Sun TV - A Blight On Critical Thinking

Personally, I think we all give far too much attention to that parody-of-news-organization known as Sun TV. From the puerile rants of Ezra Levant to the sanctimonious pronouncements of religious hypocrites like Michael Coren, Sun TV is an egregious insult to anyone with a modicum of critical-thinking skills.

Yet here I am, adding to the cacophonous denunciations of this propaganda wing of the Harper Conservatives. Oh well, I will blame my lapse on the oppressively humid weather outside (now 41 degrees with the humidex). That, and this blistering article from Rabble.ca exposing the organization for what it is.

Sun TV's Alex Pierson On Tabloid Journalism

Given the station's sleaziness, Sun TV's Alex Pierson, in high dudgeon over the Twitter 'attacks' on poor Vic Toews, has an especially rich comment about 'tabloid journalism' at about the 3:15 minute mark on this video.

UPDATE: The video link no longer works, but Pierson, in the segment, professes shock at the kind of tabloid journalism at work in the Twitter 'attack' on Towes. I guess they don't allow mirrors in the Sun TV studios.

Can You Help Me With My Complaint Against Sun News Network and Michael Coren?

I am reproducing the correspondence I just received from the CRTC regarding my complaint against Sun Tv regarding Michael Coren's recent racist comments. As you will see from the note, for the complaint to proceed, I need the specific details about the program in question, i.e., the time and date of the offending broadcast. Thanks for any assistance you can provide me with.


This is in response to your correspondence of August 13, 2011 regarding Sun TV.

We do appreciate what you are telling us; however, as noted in our attached fact sheet on the complaints process http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/INFO_SHT/G8.htm , the Commission does not conduct general programming reviews. In order to investigate complaints, we require the identification of a broadcaster and particular broadcasts, i.e. time and date. We also ask that complaints reach us within four weeks of the date of broadcast because licensees are required by regulation to keep tapes of the material they air for that time.

Should you wish to write back with details of broadcasts that typify your concern, we will be pleased to follow up on your behalf. In the meantime, I hope this is helpful.

However, having said this, I have taken the liberty of forwarding your correspondence to the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council (CBSC) which administers codes of industry standards and mediates complaints from the public involving their member stations. Should you wish to contact the CBSC directly, you may do so by writing to P.O. Box 3265, Station D, Ottawa, Ontario K1P 6H8, or at info@cbsc.ca. You can also reach them at 613-233-4607 or toll free at 1-866-696-4718.

Please sign this petition urging Prime Minister Harper to stop threatening Michaela Keyserlingk and to stop exporting asbestos.

Michael Coren Violates CRTC Rules On Sun TV With Racist Remark

I was just reading a comment on Dr. Dawg's Blog that makes reference to a recent appearance by Michael Coren on Brian Lilley's show, Byline. In an interview about the London riots, Coren makes a racist comment that violates both Canadian Broadcast Standards and CRTC regulations when he says the riots are "not about Blackberries but about black thugs."

He then goes on to crow that he can say this on Sun TV when others are too frightened to speak.

I just emailed a complaint to the CRTC about this, and from past experience I know they are bound by law to investigate. I hope many others will also lodge a complaint.

Here is the video, and the offending remark comes at about the 3:20 minute mark: