Rob Ford's Toronto

[OSS 117]

Not sure what it has to do with stuff like that. When one talks newspaper tabloids, one thinks of the dailies like the Mirror, the (English) Sun, the New York Daily News, the Toronto Sun, etc. Does the National Enquirer even meet the classification of a newspaper? It's not even daily as far as I know.

Interesting that none of the more reputable dailies seem to print in Tabloid - though the Evening Standard is perhaps an exception. All I'm aware of are in broadsheet, Berliner, or similar.

I think the tabloid format tends to be directed at people who don't have the time (or inclination) for in-depth news and just want a short, punchy, summing-up. Unfortunately, the same people who like short and punchy also tend to like knee-jerk opinions and conservative ideology.

 

[nfitz]

Unfortunately, the same people who like short and punchy also tend to like knee-jerk opinions and conservative ideology.

[humour]I suppose that's why twitter has such a right-wing bias[/humour]

 

[MetroMan]

I'm working to get more info on the allegation that Ford is on a wiretap soliciting drugs. Nothing else may come out before the release of the warrants to the public but I'll let you all know if I have anything else. Either way, I think we'll all find out in a couple of weeks.

 

[Johnny Au]

[humour]I suppose that's why twitter has such a right-wing bias[/humour]

It might be true. Read here: http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/Twitter

 

[JWBF]

"Journalists" v. "Bloggers" argument is not so dissimilar; it is a joke to say an opinion is not injected into "news". Just read "news" from different "legitimate" sources, pay attention to the grade level of grammar, and order of "facts" in the article.

(Yes, this is a pet peeve of mine )

 

[Riverdale Rink Rat]

I think by the beginning of his next 4 year term or end of it, us people living in Scarborough, will finally see the wheels in motion to getting Subways.

Thanks for that. I'll be killing myself laughing when the City overrules the NIMBYs and starts building 20+ story condos from Danforth to the 401 on every sidestreet to get the density you'll need to justify your subway. Should be a fun 50 years for Scarberia.

 

[the lemur]

I think the tabloid format tends to be directed at people who don't have the time (or inclination) for in-depth news and just want a short, punchy, summing-up. Unfortunately, the same people who like short and punchy also tend to like knee-jerk opinions and conservative ideology.

As well as headlines in all caps and a letters page where the editors insert their own opinions after each reader submission ...

 

[doady]

Thanks for that. I'll be killing myself laughing when the City overrules the NIMBYs and starts building 20+ story condos from Danforth to the 401 on every sidestreet to get the density you'll need to justify your subway.

By that standard, not even Bloor, Danforth or Yonge have the density required for a subway line.

 

[jaborandi]

Agreed - that's "pure" tabloid territory and as much as I dislike The Sun, they aren't that insane. None of the newspapers are that insane, no matter how much you might dislike their style or how they choose to frame stories

I recall during the final election in which Chrétien was running in 2000, on election day or the day before, the National Post proclaimed in its bold front page headline "Massive Collapse of Liberal Support". This was clearly a fabrication with no reference whatsoever to what was actually happening across the country.

 

[dt_toronto_geek]

By that standard, not even Bloor, Danforth or Yonge have the density required for a subway line.

Ford kept saying over and over again that subways attract density (and give the taxpayers good paying jobs yada-yada-yada). Downtown, yes. Elsewhere, patchy at best.

 

[JWBF]

I recall during the final election in which Chrétien was running in 2000, on election day or the day before, the National Post proclaimed in its bold front page headline "Massive Collapse of Liberal Support". This was clearly a fabrication with no reference whatsoever to what was actually happening across the country.

Polls and "facts" out of context are fun.

 

[calimehtar]

I agree that since the first story about the crack scandal, the Star has been more restrained than the Globe, the National Post and even the Sun in its coverage of Ford-related news. I've also noticed that in the comments, when they are available in Ford stories, there tends to be a lot of anti-Ford posts being upvoted on the Sun and National Post, contrary to expectations. Typically the Star attracts the 'leave Ford alone' trolls.

 

[k10ery]

Oh come on guys, nobody goes around saying "Hey, what broadsheets do you read? I like the Globe and Mail" - so it's a bit silly to call the Sun a tabloid and then justify it because of the sheet size. We all know that the colloquial definition refers to a gossip and/or "entertainment"-based newspaper, and it's used perjoratively. This is pedantic to the point of absurdity, and it's the exact kind of logic that the "Jack Layton and Olivia lived in subsidized housing while making $100,000/year!" crowd uses.

If you want to be consistent, better start referring to The Independent and The Times as tabloids, and see where that gets you...

The Sun really, really is a tabloid. Accept it. But you're right, when I refer to it, I usually just say "that PoS".

About the Times of London too. I mean, have you read it since Murdoch drove it into the ground? Depressing, really.

 

[k10ery]

BREAKING: I've received a tip that police have Ford on a wiretap soliciting drugs. Stand by.

Anybody else like me disappointed by this rumour? Because it means the much more interesting rumour - that the Ford family uses Deco Labels to smuggle drugs - can't be true. Why would he buy retail if so?

I guess you could imagine a story like Dougie had been supplying him but then decided to cut Rob off as a kind of tough love when his behaviour got out of hand this spring. But that's grasping for straws.

So in this one case I'm hoping that MetroMan's rumour isn't right.

 

[RC8]

Anybody else like me disappointed by this rumour? Because it means the much more interesting rumour - that the Ford family uses Deco Labels to smuggle drugs - can't be true.

No it doesn't. There's more than one type of drugs out there.