All the News That's Fit to Print

Apparently that includes this whole Langdon-Brunswick News affair. In the New York Times. Wow-Carleton County is in the "paper of record." (Thanks for the link on FB, Geoff.)

I'd like to know what people thought of the first edition of the Carleton Free Press. I saw it last night and thought it looked good, if a little tabloid-y because of the layout.

I was very encouraged by the number of local advertisers congratulating the new paper. The fact of the matter is, if people believe a non-Irving paper is valuable, they need to support it with their money.

And if the paper can provide similar or better quality coverage than the B-O, why not support an enterprise that makes the local economy a priority? It's the farmer's market of papers, you might say.

Jeannot who?

Jeannot Volpe, leader of the conservative party, has stated that the Irvings control too many of the messages in our media. This was a bit of a shocker, as he was very pro-industrial forestry during his time as Natural Resources Minister. The Langon-Brunswick News trial continues this week in Woodstock. It will be interesting to see what the court has to say about all of this.

Met Opera simulcasts

Here's the schedule of performances for the Metropolitain Opera's upcoming season. The performances will be broadcast live into movie theatres across Canada. Definitely worth checking out, assuming you are unable to jet to NYC for the weekend...


Venues
Empire Studio 12, St. John's
Empire 10 Cinemas, Fredericton
Empire 8 Park Lane, Halifax
Empire Studio 10, Saint John
Empire Studio 10, Sydney
Empire 8 Trinity Drive, Moncton
Empire Theatres Dartmouth Crossing
Empire Studio 8, Charlottetown

Gounod: Romeo et Juliette
Sat Dec 15/07
1:00pm ET / 10:00am PT


Humperdinck: Hansel and Gretel
Tues Jan 1/08
1:00pm ET / 10:00am PT


Gounod: Romeo et Juliette ENCORE PERFORMANCE
Sat Jan 5/08
1:30pm ET / 10:30am PT


Verdi: Macbeth
Sat Jan 12/08
1:30pm ET / 10:30am PT


Humperdinck: Hansel and Gretel ENCORE PERFORMANCE
Sat Jan 26/08
1:30pm ET / 10:30am PT


Verdi: Macbeth ENCORE PERFORMANCE
Sat Feb 9/08
1:30pm ET / 10:30am PT


Puccini: Manon Lescaut
Sat Feb 16/08
1:00pm ET / 10:00am PT


Puccini: Manon Lescaut ENCORE PERFORMANCE
Sat Mar 1/08
1:30pm ET / 10:30am PT


Britten: Peter Grimes
Sat Mar 15/08
1:30pm ET / 10:30am PT


Wagner: Tristan and Isolde
Sat Mar 22/08
12:30pm ET / 9:30am PT


Britten: Peter Grimes ENCORE PERFORMANCE
Sat Mar 29/08
1:30pm ET / 10:30am PT


Puccini: La Boheme
Sat Apr 5/08
1:30pm ET / 10:30am PT


Wagner: Tristan and Isolde ENCORE PERFORMANCE
Sat Apr 12/08
1:30pm ET / 10:30am PT


Donizetti: La Fille du Regiment
Sat Apr 26/08
1:30pm ET / 10:30am PT


Puccini: La Boheme ENCORE PERFORMANCE
Sat May 3/08
1:30pm ET / 10:30am PT

Donizetti: La Fille du Regiment ENCORE PERFORMANCE
Sat May 10/08
1:30pm ET / 10:30am PT

no TV for you . . .

It turns out that in 2011, most television in Canada will be digital. Which means if you don't buy the receiver, no more Mansbridge or HNIC for you.

I never thought I would be defending the right to television in this blog: however, I can't decide whether this will be good for very poor people (the only ones likely to go without) or whether tv, in this day and age, vaguely qualifies as a human right. Strange...

One thing's for sure, this is the end of 'country cable' as we knew it.

Langdon, the Bugle and media in NB

An unbelievable story is unfolding here in Woodstock-Ken Langdon has resigned from the Bugle to start a competing paper. To put this in perspective, only 2 English language papers in the entire province are not part of the Irving media empire (and one in French, I believe).

In the words of Senator Joan Fraser "we didn't find anywhere else in the developed world a situation like the situation in New Brunswick."

You can read the background info from CBC here and here. Robert Jones' audio report on the rare legal order used to search Langdon's home at is posted cbc.ca/nb (down on the right).

To me, the most telling aspect of the case is that J.K Irving's rep, Victor Mlodecki, has basically refused to comment, only reiterating the arguments made in court documents. The Irving companies are normally agressive and spin everything as positively as possible. The fact that they are silent on this one probably means they want it to blow over quickly, with a minimum of controversy over the rare use of a private (ie. non-criminal) search warrant.

Regardless of all the mud-slinging, the fact remains that New Brunswick faces a very serious problem with media concentration (not to mention the concentration of political power). It is not healthy to have all the media in one province towing the same line. We need a diversity of viewpoints. Debate is at the heart of democracy, and good debate depends on freedom of information.

Last week mayors in Northern NB complained that the Irving papers no longer maintain offices to cover their communities. They are left without a voice, like many communities whose coverage comes 'from away'. Why shouldn't people have access to good quality local news? Because it's not good for the corporate bottom line?

The right to speak freely and be heard is essential. I sincerely hope the Carleton Free Press is successful, and at very least encourages people to think, discuss and take action to ensure we have access to all viewpoints.

Housing

Interesting article on housing artists and development in Toronto. The most important factor in developing an artistic enclave is affordable rent.

http://www.dominionpaper.ca/articles/1295