As an aside to this topic, I'm wondering what the regs are regarding who can appear on talk shows as a panelist when they're running for office.

In the past 24 hours, I've heard Knia Singh on CFRB's Round Table, despite the fact he's running for Toronto mayor and Karlene Nation, who's vying for a position in what's currently Ward 20 (which could change if Doug Ford's council shrinkage plan goes into effect as expected) on GNR 640. 

I well remember John Tory having to quit his 1010 afternoon drive show once he officially entered the race. It's one thing to interview a candidate on where they stand on election issues. It's quite another to give them an open platform to pontificate on anything and everything, raising their profiles on an hour of free radio time, while not giving their opponents the same chance. 

Are there rules or timelines that govern when they can and can't appear on these shows?

splunge wrote:

As far as i know RA, the onus is on the station to ensure "balance".  So if one mayoral candidate gets 15 minutes, all others should have the same opportunity.  The candidate has to request equal time, but the station cannot refuse once the first candidate is put on air.  It is similar to balance in religious programming.

I recall in the 80s CBC dedicated 5 minutes after the national/journal for political time... watching the rhinoceros party leader smoke and drink his way through a rant with his feet up on the desk.

oh how i long for those days of fringe candidates staying on the fringe.

So if I read you right, if Knia Singh gets his 15 minutes on the Roundtable in the morning (and he's a weekly regular) then theoretically so should John Tory and Jennifer Keesmaat if they insisted.

But that would also apply to whoever is this year's equivalent of Running Ben Kerr. And while that would make for some very interesting radio, I'm pretty sure no station in their right mind would want to give some of these off kilter candidates their 15 minutes of fame. 

RadioActive wrote:

As an aside to this topic, I'm wondering what the regs are regarding who can appear on talk shows as a panelist when they're running for office.

In the past 24 hours, I've heard Knia Singh on CFRB's Round Table, despite the fact he's running for Toronto mayor and Karlene Nation, who's vying for a position in what's currently Ward 20 (which could change if Doug Ford's council shrinkage plan goes into effect as expected) on GNR 640. 

I well remember John Tory having to quit his 1010 afternoon drive show once he officially entered the race. It's one thing to interview a candidate on where they stand on election issues. It's quite another to give them an open platform to pontificate on anything and everything, raising their profiles on an hour of free radio time, while not giving their opponents the same chance. 

Are there rules or timelines that govern when they can and can't appear on these shows?

Jerry Agar appears to have answered my question on Wednesday morning's show. He revealed that frequent panelist John Burnside, a Toronto city councillor, will be on for the last time before the election next week. As of Labour Day, all possible candidates in the municipal election will be gone, unless they appear for a separate interview in that specific role. 

I'm not sure if this is a self-imposed CFRB rule or is decided by law. Either way, it appears you won't be hearing a lot of familiar voices starting in September.

RadioActive wrote:

Either way, it appears you won't be hearing a lot of familiar voices starting in September.

More space for fresh PR muffins! We all love to hear what they think!
 

Last edited by Chrisphen (August 22, 2018 6:40 pm)