Conrad Black Helped Push Canadian Politics to the Right
Jul 17, 2007
Ottawa (17 July 2007) - With all the focus on the details of his trial and conviction, little mention has been made of Conrad Black’s enormous influence on politics and journalism. Few reports have linked his crimes and greed with the Canadian conservative movement he championed, despite obvious similarities to scandals linking corporate crime and the U.S. Republicans.
Convicted felon Conrad Black contributed in significant ways to the election of Stephen Harper’s Conservatives. He was always forthright in telling the world that Canadian journalism had a Liberal bias.
Black led the parade that became known in Canada as the concentration of media ownership and used his media muscle for clearly stated political purposes. Beginning with fellow felon David Radler at the Sherbrooke Record in 1969, he built his Hollinger publishing empire. He bought up small- and medium-sized newspapers across Canada, cutting staff, busting unions and directing his new papers to pursue editorial policies intended to bring down the Jean Chretien Liberals and elect conservatives, under whatever party name they currently carried.
Black founded the The National Post in 1998 to combat what he believed was an "over-liberalizing" of editorial policy in Canadian newspapers, especially of the Toronto Globe and Mail. The Post was printed by other newspapers he had purchased: the Financial Post in Toronto, and former Southam papers the Ottawa Citizen, Montreal Gazette, Calgary Herald and Vancouver Sun.
A financial bust
Financially, the Post was a bust, and widely ridiculed as such. "From a business point of view, it was a bad move for all sorts of reasons," according to Stephen Kimber, the Rogers Communications Chair in Journalism at the University of King’s College in Halifax. Kimber worked for a newspaper taken over by Black. "What his chain really needed was a presence in Toronto, but a presence in Toronto wasn’t enough for Conrad Black."
The Post’s financial problems may indeed have contributed to the bind that led to Lord Black attempting to sneak off, carrying the famous banker’s boxes full of, what the jury believed was, evidence of crime. Black will rue getting caught, but he will look with pride from his jail cell at how he has changed Canadian politics and journalism.
It was Andrew MacIntosh of the Montreal Gazette, under Black’s ownership, who uncovered the Shawinigate scandal. This directly led to Jean Chretien leaving office and the ongoing tarnishing of the Liberal "brand" in Quebec and across Canada. MacIntosh pursued a good story, and Black’s newspapers gave it life, never letting it drop from the public eye.
Black moved all his newspapers to the right. Even Wikipedia adopts his spin: "The flamboyant entry of the Post into the national newspaper market shook up Canada’s cozy and largely left-leaning media elite." Labour unions, environmental and equality-seeking advocacy groups would not agree the media scene before 1998 was sympathetic but most would say Black’s efforts have made it less so.
"There is no question the National Post, as strange as it is, had an influence," says Kimber. "Every survey or study could be posted to suit the agenda."
’Gangrenous limbs’
"Papers in Saskatchewan certainly changed the tone of their coverage," when Black bought them up, says veteran Western Producer reporter Barry Wilson. He remembers that Black "complained bitterly about the mushy liberal tone." Wilson also recalls firings of "what he considered lefty columnists and the injection of people who were far more critical of the Liberals. There is no question that once Hollinger purchased the Star Phoenix, the coverage of the Liberals became much more harsh."
Wilson says, "Black certainly set a tone for anti-unionism," especially with his "disgraceful treatment of the Calgary Herald strikers and his infamous comment, when asked how he could treat loyal employees so harshly: ’You’re not loyal employees, you’re gangrenous limbs that must be cut off.’"
Black "was not good for Canadian journalism, journalistic competition, or the diversity of voices available," says Kimber, who was forced out of work as a columnist with the Halifax Daily News over ideological battles with management in the wake of Black’s purchase of the paper.
Although he did raise pay rates for journalists and force other newspapers to put more into journalism, "His impact was to reduce the number of voices. He was not in my experience as smothering and limiting as the Aspers became," said Kimber. "He understood that newspapers were about argument, and he was prepared to make his argument."
Biased trial coverage
Coverage of his trial was indicative of how Black has shaped journalism. "It’s clear there is incredible sympathy at the level of senior journalists in this country," says Kimber. "In terms of the trial itself, it was stunning to see the number of apologists for Black in the national media." Journalists such as Christie Blatchford, Margaret Wente and Maclean’s reporters Chris Selley and Kate Lunau "were writing incredibly sycophantic pieces."
For instance, on July 9, Maclean’s ran the headline, "As speculation mounts that a verdict will be returned, online support for the media mogul grows." Kimber points to the testimony of Kenneth Whyte, which Maclean’s reported on with "no acknowledgement at all" of Ken Whyte’s relationship with Black.
Black hired Whyte first to head up Saturday Night, then as the first editor of the Post. Then he goes on to testify in support of Conrad at the trial, but there’s no reference to all this in Maclean’s.
Conrad Black will pay a heavy price for his crimes. Canada, however, will be in the grip of his dreams for some time to come. It is worth watching to see if Canadians connect this white collar criminal with his political causes. NUPGE
Comments
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So I guess what the union is saying is that owners of newspapers can't right what they want ? I hope you all enjoy running a business with unloyal employees. I'd fire them too.
Jimcotton - 2007-07-18 15:56
News papers should have an obligation to publish all sides of a story, not just what they want. I want the truth, all sides, not someone elses opinion. Call me crazy, but I prefer to make up my own mind.
Blondie - 2007-07-20 10:40
How about focusing your energy and time and our money on the outstanding contracts that our members are paying dues to have negotiated! Its great to see the big picture but sometimes we need to take care of today.
Gary Duepayer not Doer - 2007-07-20 23:01