Citizen Peladeau and the War on the CBC

Jumping Jiminy Cricket. I must have had too much booze soaked plum pudding eh? But when I saw that Pierre Karl Péladeau says his war on the CBC isn't a vendetta, I couldn't help thinking that his nose must be growing. 

The media magnate insists that his crusade to force the CBC and its French-language arm Radio-Canada to release confidential data about their operations – including the salaries of Peter Mansbridge and other network stars – is not about politics or ideology. It is about taxpayer dollars, and how they impact Quebecor’s bottom line.

Because while it may be true that he's not political, he just wants to be the Citizen Kane Citoyen Péladeau of Quebec. And he doesn't care whether those who work for him are Cons, separatists, or former FLQ terrorists.

Surely he can't complain about taxpayer dollars, when his ruthless media octopus gobbles up so many. And surely he can't deny that his tacky little news network's main purpose in life is to destroy the CBC. 

Because all you have to do is type "CBC" into their video search machine and you can see that for yourself.

Almost 160 videos in just EIGHT months. And I didn't even type in "state broadcaster" or the "axis of all evil."

But hey, maybe I'm wrong.

Maybe Kory Teneycke, Harper's former flak, sold Pierre Karl a bill of goods.

The idea for Sun News came from Kory Teneycke, Prime Minster Stephen Harper’s former communications director and now a vice-president at the network. He envisioned its role as a Canadian version of Mr. Murdoch’s Fox News Network – hence, the nickname Fox News North – pushing conservative causes and politicians.

Or a whopper...

Because if so he's in trouble eh?

In the third quarter this year, operating profits in Quebecor’s broadcasting division plummeted 77 per cent, primarily due to the launch of Sun News.

And then there is this other big consolation.

Who knew that Fox News North's drooling racist, homophobic, Quebec hating viewers, were actually supporting my beloved province?

Mr. Péladeau sees it differently. Quebecor Media is 45-per-cent-owned by the Caisse de depôt et placement du Québec, which manages the assets of the Quebec Pension Plan. Hence, what’s good for Quebecor is good for Quebec.

Or, as he puts it: “Working for Quebecor is like working for all of Quebec.”

Because that's enough to give most of the Blogging Tories a stroke, or a bad case of diarrhea.

Oh yeah. I bet their wingnut viewers would love to know that. I bet the Caisse would love to know that cowards like Chicken Lilley are going after bullied gay kids.

Fox News North... a fish by any name. Swimming down a smelly sewer.

Heading for oblivion...