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April 19, 2007
First time caller, welcome to the show

Earlier, our colleague Bill Tieleman reported Kevin McCullough, the lawyer for former Campbell administration aide Bob Virk, alleged David Basi, "while a ministerial assistant, was hired by the Liberal party on media monitoring contracts" which was "a highly political effort to sway public opinion through the use of radio shows and other events." Asked about those allegations, which have not been proven in court, provincial Liberal communications director Chad Pederson said, "We're not going to be commenting on anything that's coming out with the court proceedings. From our standpoint, it's a matter before the courts. And we're going to let that process take its course."

Public Eye has documented numerous attempts by administration and party officials - following Mr. Basi's firing and not connected to the aforementioned allegations - to sway public opinion through the use of radio shows and online opinion polls. For example, in January 2005, the premier's then Asia-Pacific trade and economic development director Prem Vinning used a different name other than his own when phoning in a question to a weekend Channel M call-in-show featuring Gordon Campbell. Then, in July, callers who sounded like Liberal organizers Dan Baxter, Brian Bonney and Mark Robertson phoned into a CKNW segement. And, last March, we caught Mr. Bonney encouraging supporters to skew the results of an online poll on The Tri-City News's Website.

Posted by Sean Holman at 11:11 AM
Permanent link

What about others from the NDP like Tom in Cobble Hill or Bart from Burnaby?

Seems like an old political trick used by everyone.

Posted by JD on April 19, 2007 01:20 PM

Thanks Mr. Holman.

And now, perhaps, we know why there were no calls to Mr. Smyth's radio show last night when Mr. Tieleman was on to talk about 'alleged' media monitoring contracts - the little smiley face thing would go here if it was available

.

Posted by RossK on April 19, 2007 01:23 PM

Brilliant thinking, JD.

Blame the NDP. It's all their fault. Jeez, Basi & Virk are stupid, why didn't they think of that themselves!

Or if you can't actually blame the NDP, you can do a little Media Meddling and just say "The NDP did it, too!" Bwaa!

Posted by Blame the NDP on April 19, 2007 01:35 PM

Let's not forget the fast ferries. They have to be in there somewhere as it's blame the NDP time.

Posted by DL on April 19, 2007 03:19 PM

Yawn..........Ole BC Mary has worked herself into a tizzy about "media monitoring". Sorry Mary, this happens all the time. You need to get people to write letters and call the open line shows to tell people how wonderful the ndp or liberals are. This morning there were people calling Joe Easingwood telling him Carole James is doing a great job!!

Posted by Jill on April 19, 2007 04:38 PM

"What about others from the NDP like Tom in Cobble Hill or Bart from Burnaby?

Seems like an old political trick used by everyone."

Indeed, but those guys from the BC Liberals kept at it all the time, more so than the NDP and prevented some ordinary folk from getting a bit of question in, which really dilutes of why bother with such talk shows at all?

A few of those guys from the BC Liberals kept
sending emails to everyone insisting that they
"support the government" or "support the premier"
in those local newspaper online polls.

Which also dilutes the value of those online local newspaper polls.

They really should learn to grow up and be more adult.

Posted by Blue Boy on April 19, 2007 04:40 PM

Jill,

Carole James IS doing a great job. We need Carole James to "lead" the NDP into as many elections as is possible.

Posted by Kevin Larsen on April 20, 2007 07:13 AM

"Carole James IS doing a great job. We need Carole James to "lead" the NDP into as many elections as is possible."

That's an interesting comment from you, Kevin Larsen. Perhaps you can tell us which other NDP MLAs the BC Liberals would be more worried about? Personally, I think the NDP would be crazy to re-open the leadership at this time, and if they replaced Carole by anybody from the Lower Mainland that would be doubly stupid. There's a growing distrust in the Interior and the North of the amount of public money that's being poured into the GVRD and Whistler for the Olympics.

Posted by Budd Campbell on April 21, 2007 03:59 PM

"That's an interesting comment from you, Kevin Larsen. Perhaps you can tell us which other NDP MLAs the BC Liberals would be more worried about?"

Not many Budd. But Farnsworth and Dix are close.


Personally, I think the NDP would be crazy to re-open the leadership at this time, and if they replaced Carole by anybody from the Lower Mainland that would be doubly stupid.

Budd's blind loyalty is showing again.

Budd,It's the membership, m'boy. They have to
think about the welfare of the party, not the welfare of the leader.

Y'understand, son?

"There's a growing distrust in the Interior and the North of the amount of public money that's being poured into the GVRD and Whistler for the Olympics."

That isn't going to win the province for the NDP,
Budd.

Posted by Red Dog on April 21, 2007 08:46 PM

"That isn't going to win the province for the NDP, Budd."

I invite you to a moment in history, Red Dog. That issue can win BC for the NDP, and it's the only one that can.

Posted by Budd Campbell on April 22, 2007 08:24 AM

Just a note for "Jill" ... I haven't said anything about the "Media Monitoring" contracts on my blog.

Others have. But not me.

I'd sure like to see one though. Wouldn't you? Come to think of it ...
.

Posted by BC Mary on April 22, 2007 03:14 PM

"I invite you to a moment in history, Red Dog. That issue can win BC for the NDP, and it's the only one that can."

Budd, Budd. are you readin' right son?

These NDPer,s they keep on talkin' and writin'
but they don' wanna listen.

Budd, listen, m'boy.

The NDP, they need to get rid of Carol. She's not putting the goals into the net. She's not even skatin' to help win the game. She's missed a
few opportunities on the NDP's power play.

Campbell's gone to the box a few times and James
didn't try for the breakaway.

The NDP can only win if they get a lot more seats in Capital and Terminal City, Budd.

Gettin' more seats in Kamloops, Kelowna and Prince George just isn't going to do it. The
number of voters just isn't there.

Ya have to go where the voters are.

and convince the voters they wanna vote fer ya.

Posted by Red Dog on April 22, 2007 04:24 PM

Mary these are your comments on Media Monitoring made of April 19/07.

"So, yeah, I'd like to know more about "Media Monitoring" Contracts. Somehow it jangles against the concept of a free press, don't you think?"


Posted by Jill on April 22, 2007 05:09 PM




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