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
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... story in the Globe and Mail and other major dailies the following day.3 While the press may believe in the fairness of this particular story, critics of the media would argue that this incident underlines many of the problems inherent ...
... story, everyone in the media ends up covering and following similar issues. This fact of journalistic life takes on even more significance during an election campaign, when reporters travel, live, and incestuously practise their craft ...
... story, much to the anger of the local Tories. Macdonald admired Burrows so much that he later got him a job with the Toronto Empire, the Conservative Party organ in the late 18805.17 More often, John A. received harsh and critical ...
... story for Monday's edition, and an editorial entitled “The Disgraceful Scene in Ottawa” followed the next day: “To say that Sir John Macdonald was on Friday night somewhat under the influence of liquor would be a grossly inadequate ...
... story about Maclean from this time. While slightly drunk Maclean had written a story on protectionism and his handwriting was harder to read than usual. The Mail's chief proofreader, Edward Clarke, a good Orangeman, thought Maclean had ...
Contents
No League of Gentlemen 19141956 | 83 |
Illustrations | 104 |
The Unofficial Opposition 19571992 | 207 |
Notes | 365 |
Bibliography | 380 |
Index | 383 |