Not all ethnic media outlets keen to pose with PM – Politics – CBC News

Good article by Kady O’Malley on the government’s approach to ethnic media, part of their outreach to ethnic communities. Strong comments by Madeline Zinick, Canadian Ethnic Media Association chair and Omni TV vice-president (one of the main TV stations offering program in numerous languages):

“Generally, those journalists who are aggressive, and who like to do analysis and be challenging to the PM or any politician, more and more, they aren’t enjoying this kind of cattle call gong show approach,” she told CBC News.

According to Zinick, before the holidays Harper, who skipped his annual Christmas reception for the parliamentary press gallery, was the guest of honour at what his office billed as an “intimate family event” in Toronto, to which key “media leaders” were encouraged to bring members of their families in lieu of a TV crew.

“No cameras, no photos, no audio … you can’t report it in any way. Everyone had to wait in the holding area until Harper and his wife [Laureen] appeared, and there were no questions, just individual photos.”

Given those restrictions, Zinick says, “Why go and waste your time?”

Previous governments also courted the ethnic media (as do all political parties). However, previous governments did not spurn the national media to this extent by limiting media access.

Not all ethnic media outlets keen to pose with PM – Politics – CBC News.