It’s sad to see businesses die young. In the case of Sun News, however, fewer tears might be shed at their passing, simply because that’s the reason they’re shutting down. They couldn’t get enough people to tune in.
The [in]famous news network, home to Ezra Levant’s bizarre rants, is going off the air after a mere four years of oozing across Canada’s TV screens and leaving behind a litany of slimy, outlandish broadcasts. The shutdown will see over 150 Canadians out of work, most of whom are nice, friendly people trying to deliver a balanced news cycle. For legitimate journalists to be laid off in Canada challenges the ideals of Free Speech we hold so dear.
For Sun News, “Free Speech” could mean anything from cold hard facts to Ezra Levant’s personal opinions based on nonsensical diatribes from the South. Canada will also miss employees like Mr. Levant and Krista Erikson, if only because we will lose the opportunity to ridicule them.
Nicknamed “Fox News North” by its detractors (and, surprisingly, by its supporters too) the station claimed to be a “distinctive Canadian voice on the national scene.” Really, they tried to provide an alternative to the “lefty bias” of existing Canadian broadcasters. Apparently, CBC, Radio-Canada, CTV, CityTV, TVA and Global aren’t truly Canadian because they lean more towards the left. The 60% of Canadians who support “lefty” parties could have their feelings hurt by watching them.
Sun News struggled to sustain an audience. Fewer people tuned into Sun News any given time than into the CBC, which is an impressive feat! However, the network accused the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission of not giving people the same access to Sun News as they do to CBC or CTV; they had tried to be included in basic cable packages, but had failed.
Despite their apparent lefty bias, CBC has been on their air since 1936 and CTV since 1961. Maybe Sun Media just didn’t have enough “life experience” to make it.
In the current economy, being out of work is terrible. With an upcoming Federal Election (and plenty of seats left for the Conservatives to fill), I’m sure the party will recruit some big names to run for them this fall. Ezra Levant worked for Stockwell Day and is a good friend of his son. In 2002, he even sought the riding of Calgary Southwest as a Canadian Alliance member. He withdrew his nomination to ensure the acclamation of C-CRAP’s [new] leader, Stephen Harper. Perhaps he would do it again and have his oratory style put to good use. Wouldn’t he make a great politician? A future Prime Minister even?