Sun News is history. It's sad. I'll miss it. I'm sure many Conservatives are quietly relieved.
I've been reading what conservatives have had to say already and they stole the words from inside my head.
Sun News gave air to things that other networks would not have touched. Take the High River Gun Grab for example. Nobody would have know about it without Sun News. Victims probably would have been charged for being robbed by police. Would the Calgary Herald have stood up for these people? Nope. Just a bunch of gun toting yahoos dumb enough to live in place called "High River" complaining about police saving their worthless red necks.
Thanks to Sun News we know the real story. Homes that were dry as a bone were broken into by police and their private property was stolen. The RCMP report would never have been written otherwise and now it looks like the victims will have their day in court.
The day that happened I was very angry. That was the day rants would be warranted on Sun News. The day Nathan Cirillo died was another.
Unfortunately everyday was panic level 10. I watched religiously at first. Then it started to give me a headache. It was just too much. Nobody could watch the entire lineup five days a week.
The exception of course is Micheal Coren's show. Coren was always level headed and always fair. His tone was never never panic level 10. He could somehow discuss very serious worrying topics on an intellectual level and invite the viewer into that frame of mind as well.
This isn't to say Ezra Levant was some kind of raving madman. Ezra is a force of nature. Even that sniveling liberal Jonathan Kay admits Ezra "drew blood". Indeed he did on several occasions. On other occasions, like the one all about Jonathan Kay, it was still panic level 10. I knew Jonathan Kay was a fake conservative probably before Kay did. Why I had to suddenly be mad at him for being himself only Ezra knows.
It's not like I didn't enjoy Ezra's show. I did very much enjoy his show. I would tune in about once a week. Let's say I was cleaning the kitchen or something. Let's see what Ezra is mad about today, I would ask myself and turn on the cable box. It was outrage on tap. That keg was never dry and never flat. One can't drink all the time however.
Please understand, I'm not saying I could do better. My blog posts and my Facebook feed are a torrent of anger and alarm as well. I have to control it better too or people just tune out.
I liked Brian Lilley as well. If I watched Sun News twice that week I'd try to see what Lilley was saying. I've watched him improve over the years. We are lucky to have two great personalities now.
I think that all being said its probably best to end the experiment that was Sun News. I'm sorry to everyone who has to look for work now. You're not alone and its looking scarier by the day.
It's small consolation but these things tend to turn out for the better. The next conservative voice will not be "The Conservative Voice!!!!!" It was wrong to try to counter media bias with opposing bias. Even Glenn Beck's slogan is "The Truth Lives Here." Give people the truth that happens to be conservative instead of the conservative that happens to be true.
Glenn Beck may have the right business model as well. I would pay $10 a month for a more dignified pay per view Sun News. While I'm at it Glenn Beck has some issues too. This is for everyone's constructive growth since I'm probably going back to The Blaze now. Don't forget the over the shoulder factor. I don't want to hide my news consumption like its porn. Someone could look over my shoulder and I should not be ashamed to show them what I'm watching. A grown man crying about America is not going to make anyone think I'm cool. I'll win no converts.
What I do like about Glenn Beck is that I learn something when I tune in. He really is dedicated to the truth and to being right. He's also a great story teller. When I sit down to an hour of television I want to walk away with something. I want to be smarter and better prepared than the person who didn't just burn an hour with you. I want the secret knowledge. We may not be able to save all the sheep, so at least help the viewers out.
I'm sad to see the sun setting on Sun News, but I have hope. The next incarnation will be that much better. Good luck you all.
4 comments:
I was thinking maybe they should have put sunnews on Netflix they may have done way better for the ratings nowadays everyone watches Netflix. anyways it was just a thought.
Hi,
There was just too few programs needing to fill too much time, and issues ended-up being over-sold. I think for Ezra in particular, less would have been more. He would have been more effective with a 1/2 hour show once or twice a week, then an hour's worth of material dragged out over 5.
Personally, I think Coren's show was the biggest disappoint: he was 10 times more effective, interesting, and novel, when he seemed to run the show at CTS . On that show, it wasn't the outrage of the week, he also did shows about every sort of topic from medicine to education. I first saw and heard of Ezra, and I think Mark Steyn on his old show, so he had a knack for finding new and interesting guests that we would never see any where else. He tried to bring back one of his old regulars, Menzie (or whatever) and that was just embarrassing to watch, I don't know why he didn't have the judgement to give that the hook, it just didn't translate well.
I think they started to do this a bit too little, and too late, but they should have more information programming (like the outdoor show) , not just news commentary -- it would have helped to keep the zing in the those shows.
What I also liked to see was all the young journalists given a chance there, and also (believe it or not) the conservative voices coming from Quebec -- who knew?
I agree with you, I would also pay to see these commentators (including Brian Lilley) continue on somewhere -- but in a bit more of a professional setting, but still, even with the clowning-around, I think they was lots of good material on the Sun, and I will miss them.
I also watched them casually, and when my wife would ask: "what do you want to watch"?, I would say "click on my little Jewish friend, let's see what he's up to." All the best to them.
I may be daft, but I fail to see why "many Conservatives are quietly relieved" ??
Watching SNN over the past 5 years was like watching all my favorite bloggers on TV.
The key to that sentence is the capital C. It's a hunch, but my impression is that SNN was interloping on their turf. -out of control and sometimes embarrassing for folks who need to be all things to all people. Can't say I don't blame them.
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