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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... things rather muddy. This was nothing new for Ottawa, still a small but growing lumber town with a population of roughly 25,000. As he walked up Wellington Street, Griffin paused to admire the clock that Prime Minister Alexander ...
... things as paper, ink, type, and salaries proved to be the biggest financial burden. For example, in 1870 it cost George Brown, the legendary founder of the Globe, $60,000 a year for newsprint alone.9 Add to this a few bad debts, clients ...
... thing than I do.”4 In fact, Macdonald knew a great deal more about newspapers than he was willing to admit. By 1871 he had been the Dominion's prime minister for four years and an active politician for twenty-eight. In the historic road ...
... thing to do was to appease Robertson and take control of the Telegraph. Starting a new paper was just not practical. While Conservative politician John Carling from Ontario believed Macdonald could “manage” Robertson, the prime minister ...
... things had worked out nicely. It was true that he no longer had any direct control over the newspaper's day-today activities, but close ties with the editorial writers, most notably Martin Griffin (formerly of the Halifax Herald), who ...
Contents
No League of Gentlemen 19141956 | 83 |
Illustrations | 104 |
The Unofficial Opposition 19571992 | 207 |
Notes | 365 |
Bibliography | 380 |
Index | 383 |