A couple of years ago, I was hired by a local First Nations group to speak to their chiefs about media relations. They were finding it difficult to talk to reporters and to get stories reported accurately, and wanted some tips. I came away from that session with a tough realization: I had taken on a mild form of racism through osmosis in my years in media, and didn’t even know it. Â …
A Difficult Truth Read More »
Arguing about politics is futile. I’ve never had a conversation, or heard a conversation on the subject of politics that ended with, “You’ve really opened my mind up to your point of view and I now see that I was mistaken in my beliefs!” …
U.S. Political Positions – Why They’re Locked In Read More »
In an effort to move our radio station away from the “angry old white man” perception of talk radio, we became one of the major sponsors of Pride London, which ended yesterday with the annual parade. …
You don’t mess with a national anthem – ever. That’s what someone wise said in the wake of the rogue Tenor changing the lyrics to Canada’s anthem at MLB’s All-Star game earlier this week. Â …
A Tenor Hits a Foul Note Read More »
If you are tempted to say, “all lives matter” when you hear the phrase “black lives matter”, click HERE.
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The summer before the 2014 municipal election, Free-FM was one of the hosts of Rock the Park, the big multi-day music festival at London’s Harris Park. It’s an all-hands-on-deck event, from early morning until late at night. It was dark and it was raining as I returned to the VIP gazebo after visiting a porta-potty and noticed councillor Matt Brown and his wife Andrea, trying – and failing – to stay dry, so I invited them to our covered spot. …
Following George Takei on Facebook has its benefits. The legendary Mr. Sulu from the original Star Trek series has a biting sense of humour and loves to provoke, politically. Why shouldn’t he? He’s an openly gay man, married to his partner, who champions not just gay rights but all human rights. Gay rights are human rights, after all. …
Free to Pee, You and Me Read More »
As news broke early Sunday that there was a mass shooting at a nightclub in Orlando, Florida, the iPhone of the President of the National Rifle Association undoubtedly went off. His Media Relations Officer would be briefing him on the situation and designing the narrative they would put out. …
China is well known for a lot of things: lead-painted toys, tasty food, over-population and for marginalizing groups who don’t go along with the majority. Many Chinese live in extreme poverty and a story came out late last week about a dozen children in the Zhaojue county, and their dangerous trek to school. …
Sorry Dads, Your School Stories Lose Read More »
When it comes to recyclables! People have told me I’m a fool for sorting my plastics/cans apart from my paper/cardboard because the pick-up guys merely throw it all into the same truck. Not content to just assume, we invited the city’s head of environmental programs to explain on CJBK. …
Separation is a Good Thing Read More »
Taxidermists, snake charmers, deep sea divers, astronauts, strippers, proctologists, butchers and vegans all have something in common: I can find a way to understand why they do what they do, even though I have no intention of ever joining them. But there’s one group of people I simply can’t wrap my head around and perhaps someone will shed some light on them for me. …
War Is Hell, Year After Year Read More »
My Mom hates wind turbines. She’s certainly not alone in that but unfortunately for Mom, turbines have been creeping into her world despite her efforts to stop them. …
There’s No Place Like Home Used to Be Read More »
It’s easy to condemn more than 500 Ontario doctors who billed the government for more than a million dollars last year. The list came out showing 12 of them practice in the London area, although names aren’t disclosed. …
Medical Millionaires Read More »
Back in the late 1970s when I discovered Bruce Springsteen, who knew that it would become a life-long relationship? Loving his music offered no guarantee that he wouldn’t go all Ted Nugent on us. …
Keep in mind that this is real. The National Rifle Association, the powerful gun lobby in the United States, is rewriting classic fairy tales and posting them on the NRA website. They read like the parodies they are, but the NRA’s spin on their reason for the edits is what makes the whole thing astounding, even for them. …
NRA: Not Really Astute Read More »
During her concert at London’s O2 Arena last week, an audience member asked Adele about “breastfeeding mummies”. Adele said chef Jamie Oliver could go F himself! Â …
Adele’s Righteous Potty Mouth Read More »
It’s not just Donald Trump. It’s all of it. children in a school yard. But the worst part of it is the disrespect. …
That’s a lot of Class Read More »
Donald Trump has to be stopped because a formula that predicts with 96% accuracy who will win the US Presidency has him blazing a trail to the White House. …