Hey, remember when the CBC and National Post signed that content-sharing agreement and everyone was like “dude, WTF?”
Well, it looks like they’re extending it to include coverage of the Vancouver Olympics (press release, press release on NP site), producing a “co-branded” website for coverage.
The CBC used to be king for Olympics coverage, but then it lost the rights to CTV, so it will for the first time since 1994 be covering an Olympics it doesn’t have rights to. And considering how television rights crippled CTV so much it had to show still images instead of video, expect CBC to face similar obstacles in February.
Similarly, the Post’s competitor the Globe and Mail is the official national newspaper of the Games. That won’t mean exclusive rights and it’s not clear if there are any editorial implications of this designation, but it puts the Post one step behind, at least psychologically.
But … the CBC and National Post hate each other.
Or, at least, that’s what they want us to think.
Anyone else think this is like the second season of a bad sitcom where the two main characters’ anger toward each other boils over and they explode in a torrent of rage that’s suddenly interrupted when they spontaneously get aroused and start passionately sucking face, leading to a long night of hot sex?
Are the CBC and National Post … getting it on? Is this Olympics website their illegitimate love child?
If so, when’s the hangover and walk of shame?
As I have previously asserted, newspapers and other media have virtually nothing to do with ideology, it’s all about increasing circulation and market share.
If the “über-liberal” CBC and the “corporatist/fascist” (take your pick) National Post want to collaborate, don’t read too much into that. It’s simply a convenient vehicle to generate additional revenue.
In a similar note, I have a deep suspicion that the Gesca/Québécor hatefest is for show. Every time Martineau does an anti-La Presse rant or a La Presse collumnist vomits on Québécor, I get the impression the higher ups at both corporations had a power lunch to discuss their circulation numbers and said they need to create some controversy to boost sales. I’m not a conspiracy nut, it’s just a thought.
I don’t think so. I think Martineau does it all by himself, but for the same goal: to provoke a reaction at any cost.