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August 9, 2015 12:30 pm  #1


Outrageous Claim Surfaces Over Broadcasters' Emergency Alerts

I was debating whether to post this here, because this isn't supposed to be a political forum. But after reading a letter/column published this weekend in the Toronto Star, I find it almost impossible not to respond.

Toronto Star: Radio intrusion instills fear, anxiety

The missive is from a "distinguished professor." as she signs it (I'm not sure if that honorific is a title or a very flattering self-opinion) and opens up by saying her 7-year-old son was put into paroxyms of fear while listening to his "favourite" oldies station (what 7-year-old kid listens to an oldies station?) when one of those new emergency alerts with the robotic voice suddenly interrupted the programming. 

It brought a warning about a possible tornado and urged listeners to take precautions. The prof/mom was upset because the pronouncement scared her kid. O.K., that's possible. That machine voice is a little off putting, especially if you're not ready for it.

But then she quickly digresses into how this entire thing is obviously a plot by Stephen Harper's Conservatives to take over the airwaves, scare the public into submission and while they're shaking in their collective boots, they'll be reminded they have to vote Tory to feel safe. How she comes to this conclusion is completely incomprehensible. This was a simple weather warning, not a political ad. There is no way it can be interpreted as anything else, unless you hate the Cons so much that just getting up in the morning is seen as some kind of plot to keep you too tired to think straight. 

I'm not a fan of any of the people running for P.M., but frankly, this is reaching into Coast To Coast territory. And for the Star, which is well known for gobbling up anything that's anti-Harper, to publish this as though it were fact, is absolutely disgusting. It's not even an informed opinion, since there's not a shred of evidence to back up the writer's thesis. And as a "distinguished professor," she should know a thing or two about that. (Some might argue she gives herself away by referring at one point to her "beloved CBC.") Shame on the Star for publishing this piece of tin-foil-hattery. 

If this is the level of discourse we're going to get about a simple radio announcement, it really is going to be longest election campaign in history. 

Last edited by RadioActive (August 9, 2015 12:36 pm)

 

August 9, 2015 1:15 pm  #2


Re: Outrageous Claim Surfaces Over Broadcasters' Emergency Alerts

"the kids are alright"

john entwistle

 

August 9, 2015 2:52 pm  #3


Re: Outrageous Claim Surfaces Over Broadcasters' Emergency Alerts

I wonder what station they were listening to. "Oldies" certainly narrows it down, although she doesn't indicate what day this was. If it was AM 740, their coverage range makes it possible that a Niagara-area tornado would be featured. The same for CKOC. Not so sure about Boom. What else could it be? Q107 could be considered "oldies" I suppose, if you look at it sideways. She mentions being in downtown Toronto at the time, so it would have had to be something local, given all the interference in that area. 

Anyway, someone should tell this woman that the decision on when to interrupt programming is made by Pelmorex, the owner of the Weather Network, not the federal government. And that the planning for this thing was in the works for years, not days before the election was called.

If a student submitted tihs kind of stuff in an essay based solely on speculation or bias and no research, she'd fail them. 

Last edited by RadioActive (August 9, 2015 2:54 pm)

     Thread Starter
 

August 9, 2015 7:17 pm  #4


Re: Outrageous Claim Surfaces Over Broadcasters' Emergency Alerts

This used to terrify me as a kid. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLuhJk05KwI

 

August 9, 2015 7:21 pm  #5


Re: Outrageous Claim Surfaces Over Broadcasters' Emergency Alerts

Exactly what Charlie said

Charlie wrote:

I read that letter in the Star today.  If ever there was a written testament to the self-absorbed, self-righteous, cbc-indoctrinated, entitled mind-set of the 'downtown lefty elites' that anybody north of bloor loves to hate, this was it.  Hopefully, this pompous professor and her 'partner' and oldies-loving child will somehow manage to survive this trauma after several years of therapy.  The only thing that stops me from really teeing off, is they have a Lab.  Poor dog..

 


Madness takes its toll.  Please have exact change.
 
 

August 9, 2015 9:30 pm  #6


Re: Outrageous Claim Surfaces Over Broadcasters' Emergency Alerts

It should be noted that this "distinguished" professor, Kathleen Gallagher, specializes in drama/theatre education.  Rather telling, I think.

Her publically accessible bio:

https://www.oise.utoronto.ca/ctl/Faculty_Staff/Faculty_Profiles/1227/Kathleen_Marie_Gallagher.html

Personally, I think I was most traumatized as a child by the nefarious S from hell:








Am I the only one who thought it looked more like a roll of toilet paper?

 

Last edited by Peter the K (August 9, 2015 9:32 pm)

 

August 10, 2015 7:58 am  #7


Re: Outrageous Claim Surfaces Over Broadcasters' Emergency Alerts

Peter the K wrote:

It should be noted that this "distinguished" professor, Kathleen Gallagher, specializes in drama/theatre education.  Rather telling, I think

Does U. of T. have a "lampoon" society?   It can't be a legitimate letter



geo 
 

 

August 10, 2015 3:15 pm  #8


Re: Outrageous Claim Surfaces Over Broadcasters' Emergency Alerts

When my grandson is naughty I tune in 560 CFOS or AM 740 and he quickly begs for mercy and straightens right up