Sunday, September 04, 2005
CBC 55: Utter total incompetence or how to piss off your biggest fans
(We interrupt my blog off weekend for a little news)
Management forgot to order the duct tape
Here is a report I received from a picket captain at the Toronto Broadcast Centre:
Dozens of people showed up at the TBC Saturday to see a taping of the Red Green Show. One couple had driven from southern Pennsylvania and there were three busloads of people from Iowa staying at the King Street Holiday Inn. Plus lots of Ontarians in their Possum Lodge duds.
Security knew nothing; nor did we, (the picket captains) except that it wasn't being done in the TBC. Mac Skelton confirmed over the internet that it was being done at Shoreline Studios, somewhere at Eastern / Lakeshore.
By then the Iowa folks had been told they must walk to the studios - imagine their delight.
After 6 p.m. when we grew tired of deflecting the ire of Red Green fans, the picket captains asked the 1800 - 0600 shift security head (Ben) to fetch a manager to deal with these folks. For $52 per hour, this is their job. He said he was not sure if there were any managers inside, and denied being able to contact anyone.
Robin adding to the report: one picketer told me: "Ben either has the IQ of a carrot, or the HR people have grown tired enough/lax enough not to bother having anyone on duty on Saturdays."
Red Green Show Home Page
New location for the Red Green Show.
Showline Harbourside Studios
Stage 11K
915 Lakeshore Blvd. East
Toronto, Ontario
M4M 3L5
That is a long walk from Front and John.
Robert Fulford wrote in Saturday's National Post
(thanks to John Gushue for that post)
Now we know they can't even send a fax to a hotel to give a bus driver directions. There is this old saying about someone who is so incompetent that they can't fully plan a visit to brewery (you know what I mean)
Updates:
The three busloads of people were from Iowa, not Ohio as originally reported.
Tapings will be every Saturday and Wednesday from now until November 5.
Also word on the picket line that: CBC management has had to fork over $250,000 or $300,000 (per episode?) to Steve Smith in lieu of the studio space and crew CBC should have provided according to their contract. Slawko Klymkiw, former executive director of network programming, when consulted (before he left for the Canadian Film Centre) about the idea of paying this much, said, "Do it." This means more wasted money, including salaries for an idle crew if we're back before Nov 5.
(I will have an intelligence update early in the week. Keep the info coming in folks)
Technorati tags
journalism, CBC, blog, news, lockout,
CBClockout,
Red Green, Red Green Show
9:51 AM posted by Robin Rowland
Permanent Link
Links to this post
(We interrupt my blog off weekend for a little news)
Management forgot to order the duct tape
Here is a report I received from a picket captain at the Toronto Broadcast Centre:
Dozens of people showed up at the TBC Saturday to see a taping of the Red Green Show. One couple had driven from southern Pennsylvania and there were three busloads of people from Iowa staying at the King Street Holiday Inn. Plus lots of Ontarians in their Possum Lodge duds.
Security knew nothing; nor did we, (the picket captains) except that it wasn't being done in the TBC. Mac Skelton confirmed over the internet that it was being done at Shoreline Studios, somewhere at Eastern / Lakeshore.
By then the Iowa folks had been told they must walk to the studios - imagine their delight.
After 6 p.m. when we grew tired of deflecting the ire of Red Green fans, the picket captains asked the 1800 - 0600 shift security head (Ben) to fetch a manager to deal with these folks. For $52 per hour, this is their job. He said he was not sure if there were any managers inside, and denied being able to contact anyone.
Robin adding to the report: one picketer told me: "Ben either has the IQ of a carrot, or the HR people have grown tired enough/lax enough not to bother having anyone on duty on Saturdays."
Red Green Show Home Page
New location for the Red Green Show.
Showline Harbourside Studios
Stage 11K
915 Lakeshore Blvd. East
Toronto, Ontario
M4M 3L5
That is a long walk from Front and John.
Robert Fulford wrote in Saturday's National Post
If only CBC managers had something promising in mind, some grand plan, their desire for more control might well deserve support. Who doesn't like the idea of a lean, supple broadcaster responding quickly to the need for change? But we have no idea what the CBC will do with its new power, assuming the union surrenders.
(thanks to John Gushue for that post)
Now we know they can't even send a fax to a hotel to give a bus driver directions. There is this old saying about someone who is so incompetent that they can't fully plan a visit to brewery (you know what I mean)
Updates:
The three busloads of people were from Iowa, not Ohio as originally reported.
Tapings will be every Saturday and Wednesday from now until November 5.
Also word on the picket line that: CBC management has had to fork over $250,000 or $300,000 (per episode?) to Steve Smith in lieu of the studio space and crew CBC should have provided according to their contract. Slawko Klymkiw, former executive director of network programming, when consulted (before he left for the Canadian Film Centre) about the idea of paying this much, said, "Do it." This means more wasted money, including salaries for an idle crew if we're back before Nov 5.
(I will have an intelligence update early in the week. Keep the info coming in folks)
Technorati tags
journalism, CBC, blog, news, lockout,
CBClockout,
Red Green, Red Green Show
9:51 AM posted by Robin Rowland
Permanent Link
