I recently moved to Ottawa.  

This morning's  CBC local news  at 630, which is exactly the same, word for word, at 730 and 830, had 2 stories that stood out.

The first one concerned a Toronto man who got a vaccine from Costco earlier this year after he ate one of their (recalled) products that could have caused Hepatitis A.  Costco pharmacy, which could be an independent operator, said he would need a booster in 6 months, which was last week.  When he went back he was told that government health officials had determined a booster wasn't necessary.   Good news I would have thought.  Who wants a needle with god-knows-what in it if it isn't needed?  Him,  apparently and he went to the media to say so.  And CBC dutifully reported it.  Why? Where is the news value in ONE GUY who has a gripe with a store?  It happens all the time.  I got dinged 4 bucks yesterday to park in a plaza where parking should be free.  I had planned to  take it up with the landlord on Monday and to be  irate with vigour!   But maybe now  I'll go to the CBC with my first world problem.

The second story was about a woman who went to a barber shop in Windsor (yeah, I know; a Toronto non-story and a Windsor non-story in a local Ottawa newscast.) She was told their lease forbade them from cutting women`s hair. Men only, sorry.  It turns out that the lease doesn't stipulate that at all  and when the barber shop found out they said, "Oops.  We`re sorry.  We were wrong. Come back and we'll be happy to cut your hair."  (A free haircut would have been a nice touch, but hey, it's their business not mine.)   Yet, someone who writes ONE newscast for an entire morning thinks this is newsworthy?   I don't know  exactly what the CBC pays but I would guess a writer/editor is pulling down about  65K.    The thing is, this is part and parcel of a show that the host is mailing in,  at what? About 80K?   

We deserve better in other day parts as well.  Have you heard Ontario Today?  "Host Rita Celli," as they themselves call her, sounds like she's reading an eye chart -- badly. And to  quote Johnny Carson referring to Chevy Chase, "(S)he couldn't ad lib a fart at a bean dinner!"   She could, however, cut glass that that voice of hers!  That's got to be costing us 90K.. It's a nework show, you see.

Nice work if you can get it.  But you CAN"T get it.  No, they hire the Ralph Benmurguis, the Jian Ghomeshis and the Shads of this world and look down their (brown) noses at we plebes.  Well, this plebe wants to know:  how's that been workin' out for ya?







 

Last edited by Mike (October 22, 2016 5:46 PM)