Globe revving up for Olympic relay
October 29, 2009 · 8 Comments
The Globe and Mail will jump feet first into the Olympic promotional parade tomorrow when columnist Gary Mason becomes the first journalist at the newspaper to participate in the torch carrying ceremony across Canada.
Mason, who’s based in Vancouver, will write a first person story about the torch relay experience, as will several other journalists at the paper when they serve as torchbearers over the next several weeks.
Producing a compelling account of a 300 meter jog could be a challenge for the writers. Another issue for the Globe will be the repetitive element of assigning a group of journalists to report on the same subject. Will anybody care about the experience of carrying the flame after Mason’s story is published?
Of more immediate concern for the national newspaper and CTV, however, should be the criticism they have received for choosing to participate in the torch relay by giving spots to writers, broadcasters and management people.
By doing so, the Globe and CTV, both Olympic rights holders, are involving themselves in the marketing of the Games, even though they will be expected to give their readers and viewers coverage that is objective and independent. At the very least, there is the perception of a conflict of interest.
Still, the Globe has covered itself ethically, to some degree, by turning its involvement into a first-person reporting assignment for its writers, although some management people at the paper also will run in the relay, apparently.
Others carrying the torch include Keith Pelley, the head of the CTV-Rogers Olympic broadcast consortium, and Nelson Millman, the general manager of Rogers’ Fan590 radio station in Toronto and head of Olympic radio coverage.
In addition to Mason, the torchbearers at the Globe will include Stephen Brunt, a sports columnist who, like Mason, will write about it, and columnist Roy MacGregor, who will also produce a first-person account.
The media figure with the highest profile scheduled for the relay is Brian Williams, CTV’s prime time Olympic host.
I talked to Williams briefly about this issue a few days ago. He says he plans to do the run, despite the criticism. His position on the conflict of interest is we agree to disagree.
In other words, he doesn’t get it. Or I don’t.
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CTVgm employees carrying the torch isn’t a big deal in itself, but in my opinion it’s part of a larger problem at that company. I know they’re a rights holder and all, but their coverage of the Olympics seems more like cheerleading than real journalism. Was it really worth spending HALF the national newscast last night talking about the torch?
It’s not the first time they’ve abandoned journalistic ethics either….see their “coverage” (more like political posturing) of the fee-for-carriage/Save Local TV campaign.
Enough said here Mr. Houston. Newspapers especially have enough to worry about in the next 5 years
disagree. there’s a cadre of participants claiming this does not raise a question of journalistic ethics. this forum gives the rest of us a place to see if there’s some merit to that position. Brunt’s argument that since no one is telling him what to write there is no conflict of interest is a bad argument. one can be influenced without being told what to say, obviously.
the torch run is a privilege for amateur athletes and community people, and a perk for corporate folks who have paid for the games. why would a journalist covering the games think it was appropriate to take a spot?
Hmmm. So let’s get this straight. Several high profile journalists are exposing themselves to this exposure and criticism in an open fashion, writing about their experience, You are in advance assuming this will be a awe inspiring experience and in doing so their opinion of the Olympics will be permanently affected. If the Vanoc Olympic committee(or others involved in sponsoring the torch run across Canada)also directly paid their airfare, hotels and full meals I suppose I might be concerned. If there were no reports arising out of the events would also be very concerned.
I suspect the companies involved namely CTV, Globe and Mail and heaven forbid the other Toronto based company Fan 590 will be expensed by their employees involved.
The biggest concern I have besides insinuating directly or indirectly that there is favouritism, boosterism, and commercial nefariousness, is the so called “price ” these journalists have evidently been curried favour for their attention. If I was one of theses journalists I would be as insulted to think that my “ethical bar” was so low that an event like the Olympic torchbearing as described, would influence my journalistic standards of reporting or analyzing in my respective medium.
Enough said here Mr. Houston. Newspapers especially have enough to worry about in the next 5 years and I wonder if we will even be seeing the G&M and other A list newspapers even publishing by the 2018 Olympics.
Perhaps we can move on to topics like projected Whistler revenues this season being off by up to 30%(based on Turin and Salt Lake City experiences)as a result of Olympic hosting. Or the fact that the medal presentations at certain venues(Whistler included) will be closed to the general public despite public funding being used to construct the medal presentation areas on or near public access areas.
This is an awesome blog … Mr. Houston, what about all the shameless Olympic boosterism coming from the network which is not a rights holder? Cassie Campbell mentions more sponsors in this post than a NASCAR driver in Victory Lane.
Then there’s Scott Russell saying, “It’s time for the dissent to stop,” because it’s giving him crow’s-feet or something. He never really did give a valid reason.
William! Welcome back! It’s it thrill to have you back writing about tv and journalism. Nobody does it as good as you (especially not your replacement at the G&M).
Gary Mason carrying the Olympic torch? Wow . . . this is an even bigger revelation that Stephen Brunt’s planned Newfoundland jog. Anyone who has read the Globe & Mail over the years knows that Mason has built a strong reputation on demanding accountability. For him to jump into bed with the corrupt Olympics movement is staggering to the credibility of Mason individually and to the Globe & Mail as an reputable news and opinion source.
William, great to have you back at this. Listen, have you heard anything from RBC on this? I read somewhere they are deferring all media calls to CTV which means I am sure that aren’t happy about the negative press. Some people on this blog don’t think this is a big deal, but everyone I talk to says CTV has screwed up big time – brushing aside regular Canadians. Also, you forgot to mention that Brian Williams will be carrying the torch at 2 pm Eastern time, that’s 11 am Pacific and 3:30 pm in Newfoundland!!
Anyways keep up the good work