Friday, January 29, 2010

My confession: Yelling at theTV News.

I don't know about yourself but sometimes I find myself yelling at the TV and the so called professional news media while I am watching the news. I try not to do it, but sometimes I see something so stupid that it sort of just comes out.

Last night during the local Global Edmonton 6 PM news broadcast was just such an occasion.

Normally I would have just made my comments towards the TV (and any family member who dares to sit and watch the news while I am there) and left it a that, as it usually is just a one off, but last night it happened twice and a third story dumped a whole pile of irony into the mix.

First up a story on the the deal the province struck with the pharmacists to decrease the costs of generic drugs.

The story covered all the relevant information, they spoke with all the parties involved including the opposition Liberals; all was good until I saw the following up on my screen.


A pharmacist, or possibly a pharmacy tech, counting out pills to fill a prescription while in plain view in the background sits another prescription, complete with the medication, Azelaic acid in Glaxal Base, and the FULL NAME and address info of the person it was written out for! (Even though I am not a professional journalist or a news editor, I have edited out the name for OBVIOUS reasons) Global is not the only one at fault here, although they are the ones that filmed it and let it make the segment, the pharmacy that allowed the taping should have made sure that no identifiable information was in sight.


That is where first I found myself yelling at the TV and soon after I felt the urge again while watching a story about a neighborhood meeting against a proposed cell phone tower in their area. The story was well covered but the reporter forgot to ask anyone interviewed who was against the tower the most obvious question of all. Do you yourself own or use a cell phone? I know, I know, it is not something that I should get that upset about but I was already sort of worked up over the pharmacy story and really, would this not be a question that you would have asked someone opposed to a cell phone tower if it were you asking?


So that was 2, and as I noted earlier I might have left it at that, but soon after came a third story that almost dared me to do more than just yell at the TV.


The final story was a Trouble Shooter segment on the subject of privacy. That is right, privacy. It seems that yesterday was International Data Privacy Day and current and former Privacy Commissioners were in town for a little forum on how to protect your, and your customers, privacy in the electronic age.

You know; privacy protection such as on computers with social networking sites, customer billing, and of course privacy from Global TV cameras. Oh the irony of it all.


Thankfully I do have another outlet other than just yelling at the TV, and I thank you for visiting it and reading my little rants.


Update Feb 12th: The Alberta Privacy Commissioner responds. Nothing at all from Global, not even a damn auto reply.

15 comments:

The_Iceman said...

I find myself yelling at the TV and the so called professional news media while I am watching the news.

I am among the few dozens and dozens of people who watch the Soloman Show on the CBC. How do you imagine my days passing?

bertie said...

You have an exciting life compared to mine.The most excitement i get is watching a fly go up a drape.

Sammy said...

Throw shoes at the tv AA! It's much more satisfying when a size 12 Sorel hits Evan right in the kisser.
Another point,this whole campaign that 'local tv matters' is such a joke.I refuse to watch any of the Wpg channels,I would much rather watch American tv.Is it any wonder that viewer numbers keep dropping,when the 'news' reporting is so partisan? I

Joe said...

I guess the other channels are on the air. Not that I would notice since I started to get Fox

Hinchey's Store said...

Do you also tell off people when they do something stupid in their car, but they can't hear you, so the only person who gets yelled at ends up being your passenger (in my case, usually my wife)? Me too.

I also get in trouble for yelling at the TV - because nobody can hear me except my wife. And she didn't do anything wrong...

Sammy said...

If you really want to see unbelievable OPINION reporting..by msm,just watch Dan Matheson on ctv and his blatant outrage and sympathy over the Khadr decision today.It is just UNBELIEVABLE.Never mind,that they leave out the fact that the Libs were in power when the so-called torture (sleep deprivation) took place.

Anonymous said...

I watched the same story about privacy on the net and was struck by the comments of the reporter as to how you should immediately go to your Facebook or Twitter account to ensure that your privacy settings are correct.

Talk about locking the barn door after the horse is gone, Anyone who belongs to one of these social networking sites has already given up the right to any privacy whatsoever. These networks are a cancer.

Jen said...

I don't watch the canadian national media anymore except for radio hosts Rutherford, Adler etc.
what you hear on GLOBAL is a take off from CBC a take off from CTV then written down on their newspapers G/M, T/S.
Howeve if anything negative from Alberta on the prime minister is transmitted right the nation but what the 'oilsands' has done for the environment "positive' news is not heard on television.

FOX NEWS, GLENN BECK, O'RIELLY ETC are the ones I watch.
Glenn Beck does his homework thoroughly before reporting. The lousey canadian lazy media can't hold the smallest candle to him.
My husband watches the news and the usual dead beat pundits.
I asked "why are you watching these people;they are enough to give you a 'heart failure'?"
He says that he watches just to hear their brilliant 'bull crap' that comes out of their mouth and the amusement to watch Jane&com lovingly accepting crap from the liberals.

bertie, at least the fly that goes and down the drape is searching(working) for something. whereas, with the national media unlike the fly will stay in one corner hoping for some stale news to fall on them.

Ardvark said...

I guess Mom was right. Watching TV is bad for your well being.

frmgrl said...

My husband sometimes listens to CBC radio on his to and from work. He says the reason why he listens is that you have to know what the other side is up to. You shouldn't be blind to the enemies devises.

So for that I agree and forgive him.

wilson said...

I try to laugh at the how uninformed the media and their 'guests' are.

Today's laugh,
Iffy says bills in the Senate go back to square one, and no reporter called him on it.

Yes, they start over,
in the Senate, not the HoC.

The bills start over without the ammendments of the Lib Senators, and with the Cons in control of the committees....in the Senate, the # 1 reason for prorogation!!!!

wilson said...

Amnesty Intl is having about as much success in court against the Harper Govt as Elections Canada, eh!

PMSH is steering the big ship onto a corrected course!
This is what we asked him to do,
he is getting it done!

Hinchey's Store said...

frmgrl - I agree with your husband 100%! That's why I subject myself to som much of the silliness - it's also good for my own blog material!

hunter said...

If local news is sooo important, why has Global Edmonton been spinning lefty junk at us? Even my husband has started watching Fox news instead.

Ardvark said...

Update: Global Edmonton has NOT responded to my email nor have they removed or edited the video to this point.

The Pharmacy in question was the Salvus Pharmacy located in St.Albert.


More to come.