Thank you, I’ll be here all week. Try the veal.

The Stuart Langford Show may be going off the air, which is to say it will no longer be streamed live online during CRTC proceedings. Commissioner Langford's current term ends November 15, meaning last week's Diversity of Voices proceeding may have been his final performance at the commission.Langford has a well-honed style of effectively grilling the interveners sitting opposite him while simultaneously tallying, or setting up, more Laughter/Rires in the transcripts than any other commissioner. It's a style that in a country occasionally starved for popular home-grown content seems well suited to the broadcast airwaves. So, should we expect to see Stuart, you have a question? - a show about a former journalist turned CRTC commissioner who seamlessly riffs with all facets of a nation's broadcasting industry in the name of strengthening the system, all the while developing a surprising comedic chemistry with the more stoic chairman - in a broadcaster's 2008 fall line up? Probably not. Fortunately, some of us can always say we saw him live. For those who didn't catch last week's engagement at the Outaouais Room, here are some of the highlights: Langford: By the way, this isn't an attempt to beat up on the CBC...CBC executive VP of television Richard Stursberg: I don't mind beating up on the CBC. I do it a certain amount myself.Langford: That's because you are paid to do it.To Paul Ski, president of CTVglobemedia's radio division, on the quality of radio news...Langford: And it doesn't seem quite enough to me, Mr. Ski, to say, "Well, different news for different folks, you know. We have got young people listening to our radio, so the news for them is, you know, what are the movie stars wearing this month." That's not going to do much for them if world war three is declared that day.Langford: Ultimately, CTV will support one party or another or... Robert Hurst, president of CTV News: Never, never.Langford: Well, in my day, you could usually tell from the way Bruce Phillips' eyebrows were going which way you guys were going, but maybe you have got better eyebrow protection there now.Langford: And I do see benefits, by the way, Mr. Chairman, as part of this, because it does add voices, it does add independent production Chairman Konrad von Finckenstein: No, Stuart, you are absolutely right..Langford: Okay.Von Finckenstein: ...it's part of the hearing, but, you know, it's not the main concern.Langford: "Stuart, you are absolutely right," would someone mark that in the transcript? It may never happen again.Langford: I was thinking as I listened to Stein's wish list of regulations he wants to get rid of, I was kind of remembering George Bush's response to terrorism with shock and awe and I guess Mr. Stein's response to regulation is Shaw and awe.Von Finckenstein: Ahhh!Langford: It is too bad you don't own a newspaper, it would be a good headline.To Canada Council for the Arts national director Alain Pineau on using the microphone...Langford: Could you press that button, the red...Pineau: Sorry.Langford: This is the only legal red light district in this area.Peter Murdoch, VP, media, Communications, Energy and Paperworkers union of Canada: So, clearly there is a difference between covering City Hall and getting somebody in there to talk about pet horoscopes. One is news and one is not news. To define pet horoscopes as news is silly. That is not the state coming in and saying that is not news. I think we can...Langford: You obviously have never met a cat owner; I wouldn't want to try that one, but anyway, I take your point.With Phil Lind, vice-chair of Rogers Communications Inc., on the financial struggles of some specialty channels...Lind: I think one of the key variables here is the popularity of the channel. I mean that has got to play in this thing too. You can have an idea, it may be desperately unpopular, but it is an idea that has to be heard... they don't have the same sort of compelling reasons for marketing and...Langford: Yes, it is like selling that asparagus-flavoured ice cream, it is a tough one.With producer Paul De Silva on who the Canadian Diversity Producers Association represents...De Silva: It is an evolving thing. There is no question about it that strength in numbers, which is always effective, is what we seek, and we will be looking for ways to incorporate that as much as possible in our organization.Langford: Maybe even get aging, white gentlemen like me, who find they just aren't wanted in the movies any more. I might join.De Silva: I don't think the statistics bear that out, quite frankly, commissioner Langford.Langford: Well, I am not willing to undergo a sex change, so there goes the career.

Thank you, I’ll be here all week. Try the veal.

Broadcast | September 26, 2007

Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need.

FREE TRIAL

SUBSCRIBE

Inside The Wire Report

Information

Hill Times Publishing

Get in Touch With Us