Sheila Copps certainly would have had a field day with these media imposters. If they can't play by the local content rules - out. These "convergence" media con artists have played the "import and skim" game far too long.

I hear they also fired their environmental reporter, who did a superb job of covering this underreported arena of such vital importance to BCers. The New VI is the only local station I watch. Guess I can throw out the TV now...

There were two shows that I regularly watched, at least there's still Star Trek. I differ with gwall only in that I found Pia annoying. Guess that means they'll keep her? Gonna write the CRTC now.

Well, my only use for the TV will now be for DVD watching. Actually my son watches Treehouse and that will be better to watch than VI! Sorry to see them go, Norman and Moe made a great duo. Always liked seeing local issues being debated, National as well but not as much of course. Good idea Brian, will send the CRTC a note as well.

A huge loss, and I still can't help feeling that they were somehow coerced or threatened by the bc liars, pia will be leaving as well according to reports, the only blessing -all thats left for semibalanced television coverage is the 6pm news on cbc -if we demand less we get less, shame on moses znaimer....

I never liked Moe as a politician but he was a fine TV personality. He did a VERY good job on air and was a very good interviewer. Screw CHUM.

Thanks for Brian's coment, but..well, I have to confess that I remeber Pia when she was on the original Channel 13 and I still find her hot (sorry Moe and Norm), but aside from that she's more like the average joe and that made her a very important comentator. Now, it seems that they're all gone and that is really a shame: and Shame on CHUM. Screw'em!

As a former islander, I am saddened at what is going on in this country media wise. The island has always been short changed by the big smoke across the pond.

And more than anything, Moe will be missed. I have always enjoyed Moe's brand of politics. Even if I didn't agree with him in overall philosophy, he was a great shit disturber, and he was always able to dig up the best dirt on the government. I would like to be like him. He has done more for BC than most of the others could only dream of. I think he would have made a great party leader. Too bad even the NDP has it's problem with political correctness.

I never watched very much of any of the programming on the New VI and found their news show to be quite lame. All their supposed specialists often seemed like they were little kids thrown in front of a camera and were unsure of what to say. They were always trying to be politically correct to the extreme and really played to the urban greenies in Victoria who are always so self rightious in their so called environmentalism. I do agree that losing Moe and Norm is bad. Moe was a terrible politician but as an interviewer and moderator he was quite good and Norm provided a good reality check.

I too am a former islander and on my visits to Vctoria loved to watch the debate between Moe & Norm, how can you get outraged as a taxpayer in this province when all you get to see media wise is piped in american t.v shows? the big media in this country are doing a great job of implenting thier own censorship in print and in t.v. as for Pia Shandel, good-bye! i'll never forget her comment: let the rich get richer so they can give all the poor people jobs, it sounded so pompass at the time, on whole found her quite difficult to take, too bad about the rest...

Hopefully the unlikely will happen and another station will pick up Moe and Norm. This was some of the best programming on the idiot box. Look at the bright side everyone, we can probably get more Friends and Everybody Loves Raymond reruns now!

Young stepford babes and hunks, smiling and restless. I have seen the future. And it looks good.

What's that smell?

Written to the CRTC. Negative publicity is the number one fear of any bureaucrat. Thanks very much for the link Adrian. All this said, it's important to publicize the good work being done by certain shows to ones friends and work associates. Anonymity of good shows doesn't help advance activist communications, and credible public debate on important local issues. If the citizenry lets go of the bar - and the standards that hold it - it will fall.

I've got an idea - let's cancel our cable, stop watching TV and go outside.

I've got a better idea let's steal cable or get a pirated satellite dish. The business elite rule the world and the only way to fight back is to hit them financially. It's worked against the recording industry, the movie industry and Microsoft. All of those interests have had to either lower prices or offer better services due to people not paying for their product.

Can't say that we will miss the shrill voiced girl commentators that we had to endure while waiting for Moe's program at 6:00 but for the hit men back East to deep six this show is astonishing. Wonder if they ever watched it!

Dix is Right On the money. I can't agree more. First Chum changes the Breakfast Television format, then fires Fiona Forbes with Mike Eckford leaving(becuase they are a great team). Now cancelling these two shows is the last straw. I will, from now on, avoid ALL CHUM stations. I invite you all to write to The New VI and /or City TV along with Chum(P) and the CRTC to express your outrage. THe constant homogenation of media has got to stop. Since Moses left Chum to semi-retirement, the powers that be at his empire are screwing up, royally. let's givim' hell and let them know we are mad as heel and won't take it any more.

Dix is Right On the money. I can't agree more. First Chum changes the Breakfast Television format, then fires Fiona Forbes with Mike Eckford leaving(becuase they are a great team). Now cancelling these two shows is the last straw. I will, from now on, avoid ALL CHUM stations. I invite you all to write to The New VI and /or City TV along with Chum(P) and the CRTC to express your outrage. THe constant homogenation of media has got to stop. Since Moses left Chum to semi-retirement, the powers that be at his empire are screwing up, royally. let's givim' hell and let them know we are mad as hell and won't take it any more.

My guess is that the slack will be taken up with more infomercial advertising. The Geek's got it all wrong. If you steal the signal the corporate elites still have your attention enough to push their products at you with a variety of clever ads. After all, beer drinkers are much more likely to be drinking in front of their televisions than out on the slopes snowboarding.

This is amazing. The only reason to watch VIland was for the balanced point counterpoint of VIland Voices and the public being able to "voice" an opinion. I guess I will delete the channel from the remote , again. Hopefully another station with some vision will pick up this "Voices" format. For all the fanfare about a "new" television station with a "new" vision for the Island and BC has been "Asperized" like all the other media. Tsk, tsk, tsk, such a shame.

Okay Haskel that's "Tha Geek" not "The Geek", I believe that I'm not all wrong but do agree with you that the corporate people still have the tv viewer's attention. Some people enjoy watching television even though you are mostly watching advertising as opposed to content. I agree the best solution is to turn it off and throw it out, but I really do look forward to certain programming such as the upcoming world hockey championship's and the olympics. I know I could be using my time better but ultimately I will enjoy those two events. I firmly believe that the only way to fight the thing's that are happening in this world today is by vigilante style corporate justice. Steal, plunder and share. After all these corporate elite are scumbags to the nth degree who will put people in power that will make the rules they want. Our Prime Minister is a prime example with shipping lines that fly the Bermuda flag.

It is likely my fault - each time I rave about great programming or recommend shows to the near and dear - they are wonked on the head from right field. What I find even more deserving of angst to the extreme is the request to bring in AMERICAN RIGHT WING political talk shows and commentators by the CTRC - such as FOX news (a real abuse of the noun) to Canadian audiences who are apparently dying to be further brain-washed as we are just not ignorant enough to vote in a President such as Bush - yet. CBC is truly the only thing worth watching (that, and the Jon Stewart Show - that's my idea of reliable American news). I wish there was a bundle where I could choose to just have Canadian and non-profit broadcast content delivered through the wire to filter out all the pollution.

The universe is sending a message to Moe: IT IS TIME TO GET BACK IN THE POLITICAL SADDLE. Moe was one of the few politicians to have had the courage to stand up and be counted with a strong voice; to challenge the senior bureaucrats and politicians who chose to push their personal agendas ahead of the best interests of British Columbians. This is what people want from their politicians and so rarely receive; all too often they find they are represented by a member afflicted with the common ailment, 'Group Think'and ultimately watch with frustration and disgust as he/she goes over the edge with the rest of the elected party wimps. As the Hon. W.A.C. Bennett used to say, "They don't shoot at a dead duck!" Moe became quite a target but it was all for the right reasons. Moe's re-entry into B.C. politics NOW would be delicious karma. I have the strongest feeling that the Liberals and a few bureaucrats must be having sleepless nights thinking about this possibility. Personally, I hope their worst nightmares become reality. MAKE MY DAY, MOE.

I am so happy that Moe Sihota was fired. Hopefully he is going to be out of my face. I fired him long ago at the last prov. election. Good staff.

I am so happy pia shandel was fired, friendly mouthbreather. The federal liberals fired pia as a candidate when they found out just how racist she is. Have you begged for your children and children's apologies yet after selling them out for a $200 tax cut? What didn't you like about moe, the fact that he had cohones? I can see where that would make you envious...

I liked Moe Sihota, too -- both as a tv interviewer & as a politician. As a politician, his one mistake was, as I recall, telephoning a member of the judiciary and putting in a good word for a constituent. Sounds pretty trivial now, but at the time the BC Fiberals and the right-wing BC media pretended to be outraged at such a serious breach of ethics, and Moe was forced out of Cabinet. What would happen to a member of Cabinet in the current government who did something as minor as that, and what would be our media's response? Every BC Liberal MLA has voted in favour of some really damaging legislation the last few years; that makes their ethical standards far worse than those of any member of the previous government.

"Friendly reader": Your venomous comment above suggests you are a 'closet watcher' of Moe, or he wouldn't be in your face!

Moe and Norm were the ONLY reason I ever watched the New VI. I am so pissed off they've been let go. I'll never watch that station again!!!!!!

I really enjoyed watching th New Vi's news as they showed much more local stuff than CH, CBC, or CTV. The other stations would just send a reporter here for important stuff, such as things at the Parliament Buildings or when we had the Commonwealth Games and CBC took over. Chek 6 used to be great until it got taken over by Global, and now they only tell a few minutes of what happened in Victoria...then I'd turn it off when they start talking about stuff in the rest of Canada or the States. The only time you'll see Canada interested in Victoria, is events like when we had the Commonwealth Games and CBC had their trucks and Camera crew everywhere! Other than that, who cares about us? Look at this Golf Tournament and 90% of the Money raised is going to Vancouver as who cares about Victoria, other than the fact that the Parliament Buildings are here! I think Vancouver Island should become a Province of it's own, just like Prince Edward Island! Let us have our own station and watch what Islanders want! Not what Vancouver and Toronto want!

Just a note to "Friendly Reader" -- you couldn't have FIRED Moe Sihota in the last provincial election -- HE DIDN'T RUN. That aside -- I agree with most people on this site. Moe and Norman were all The New VI had going for it. I'd be curious to know how the station's news ratings go now...I'm willing to bet they won't be too good.

Very well written article explaining what is so wrong with our corporate model for media. Money not community service is the driving force with our corporate model for media. Imagine how bad it would be if we didn't have the CRTC. Look to the campus and community not for profit radio sectors. They are forced to carry more spoken word content over commercial radio stations and seem to be able to meet this condition of licence. If you want local content, diverse opinion and media doing what it should be doing to preserve our democratic charter licence more frequencies to community groups not commercial operators.

you bet they are missed, so friendly Reader we know how far up Gordon Campbels ass you are I hope it tastes good, you deserve it.

If these guys really just blew off their whole committment to the public that they made to et a licence, and they really did it one month after their renewal hearing, can't their licence be pulled? I mean, it's pretty clearly a breach of their agreement, isn't it? Just waiting until your probationary period is over then completely abandoning the terms of your contract shows clear intent to deceive, and would be a breach and bad faith in any court. So....?

Baily, that's an interesting idea. To be honest I'm not well-versed enough in CRTC regulations to give you an answer, but maybe the CRTC won't need to shut The New VI down. A lack of viewers means bad ratings, which means no advertisers, which maybe, just maybe, could lead to CHUM being forced to pull the plug on the station - which is already in dire financial straits. Or, alternatively, it could lead to CHUM deciding to reverse some of its cuts. Either way, if the CRTC can't or won't do anything about it, we certainly can as viewers. Simply change the channel...and refuse to change it back until The New VI airs something worth watching. Which, now that Moe and Norman are gone, will likely happen right after never.

The fact is that CHUM took a gamble and lost. They gambled that there would be an audience for well-argued opposing political views, discussion of environmental and native issues, and a strong community involvement. It didn't work. Their numbers were horrible - nobody watched, except perhaps the people in this discussion board. A TV station is not a charity, it's a business, and the fact is that Canadian broadcasters have to run (cheap) American programming because they can't afford any more local stuff - The fault doesn't lie with CHUM, it lies with the general public. We get the media we deserve, after all...

Again...Canada being stripped of more cultural identity. Cant have local news and content when you can watch a US rerun now can you ?Its appalling already that kids know more about the US than Canada..this only helps it along. Oh ..and removing political opponents and watchdogs for the environment? nice last dagger...Like the TC , Province , Sun , BCTV...kill the subsciption...turn off the set..and look for the real content..Little harder to find but worth it.

Kit suggests that Sheila Copps would have had a field day with stations like VI. The record suggests it would be the other way around. Wonder why there's so little Canadian drama on TV these days? It's because the CRTC changed its content rules to allow broadcasters to run reality TV and similar crap in its place; Copps never did anything to change that, even as the number of Canadian dramas fell by more than half. Sorry, but there's nothing in her record to suggest CHUM would have heard a word from her about this decision.

...so what does adrian dix, ex-advisor to G.Clark, rumored to be interested in running as a NDP candidate in Vancouver-Kingsway propose as even a partial legilslative solution to corporate concentration in the bc media...nada.? what are the possiblities to restructure media ownership in this province...do the 'brain-dead' bureacrats at the ndp have any practical ideas.?.nada. Have the tycoon-leadership in the labor movement initiated anything in the past 30 years to rival corporate controlled monopoly media...nada? and why not?...there's a story or three. as usual the monopoly media will elect the next government.

Jesus Christ jchrist, as opposed to WHAT? The gordon liar government? And I don't think the media monopoly in this provinc will reelect the next provincial government any more than they elected the last vancouver city council despite pimping just as fast as their l'il cockroach legs would carry 'em, and now I'd like you to name a single accomplishment of gordon liar, hell, even a half accomplishment, you can't, cause there aren't ANY, are there? DUHHHHHHHHH!

I'm as anti-gordo as anyone, but I can name one fab thing he's done for BC: The Citizen's Assembly on Electoral Reform. It's non-partisan, citizen-driven, and gives a variety of ideas a fair shake. That's what I want out of my BC media too. That, plus hockey and The Daily Show.

Media has become propoganda. US media is a tool that supports the corporations and wealthy elites. People who believe mainstream media are gullible. The best way to get real journalism is on the Internet. Try www.democracynow.org, www.truthout.org, and www.counterpunch.org. Turn off your television- it is programming YOU!

Just back from holidays and heard the news. Great stuff.

Come on folks, call and write the CRTC and stop winning. The CRTC link is even provided For you in the article. Just do it , the CRTC has the power to pull or at least make Sure that CHUM follows the local licensing agreements for local content. Currently the Licensing is in pending. Check out my letter and the response from CRTC.... THIS IS WHAT DEMOCRACY LOOKS LIKE.. The airwaves belong to Canadian's, not to the corporate elites at CHUM, check out the link And the outrage. Regarding the cancellation of many local content like Island Voice the Chum Is not meeting its obligations and investing in local programming. If they are not prepared to do this, they should give up the license. At the very least, new hearings into the New VI's license renewal should be ordered by the CRTC. Canceling local content for US programming, please Do your job. Thank you for contacting the CRTC with your concern about changes in programming at CHUM's television station in Victoria -- The New VI. The CRTC does not involve itself in its licensees' staffing decisions. Staffing and day-to-day operations -- including the choice of on-air personnel and programming -- remain at the discretion of each licensee. The CRTC does, however, insist that its licensees adhere to their Conditions of License which may or may not mirror the licensees' proposals. These Conditions, and whether or not licensees have adhered to them, are reviewed by the Commission when licenses are renewed. The New VI was originally licensed in 2000. You can find the entire text of Decision CRTC 2000-219, including the Conditions of License, on the CRTC's website at www.crtc.gc.ca/archive/eng/Decisions/2000/DB2000-219.htm The New VI's application for renewal was heard at a Public Hearing on 7 June 2004; a decision is pending. The New VI's performance in its next license term will be judged against Conditions of License articulated by the Commission in that decision. During each license term, CRTC staff regularly examine program logs submitted by licensees to ensure that Conditions of License relating to programming content are adhered to. I am forwarding a copy of your comments to The New VI so that they will be aware of your concerns. Meanwhile, your comments have been registered and will be placed on The New VI's public file at the CRTC. This file forms part of the record examined by the Commission at license renewal time. Thank you again for taking the time to put your concerns in writing. Sincerely, Marguerite Vogel©¦ Regional Director©¦Directrice r¨¦gionale©¦ 604-666-6574©¦marguerite.vogel@crtc.gc.ca©¦

It looks like you now like CHUM about as much I like it. I'm in Toronto. Watching CHUM here on television, with it's 'old' news (!!!) is not much fun. There's little I like. There's little. But the old news takes the cake. And when I saw Michael Moore (who I have lost all respect for since he, like so many other progressives, jumped on the 'vote for Kerry even though he's no good either' bandwagon) praising CHUM television up I was furious and very saddened. Norman Spector is indeed thought-provoking. He certainly knows the Israel file well. I don't agree with his politics, but it sounds like I would have liked the show everyone here is talking about. Good luck folks.

Michael Moore does not have many options, Bush or Kerry. Basically the house is on fire In the US. Before change happens you have to put out the fire. Kick Bush out, once Kerry Is in you have 4 yrs to rearrange the furniture. Progressives sometimes have to hold their Nose and take steps to get to their ultimate goal.

The New VI brought new life into victoria. I am thankful for that because as CH showed nothing but negitive news. CH was on the band wagon of bashing the youth. The New VI showed the postitive side of Victoria and the positive side of youth. I am saddend to hear that CHUM broke their aggrement, they as all people should be held accountable for their actions. I will continue to watch "The New VI". I myself did not care for Moe or Norman after the News I would change the channel. Hopfully they will get back into politics because they look better in a media scrum; than at a round table.

Moe & Norm you lost your job about the same time I lost my job. I was a casualty of the HEU hate crime. Not only was I displaced out of my full time job, I lost 40% of my income. Makes the 15% legislated sound pretty good. I can't wait until May 17, 2005.

The fault isn't with chum, moe or norm. It's all these idiots who'd rather watch millionaire than a decent opinion forum like the moe, norm and the other lady's show.

I spoke briefly to Moe when we worked on what he discribed as "the ugliest building in Victoria". (I didn't dissent). Anyways, I last heard Moe and (Perhaps Norm) on the CKNW show with Jim Good about a week ago (today is 14th jan 2005). They were in total agreement about how bad the STV system will be for BC. POINT NO 1. Back in Ireland, you are NOT allowed to have a one sided debate like that one. You are supposed to bring in a STV backer to bring ballance to the airwaves. But there was none. Point 2 Dear Moe, I bet more politicians get re-elected under STV in Ireland than get re-elected here. Experience is a valuable teacher. Part of the reason we have such crappy politics here is because you guys are kicked out after single terms all the time. I am just writing this because I want to officially complain about it but I do not know where to do so. Can you tell me? CKNW needs to smarten up. Brian

moe and norman were the only two things worth watching on vi. and so, of course, in the chum/city way, they really had to go. forget pia, she is a waste of skin. chum is a lot of bluster. for some reason they have acquired a reputation for being a young, hip station. there is nothing hip about the organization. the vancouver city tv station used to be a solid 2 in the ratings before chum took over .they are now number 4 with the multi cultural channel nipping at their heels. how sad...anyone who has been in tv knows that it is much easier to lose viewers than to get them back. the new vi is non-union. as yet, the citytv in vancouver is union. the only reason a similar massacre did not happen on west 2nd in vancouver is that they are union. for some reason however, the victoria station seems to be able to poach all the stories they want from the vancouver station and run them one half an hour before the vancouver station's news hour starts. the new vi is on channel 12, the city tv station is on channel 13. viewers can watch content from vancouver on the victoria station a half hour before it runs on the vancouver station. this seems to be something that the crtc should be concerned about. it is a duplication of canadian content. the victoria station has all the new equipment, shiny new building and no talent to go along with it. they mercilessly fired staff and are running their pathetic station with a skeleton crew and at the same time, sucking the life out of the vancouver station. the new vi is a black hole. the only thing they had going for it was moe and norm. the moses myth and everything else about citytv being innovative and cutting edge is total fiction. i am as mad as hell and i am not going to watch it anymore. unfortunately, viewers are doing the same thing by changing channels.

I worked for Chum in Windsor Ontario at The New WI. The "brand" is the only thing they have going for them. They lead the Local News ratings only because CBC is asleep at the switch. I asked of management one time, "when is New, no longer "New". The reply was "we are always New" . I left shortly after that to pursue other Media interests. I'm wondering when they will make the move to clean up an unbelieveably horrible signal. It looks like amateur night when compared to the power coming across the Detroit river,from the big three, and I'm talkin' good ole' analog -off-the air signal, not to mention HD! I think we are seeing the demise of a cute idea. It'll probably get replaced by "The Naked Fat Guy Channel" Yours in Television Rocky.

Moe and Norm, Briony Penn and Speaker's Corner were the only programs we watched regularly. Yes, reception of The New VI is horrible, and that more than anything else explains why they can't attract viewers! Many people in Victoria don't have cable, which was first offered for free and has now has become absurdly expensive. We haven't watched The New VI since they axed their best staff. Sic transit Victoria TV!

sonsofbitches hell with New VI goddamn yankees