Scrum Wars: The Prime Ministers and the MediaThe image of the scrum -- a beleaguered politican surrounded by jockeying reporters -- is central to our perception of Ottawa. The modern scrum began with the arrival of television, but even in Sir John A. Macdonald's day, a century earlier, reporters in the parliamentary press gallery had waited outside the prime minister's office, pen in hand, hoping for a quote for the next edition. The scrum represents the test of wills, the contest of wits, and the battle for control that have characterized the relationship between Canadian prime ministers and journalists for more than 125 years. Scrum Wars chronicles this relationship. It is an anecdotal as well as analytical account, showing how earlier prime ministers like Sir John A. Macdonald and Sir Wilfrid Laurier were able to exercise control over what was written about their administrators, while more recent leaders like John Diefenbaker, Joe Clark, John Turner, and Brian Mulroney often found themselves at the mercy of intense media scrutiny and comment. |
From inside the book
Results 1-5 of 92
... Globe and Mail's normally serious Jeffrey Simpson poked fun at the sheer ridiculousness of Ottawa journalists bothering Mulroney about his expensive Paris hotel room. Never mind the state of world trade, the environmental crisis, and ...
... Globe — “the parent of all the journalistic scurrility” in Canada in Griffin's biased estimation. Indeed, just as the Commons was divided between Macdonald's Conservatives and Mackenzie's Liberals, so too was the gallery. Paul Bilkey ...
... Globe's share, on the other hand, was an advertising contract for $18.21.11 The fact was, as the Hamilton Spectator ... Globe for many years, refused to be “only a speaking-tube for the political leaders.” Willison himself left the Globe ...
... Globe as well as other Liberal newspapers would attack him as a traitor. Controlling information about his position on the treaty therefore became essential. He instructed Morris “to make arrangements with the friendly newspapers to ...
... Globe — in this round at least. George Brown was a large man, over six feet tall and powerfully built. Even by age thirty-five, he was balding and wore long, bushy, mutton-chop sideburns, as was the style of the day. He was a hard ...
Contents
No League of Gentlemen 19141956 | 83 |
Illustrations | 104 |
The Unofficial Opposition 19571992 | 207 |
Notes | 365 |
Bibliography | 380 |
Index | 383 |