22 —- Friday, November 28, 1997 — North Shore News

Manipulating | Ferry fare hikes protested 5

Eugene Kaellis

Contributing Columnist

AT its very best all
today’s TV can do with
important and complex
issues is give them the
once over lightly treat-
ment. At its worst, it
either ignores such
issues or distorts them
to the point of near
unrecognizability.

A two-part CBC TV series
which aired on Nov. 10 and
11 was the culmination of a
series of poll
questions and
editorial
treatment
done in con-
junction with
the
Vancouver
Sun
(“Changing .
Faces/Facing
Change”)
dealing with
multiculturalism, ESL and
other issues at the heart of
Canadian attitudes toward
ethnicity, culture, immigra-
tion and immé grants.

Each one could easily
have been the subject of sev-
eral hour-long episodes unin-
terrupted by commercials.
But that was not to be.

Many of the forum partic-
ipants were well informed
and articulate, but the most
they were permitted were
snippets of approximately five
to 30 seconds as the host,
Kevin Evans, Donahue-like,
shifted the ca:aera and mike
from one person to another,
producing a staccato discon-
tinuity supposed to generate
dynamism and exci

In this case, brevity was
not the soul of wit, it became
the essence of confusion and
superficiality.

Cogent and impressive
points were made, but that
was.in spite of the format.

And what about polls? In
our democratic society,
everyone is “entitled to an
opinion,” but who has the
obligation to be informed or
thoughtful before rendering
one? Belief, no matter how
sincerely held, is not reality.

Already misleading and
superficial questions posed in
the Sin poll, ¢.g.:

“Whar is the preferred,
source of funding for pro-
moting/encouraging differ-
ent cultures?” were abbreviat-
ed to fit comfortably on the
sercen to became, ¢.8.,
“Who should pay tor multi-
culturalism?”

In the Sun’s questions,
what are “different” cultures?
All cultures differ from one
another.

And, among the multiple
choice answers offered, what
are “cthnic groups,” since we

“Media managers
cannot claim
professionalism
if all they do is
‘reflect’ ... ”

are all ethnic?

Is a Shakespeare festival
any less ethnic than a
Shridharani symposium?

MeLuhan, McLuhan. how
many tines do we have to
confirm your observation
that the media themselves
become the message?

The oft-repeated excuse
that the media, including
CBC and the Vancouver Sun,
merely reflect public opinion
is a sorry-excuse for such
superficiality and distortions.

A reflection, particularly
with the enormous amplifica-
tion produced by media,
becomes a confirmation.
Media managers cannot claim
professionalism if all they do
is “reflect” without showing
leadership by knowledge and
independent judgment.

Another of Vancouver's
recent media events was the
People’s Summit to counter
the APEC meeting.

One of its day-long sym-
posia, “Open Markets, Open
Media?” also suffered from
its format and (unstated)
premise. ;

The moderator, Jofin
Cruickshank, Editor-in-Chief

of the
. Vancouver
Sun, formerly
of the Globe
and Mail,
who never
distinguished
himself in
advocating
the presumed
objectives of
the People’s
Summit, can
now add his participation to
a meager list of “liberal” or
“progressive” credentials
while the People’s Summit
organizers can pretend they
successfully pulled off a status
coup. Who co-opted whom?

Even the language of the
media symposium reflected
co-option,

The People’s Summit
used precisely the same craft-
ed terminology — “trade lib-
eralization,” and “free trade”
as APEC.

The choice of speakers
and guiding questions for
discussion reflected the sup-
position that media in
Canada are “free,” not con-
trolled as are those of most
South Asian countries.

Wake up!

The most powertul con-
trol is the illusion of no con-
trol, precisely what we have
in Canada, the U.S.A,, and
other countries of the “free
world,”

The most effective con-
spiracy is precisely one that is
not articulated, based on a
shared ideology.

Beware! “Free media”
operators are now so slick,
they can suppiy computerized
invoices and receipts for the
material and tailoring of the
Emperor’s clothes!

Bur that doesn’t make
them any more believable.

The only way to avoid
being sucked into the vortex
of media superficiality and
the only way to avoid co-
option is by establishing~
divergent, truly divergent,
institutions and means.
People nor in The System
have vet to do that.

— Eugene Kaellis is the
communications dircetor for
the Burnaby Multicultural
Society.

Bowen Isiand
residents hit
WV terminal

Anna Marie D’Angelo

News Reporter
dangelo@nsnews.com
ABOUT 50 Bowen
Island residents
refused to get in line
fast Friday at the
Horseshoe Bay ferry
terminal during a
peaceful, but loud

This is the definitive, ligh

protest against
increased ferry rates.

“We received a lot of sup-
port ... We did see the finger
from time to time,” said pro-
tester Richard Goth, who
runs a freight business on
Bowen Istand.

Protesters used me,
phones to make speeches.
They alse handed out leaflets
to ferry terminal users. A
couple of protesters lay down
ona ferry ramp.

Horseshoe Bay ferry ter:
minal spokesman) Deborah
Dykes said the protest was
peaceful.

from The North Face. The IY

water-proof, breathable Gs

hood, multi-position und

rantsd
AL Trt Na

Hu afl rene
enor

SOOT AEST ach A

ma Nisan Qa

Uovderground parking at duh od Vine

ist hoe wPRIC

bod PARK ROFL
iy West Vanco, er 6048924

Dykes confirmed — that
extra staff were brought in
and the West Vancouver
Police were called to be pre-
sent during the protest.

Protesters did not want to
obstruct the return of school
children to Bowen Island so
they boarded the ferry at
3:55 p.m.

Subsequent Bowen Island
and Langdale ferries were
late because of the protest.

The provincial govern:
ntent announced ferry hikes
this month that increased a
Bowen Island resident's frry
commute ta work by an
additional S60 a month.

“This just irritates the
Bejesus out of us,” said
Goth. “Suddenly, they come
to vou and say it’s going to

cost vou 25% more to go .

home. Can you go to your
boss and say, “Can 1 have
25% more money?? *

West) Vancouver Police
Set. fim) Almas said thy
police were interviewing wit-
Nesses concerning an inci-
deat in which a 54-year-old
Rowen Island) resident is
alleged to have used her
vehicle in) seriking a ferry
worker. Almas said the
wonian was arrested and later
released.

VE OMI STR:
olst

NORULE
sob DAS

*

in Whitehorse. Yukor

metho tA

4 1 fo

QUENING SPRING {L998
in PRIN

GEOEC

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