June 12, 2001
Kamloops Daily News


Not everyone is concerned about the massive Liberal victory
in B.C.  Liberal leader Campbell, for example,  doesn't seem
to be worried.  But after a decade in opposition, I guess he
should be happy to see his nemesis reduced to non-party
status.  

Nor do six out ten B.C. voters seem worried.  They knowingly
reduced the opposition to virtually nothing.  The lack of
opposition worries me, although the company I keep in worry
is a concern as well.  Margaret Thatcher says "If you get a
very big majority, you really have got an elected
dictatorship." That's what she thought of the massive win of
Tony Blair's centre-left Labour party last Thursday.  When I
find myself in agreement with Britain's Iron Lady, I have to
think twice.  

I wouldn't go as far as calling the giant B.C. Liberal win a
dictatorship, but it's certainly a concern.  With 97 per
cent of the seats in government, the Liberals have imposing
power.  They have domination to do what they want. 

But who is going to speak for British Columbians who
disagree with the largest majority government in B.C.
history?   Many look to the media to speak in opposition.  
But the preoccupation of media for the last decade has been
to bring down premiers.  Some B.C. media have treated
politics more as a blood sport than as an opportunity for
balanced and fair coverage.   

For example, BCTV demonstrated questionable tactics.  In
March, 1999 they showed up in the middle of the night at
former premier Glen Clark's house.  Cameramen videoed the
ex-premier and his wife though the windows and doors of
their home.   Sneaking around with a camera in the night
strikes me more as voyeurism than journalism. 

Of course, Clark didn't endear himself with the media.  He
was arrogant and manipulative.  Early on in his career,
Clark boasted that he knew "what the media likes. It likes
to be fed fresh news, and not too much at once.  I learned
how to keep it fed." He went on to play the media card like
a pro in 1996 stealing the election from Gordon Campbell, to
the horror of Howe Street and shocked editorial boards.  

Can BCTV now objectively present the views of the lonely two
NDP members now that they form the official opposition?
After all, these are the same NDP that they went to great
lengths to get rid of.  It will take a great deal of
objective professionalism for them for them to turn from
predators to sympathizers of the NDP.

Some newspapers have not done much better than BCTV when it
comes to fairness and balanced reporting.  David Black, who
owns over 50 weekly newspapers in B.C. directed his editors
not to publish editorials supporting the NDP government's
proposed Nisga'a Treaty.  Not exactly balanced.  The
government of B.C. didn't think so either.

Ted Hayes and the NDP government complained to the B.C.
Press Council that Black was censoring democratic debate.
The Council ruled that Black had later "clarified" his
directive -- it turned out not to apply to letters to the
editor, news reporting, or existing columnists -- and
Black's newspapers did in fact "carry a diversity of opinion
on the Nisga'a Treaty," although most it would have to come
from letters to the editor.

Such "clarifications" do little to assure newspaper staff
that they are free to express a variety of opinions,
especially when views are contrary to owners.  Black's
directives had the desired chilling effect as soon as they
were issued.   What reporter or columnist is going to go up
against the owner of the newspaper by writing opposing
opinions to those expressed by his boss?

Freedom of the press should go beyond the dictates of
newspaper owners. The Canadian Daily Newspaper Association
says that "The operation of a newspaper is in effect a
public trust ....The newspaper keeps faith with its readers
by presenting the news fairly. Fairness requires a balanced
presentation...of all substantial opinions in a matter of 
controversy."

B.C.'s media will have to try hard to find a balance between
badgering the premier out of office and agreeing with
everything the B.C. Liberals do.  As a life-long fan of
newspapers, I'm optimistic that print media can find that
balance.

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