The Hypocrisy of The Ottawa Sun

[patlc2000 100]

Reading the Ottawa Sun literally makes me feel stupid. I have no idea how it's still published or in business.

[MightyPen 67414]

The Sun is a simple rag that just panders to its base. This is a problem with all newspapers, in fact all ad-based media; they exist to sell ads to readers in the service of advertisers, so they must print not necessarily what's true or reasonable -- just whatever they think will sell the most copies. Newspapers aren't selling news to you; they're selling you to advertisers. It's always been that way.

 

In the case of the Sun, I've always imagined that they peg their market as made up of readers who are, well, a bit dim. Think permanent 17-year-olds on the verge of dropping out of high school. They like to ogle and snicker, but they're fundamentally conservative -- especially in public, like on editorial pages. They have their urges, but they draw strength from feeling like they're members of their parent's conservative clan.

 

So you get exactly the hypocrisy you describe -- escort ads, page X girls, but shallow thinking and sanctimonious moralizing in editorials. Readers check the sports scores, nod in cantankerous agreement with the editorials, maybe say something to the wife about the fall of society... and then dial up an escort from the back pages.

 

I'd point you to the Citizen instead, but... it's got David Warren. I cancelled my subscription ages ago 'cause of that guy, and told them I wouldn't be back until he was gone. Now I just read it for free online, and only for the local news.

[backrubman 64800]

I rarely read the Ottawa Sun for news because... well, they're not one of the better newspapers around for that sort of thing. One might as well read The National Enquirer.

 

Well dearest Christine I have to say I am in almost complete agreement (99.999%) with what you say, suppose that's as close as one can come to complete. Why not take those awesome writing skills you have that you know I admire so much (and you don't give yourself near enough credit for) and write a letter to the editor and see if they dare publish it?

 

Such a letter written by one as skilled and knowledgeable as you would be orders of magnitude better written then their best staff writer could hope to manage. We will know that they censor any constructive criticism of themselves if your letter does not appear in print :)

[JoyfulC 132299]

I actually did write a letter to the editor of The Sun once, BackRubMan. It was back when a change to the law allowing women to go topless in public places was being discussed. Myself? I would never go topless in public. Maybe at the beach when I was younger (...wouldn't want to scare anyone these days!). But my daughter was in her late teens around that time, and we discussed it and she said she saw nothing wrong with it. She went on to become quite the world traveler and has gone topless and even nude on beaches all around the world.

 

Right after that, Earl McRae published an editorial in which he (as near as I can recall) questioned the mental health of any woman who would go topless in public. My letter simply said that the only "boob" we needed to see less of in Ottawa was Mr. McRae himself. Oddly, they didn't publish it.

[backrubman 64800]

I actually did write a letter to the editor of The Sun once, BackRubMan. It was back when a change to the law allowing women to go topless in public places was being discussed. Myself? I would never go topless in public. Maybe at the beach when I was younger (...wouldn't want to scare anyone these days!). But my daughter was in her late teens around that time, and we discussed it and she said she saw nothing wrong with it. She went on to become quite the world traveler and has gone topless and even nude on beaches all around the world.

 

Right after that, Earl McRae published an editorial in which he (as near as I can recall) questioned the mental health of any woman who would go topless in public. My letter simply said that the only "boob" we needed to see less of in Ottawa was Mr. McRae himself. Oddly, they didn't publish it.

 

LOL, Thanks for brightening my day. I say if at first you don't succeed, try again. Canadians (and even those that read the Sun) would so benefit from your great wisdom.

 

As a world traveler myself I often see topless women (and yes, even bottomless ones) and it doesn't seem the least bit usual to me, in fact I'm likely not to even notice (unless of course it is impossible not to, I am a man after all). As hard as it may be for some Canadians to imagine I am being truthful, I guess you have to imagine a gentleman from a Muslim country that isn't use to seeing women in public without a Hijab and then comes to Canada. After a very short time, it would seem completely normal to him.

 

And along that same line and back on topic, I suppose there is some correlation between the progressive change "to the law allowing women to go topless in public places" and the changes to the prostitution related laws that are currently in progress. It seems when they were allowed to do so, women oddly didn't start going topless whenever the weather permitted although as I remember at the time some feared they would and cause numerous traffic accidents :)

 

Perhaps the more recent changes to the law will have a similar failure to make any noticeable impact?

[Studio 110 by Sophia 150333]

I actually did write a letter to the editor of The Sun once, BackRubMan. It was back when a change to the law allowing women to go topless in public places was being discussed. Myself? I would never go topless in public. Maybe at the beach when I was younger (...wouldn't want to scare anyone these days!). But my daughter was in her late teens around that time, and we discussed it and she said she saw nothing wrong with it. She went on to become quite the world traveler and has gone topless and even nude on beaches all around the world.

 

Right after that, Earl McRae published an editorial in which he (as near as I can recall) questioned the mental health of any woman who would go topless in public. My letter simply said that the only "boob" we needed to see less of in Ottawa was Mr. McRae himself. Oddly, they didn't publish it.

 

I am so amazed by your pro-active stance you have taken here!! we should all be thanking you for this!! Amazing effort and confidence from you!! Thanks!

[rocky racoon 2915]

Another proof of the Sun's hypocrisy is the fact that some of their "Sunshine Girls" are actually strippers! A few years ago, I remember seing two guys at the Cabaret Canada going around the club and talking to all the girls. One of those girls told me they were actually photographs from the journal who were looking for the next Sunshine girl! Which basically means they were directly seeking sex workers to promote their journal.

[Phaedrus 209521]

Why not take those awesome writing skills you have that you know I admire so much (and you don't give yourself near enough credit for) and write a letter to the editor and see if they dare publish it?

 

Publish a letter pointing out their own rampant hypocrisy? I can't see that, alas. I'd love to think they'd be prepared to have that kind of a debate, but I really can't see what's in it for them. Of course, that doesn't mean it isn't worth sending the letter in the first place... at least they'll know that their spectacular conflict of interest doesn't go unnoticed.

 

However, in the interests of helping them clean up their act, maybe everyone in the industry they profess to despise so much should simply not renew their ads? I'm sure they'd appreciate the assistance with their ethical stance :)

 

More seriously... why do the people that advertise there feel obligated to go on funding the hate-mongers? We can't do much about the fact that some folks will always be judgmental and hypocritical and more concerned with their preconceived beliefs than with tedious things like facts and reason, but I don't see any reason to throw money at them. The only argument they're likely to listen to is the one that hits them in the pocket.