Firing Squad
Meant to get this up Thursday night. Rushdie prevailed. Anyway, here’s the quote in the story to kick things off here. I’m going to start talking like this guy, I think.
“When we acquired the rights to the Olympic Games, it came with a unique opportunity to participate in the Olympic torch relay,” said Rick Brace, president of Revenue, Business Planning and Sports at CTV Inc. said in a statement. “Our No. 1 priority was to have CTV staff from across the country take part. By having CTV staff involved from news, sports and entertainment, we are ensuring maximum exposure for the relay on the various CTV networks and platforms.”
Here’s the problem:
Reporters and on-air personalities who hang out by the cafeteria in journalism school are going to be a part of the Olympic torch run, using their weight to edge out average Canadians and athletes as the flame makes it’s way across this country in the coming months. CTV’s Brian Williams and Sandie Rinaldo, along with TSN’s Michael Landsberg and James Duthie are going to be a part of it. There’s Jennifer Hedger, too. And Dave Randorf. Here’s the best one: Stephen Brunt of The Globe and Mail is (once again) going to make himself a part of the story.
Here’s the reaction from Alison Korn — a former athlete turned columnist (her story above) who didn’t get picked, and William Houston — who made his name working for the Globe as the media writer, and has taken his takes to the blog. First Korn:
Obvious question: By cozying up to RBC and the Olympic torch relay, how likely are these media to scrutinize RBC or other Olympic sponsors, or probe any unsavory Olympic issues that may be in the public interest? Not very, I believe.
Interesting. And now Houston:
Nevertheless, over the next few months, off they’ll go, boosting the International Olympic Committee and VANOC as they prance across the country, torch in hand.
How are we to take Williams seriously as an independent Olympic host and analyst after this? How can we read a column, perhaps glowing, by Brunt on the Vancouver Games without smiling at the thought of his puffing along a Newfoundland road as part of the Olympic promotional bandwagon?
…This is an embarrassment for CTV and especially The Globe and Mail. The participants should be ashamed of themselves, but obviously they’re not and don’t get it. If they had, they would not have accepted the assignment.
