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Media Objectivity takes a hit in Dion’s riding

Author: Wasyl Wysoczanskyj (Non-Partisan)

14 Sep

The Conservatives were first out with their signs, the Liberals soon followed. The Bloc got out of the blocks only on Friday, while the supposed NDP candidate is apparently on vacation in Lebanon. The St.Laurent News Sept.13 edition had the three known candidates’ pictures on the cover with a big question mark under the NDP (I guess no vacation shots were available.) It referred readers to pages 4-7 for stories on the candidates.Page 4: Headline “One less candidate in Dion’s way” with 1/6 page picture of Dion.Page 5: Same article as page 4 but in French. Editor’s column about “… commitment to show huge concern for equity and objectivity”.Page 6: Headline in French “Stephane Dion presents his Quebec team”, 1/6 page picture of Dion and team.Page 7: English version of 1) article on page 6 2) editor’s column on page 5, plus picture of Dion.Score: Dion 4, opponents 0.Special mention for objectivity to St.Laurent News.This is Dion’s riding to lose. Except for 1984 Conservative sweep (and even then riding boundaries were different) it has been a Liberal stronghold. He won last time with over 50% of the vote.So far no contact from any campaign (calls, mailings, etc.)

Filed under: Local Campaigns, Montréal / Laval, Nominations, Non-Partisan, Québec, Wasyl Wysoczanskyj (Non-Partisan)

3 Responses for "Media Objectivity takes a hit in Dion’s riding"

Leonard Langlois September 14th, 2008 at 7:58 pm 1
I know St. Laurent News really contradicts its commitment.
Louise Tremblay Matchett (NDP) September 15th, 2008 at 7:15 pm 2
Having been the Official Agent of the NDP candidate in this riding in 2004, I know what it takes to get publicity in the St-Laurent News. It takes money and a campaign that is managed to get as much free publicity as possible, failing that, and on top of the free, you need to pay. That is what elections campaigns are about. Balancing the free vs the paid…

In this sense, I disagree with both your comments. I wrote that the (quote) Campaign is off to a slow start ” because that is a fact. Naturally, the incumbent, who is also running for PM, has publicitity for all of the reasons above: money, he is the incumbent, and he is running as the leader of the Liberals!

The St-Laurent News has nothing so far to report on (after one week) but “signs” and who the candidates are. This info, they obtain from the Returning Officer in our riding. (They also have to publish a little ahead of the distribution date of this weekly paper.)

When the other candidates are able to get a campaign together, I know the St-Laurent News will be glad to cover anything the other candidates wish them to cover.

As for the Green-Liberal “deal”, this was a backroom deal and seems to be limited to Dion’s and May’s ridings. Certainly, there is no reason to think that either party are so desperate to give up votes to the other party this early in the campaign, on a riding by riding basis.

As for the NDP’s candidate, I am waiting to hear more from my party’s headquarters. If Carole Haddad is indeed in Lebannon, and does not come back soon, there is still time for the NDP to find a replacement for her. But as an NDP supporter, I am obviously not happy about the status issue here and now.
Wasyl Wysoczanskyj (Non-Partisan) September 16th, 2008 at 5:36 am 3
Louise,

I agree it is up to the campaigns to get their act together. My issue is with the editor pledging to provide objective and equitable coverage in the issue and not doing so. FYI, he wrote me back saying mistakes had been made (too many pictures of Dion) and that he understood the perceived bias.

Is there an NDP organization in the riding? I hear Dion has had trouble with volunteers and has not raised as much money as in prior years.

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