not make you left wing. Sorry Sandy you lose.
Posted on July 10th, 2009 at 5:08 pm
Jack Says:
“Sorry Sandy you lose.”
Sandy doesn’t lose.
You do.
Posted on July 10th, 2009 at 5:20 pm
KL Says:
Wow, stunning rebuttal Jack.
Sandy offered up one Canwest journalist who is supposedly left wing. However this is not the case, therefore he or she loses. Don Martin in fact gave a fairly glowing report card of the Conservative cabinet, save for Harper and Flaherty, which must have been tough to do given the poor job they’ve done running this country so he’s really not anti Conservative.
Now, can anyone else offer up any left wing journalists who work for Canwest? Anyone?
Posted on July 10th, 2009 at 7:00 pm
Soccermom Says:
“Being a Liberal supporter does not make you left wing” ….Oh REALLY!
That’s funny!!!! Good one!
Posted on July 10th, 2009 at 7:04 pm
Jack Says:
“Wow, stunning rebuttal Jack. ”
What can I say?
My site — you lose.
Posted on July 10th, 2009 at 7:08 pm
Sandy Says:
Ah, KL is either a Liberal trolls or a Liberal operative. Nothing any of us can say will change his mind or enlighten him. Childish too when he talks of winners and losers.
However, I think KL is incorrect to label the Canadian media left-wing. I never said that. I just said most were anti-Conservative.
That is the KL’s trick you see. Few journalists, if any, would support the NDP as a government in waiting — the only real left-wing party besides the Bloc in Quebec. Greens are not even totally left wing as I understand it.
So, if that is the definition KL is using, he or she is right. But, equally, there is no right wing media either — which is really what this post is all about.
But, if we allow that most of the Canadian media are centrists, they are neither left or right. But, the majority are definitely pro-Liberal Party and anti-Conservative Party, no matter where they are on the political spectrum.
Meaning Jack — as you said – having a Fox equivalent in Canada would bring about a good balance given how “leaning from the centre to the left of centre” most media in Canada are.
Posted on July 10th, 2009 at 7:14 pm
Jean Says:
Sandy: “ However, I think KL is incorrect to label the Canadian media left-wing. I never said that. I just said most were anti-Conservative. ”
Good point ! I think we might well fall into the trap of thinking of the media as being ” left wing ” when they are really anti-Conservative Party and even more anti Harper.
What we do see though is often is a blatant double standard where small stuff is blown all out of proportion when it can be pinned on a Conservative and big stuff ignored when it’s a Liberal ” goof or faux pas “.
I would just like the media to do real journalism and look deeper than superficial
” gotchas ” and ask intelligent questions of all Parties. Some of it might still hurt the Conservatives but it would not give the Liberals a free pass either on their spin .
Posted on July 10th, 2009 at 10:01 pm
KL Says:
I’m neither a Liberal supporter nor a troll. This blog was linked to a Tyee story which probably explains why you have more than a handful of visits to your site today and I wanted to set the record straight because Jack’s article today is just a tad fanciful. As are some of the posts.
Man Conservatives can sure be parnoid when it comes the media. Wasn’t the media all over the sponsorship scandal when it broke, which ultimately led to the Liberal loss in 2006. The media was critical of the coalition (which most Canadians could not understand as being fully legal and part of the Parliamentary system) which sought to topple Harper. They also were very critical of Stephane Dion which led to his demise as party leader. See, it goes both ways. Do you expect the media to have a love in with the Government of the Day? Overall Canwest has been more than fair to the Conservatives which given the Asper’s support of the Conservatives this is not suprising. Even Don Martin who Conservatives seem to think is out to get them gave Stephen Harper’s cabinet fairly good marks.
At the end of the day media such as Fox News does nothing but further divide people and Canada does not need such divisions as there are in the States. The best example of how both sides of a debate can be represented was Counterspin on CBC. It did so without the hot air and buffoonary of Fox.
Posted on July 10th, 2009 at 10:48 pm
the other pete Says:
KL !!!!!!!!!!!!! I agree Fox News does divide people, that is what is needed in this kissy kissy country something to stir the pot and make people think. All we get is crap ie. Harper put a cracker in his pocket WOW big news. Bring on FOX maybe we will see some real news.
But do you think you handle it KL.
the other pete
Posted on July 10th, 2009 at 11:47 pm
Soccermom Says:
“Canada does not need such divisions as there are in the States.” It’s not divisive to show a different point of view than the pc/liberal pov elites and left loonies have. Fox is certainly not being divisive. Just showing the other side. Don’t assume the liberal pov is the only one worthwhile to present. I cannot stomach five minutes of CBC and CTV anymore. I watch Fox exclusively for news. If I want Canadian news, I go to the internet.
Canada is already full of divisions anyway. See the Coalition of Idiots and the divisions that abomination spawned…
The more info the public has, the better. A conservative TV station would be a breath of fresh air for someone like me, who is sick sick sick of people like Jack Layton and Lizzie May getting air time for being darn close to irrelevant.
Posted on July 10th, 2009 at 11:49 pm
the other pete Says:
then where in the hell this the other side mommy. all the bloggers in Canada can’t make people read these blogs so what do you suggest the stats quo isn’ t going to cut it.
Posted on July 11th, 2009 at 12:08 am
KL Says:
Soccor mom, your characterization of leftists as being looney is exactly the type of discourse that is damaging. Can you not discuss politics without name calling? Because someone isn’t on your side of the political spectrum that makes them looney. One could say that Stockwell Day’s belief in creationism is looney but I digress.
In case anyone still has doubt that the media hates the Conservatives let me draw your attention to the major daily endorsements in the last election:
Endorsing the Conservatives:
The National Post
The Globe and Mail
The Winnipeg Free
The Ottawa Citizen
The Toronto Sun
Calgary Sun
Winnipeg Sun
The Ottawa Sun
The Edmonton Sun
The Edmonton Journal
The Calgary Herald
The Vancouver Sun
The Vancouver Province
The Kitchener-Waterloo Record
The Gazette
Endorsing the Liberals
The Toronto Star
Now, the CBC which seems to be a bone of contention with Conservatives, which I stated previously has a panel of Conservatives on its At Issue segment. Its news reporting has been critical of Harper but it was also critical of Cretien, Martin, and Dione. So I still don’t get how Conservatives can claim the media has an anti Conservative bias.
Surely one cannot claim that people such as Sean Hannity, Glenn (I can’t stop crying) Beck, Greta Van Susteren, and Bill O Lielly are what’s needed in this country.
Posted on July 11th, 2009 at 12:34 am
Soccermom Says:
Here you are calling names as well – “Bill O Lielly”? Or was that a typo, you silly dickens, you!
I love Fox News. Entertaining and not afraid to say it like it is. I even listen to Hannity and Beck on the radio when I have the chance. Beats namby-pambies like Bill Good. Fox news is the only station that challenges the Obama cult worship going on in the rest of the mainstream. The only station that had a somewhat sympathetic viewpoint on Sarah Palin. The rest just shredded her to pieces.
If you saw the CBC through our eyes and heard the reporting through our ears, you would understand.
Obviously you don’t. But the point is it’s OK to have disagreements; I just wish our side would have more of a mainstream outlet. All we have right now is a few great guys on talk radio.
By “our side”, I’m talking small “c” conservative. Not Conservative Party stuff. Conservative values: small gov’t, personal responsibility, lower taxes, get out of my life government; traditional commonsense values. And yes, social conservative stuff (ooooh, the boogey man for lefties!!!) That kind of stuff. Fox presents that viewpoint; we don’t have that here.
There are only a few journos in this country who question the THEORY that is global warming. The CBC accepts it as fact and loves to repeat Fat Al’s Inconvenient Truth as if it is gospel. Hint: it’s not! But you’d certainly never know there was an alternative proof on that from watching CBC now would you?
I remember a few years back, one of the presenters on Canada AM saying she was “proud that Canada now has gay marriage”. In other words, she supported the Liberal Party and what they did. Hers was not a small c conservative viewpoint. Would a CTV or CBC reporter ever state the opposite? Not on your life. Because it’s not pc and they don’t want to “offend” the easily offendable.
I want to hear more of the other side. Our side.
So if you’re talking about which leader a newspaper and/or tv station is kind to, that’s one thing. That can sway with what stupid thing so and so did last week. But we don’t have many outlets who present small c conservative viewpoints. And that’s a different thing than just a political party, my friend.
Anyways, it’s very late here on the West Coast, so good night!
Posted on July 11th, 2009 at 2:58 am
bert Says:
KL,Your list looks good until you give us the reason they backed the PC party and when they started backing it.I would say they started backing the Conservatives at the last minute so they would not look like complete fools for backing the loser Dion and the reason is they were losing readers by the thousands and still are.You keep up with your lefty BS though and take a wafer or two.
Posted on July 11th, 2009 at 7:21 am
Soccermom Says:
Exactly, Bert. When Dion did his Al-Quaeda video, who in their right mind would continue to support him, except of course for those nuts at Toronto Star. Oh, and who can forget the “do over” interview?
I’ll also never forget the biased coverage of the Coalition of Idiots rallies: Union-led rallies for the idiots took center stage. All of the severely normal Canadians rallying for the other side didn’t get the same notice.
Posted on July 11th, 2009 at 10:57 am
Jack’s Newswatch » Blog Archive » ACORN on Uncertain Ground (1) Says:
[...] Fox News is driving a stake through the heart of a monster and it just keeps hammering away as it continues to destroy Obama’s base. It costs me an extra $3.00 a month to get this channel and it’s worth every penny because in Canada we never get to see anything remotely like this regarding our own politics. It’s far past time we did. [...]
Posted on September 24th, 2009 at 4:36 pm
Jack’s Newswatch » Blog Archive » Canwest gets court protection from creditors (1) Says:
[...] comes Canada’s big chance to build our very own Fox News. I’ve been on about this before. I also note that I saw a story the other day that somebody is trying to acquire parts of [...]
Posted on October 6th, 2009 at 2:29 pm
Canwest hits 6.5 cents; will Fox buy it? (in Media) | BC Vote Says:
[...] observer saw an opportunity for Fox News to move into Canada. Jack’s Newswatch (”News, disjointed views, and Sarah for President in 2012″), cited Pierre [...]
Posted on December 8th, 2009 at 12:08 pm
artist looking to buy beats Says:
They actually showed how they did it, and used footage from the webcams, showing kids who were clearly unaware.
Posted on March 4th, 2010 at 12:25 pm