The Southern Ontario/WNY Radio-TV Forum » Bell Media Under Fire Over Kevin O'Leary Appearances

RadioActive · December 22, 2016 1:42 pm

The Shark Tank participant regularly appears on CFRB and other Bell Media properties. But he's also let it be known he's interested in running for the federal Conservative leadership, and could potentially become Prime Minister of Canada. So it's not a small thing.

This article, from the National Post, brings up the question of whether that's giving him an unfair advantage over his potential rivals and if Bell should cut ties with him until he makes up his mind one way or the other. (Didn't this same sort of thing happen when then 1010 afternoon drive host John Tory was thinking of running for mayor?)

From the article:

"If O’Leary delays his formal entry into the race, he could continue to use his air-time on Bell Media’s platforms to raise his profile and attempt to score points against potential opponents — an advantage that no other leadership candidate, declared or not, has.

However, a spokesperson for O’Shares Investments, the wealth management company O’Leary chairs, told the Post he has agreed with Bell not to make partisan statements on the air...

"It is unclear whether Bell Media has a formal policy of disclosing its relationship with O’Leary when its news properties cover him and the Conservative leadership race. For example, a Dec. 12 CTV News article on the leadership campaign team developing around O’Leary contains no mention of his business relationship with Bell Media, while an Oct. 23 CTV News article on O’Leary’s views of potential rival Maxime Bernier does.

The Bell spokesperson did not specify whether the company has any protocols or standards for disclosing the relationship. But one expert told the National Post that Bell continuing to put O’Leary on the air creates a “very clear conflict of interest that should be avoided.”

More here

cGrant · December 22, 2016 2:09 pm

He hasn't declared he's running -- there is no conflict.

Did John Tory's endless "will he/won't he" (a flip flop pattern he continues to this day) give him an unfair advantage or was he the "appointed one" right from the gigdy-up?

RadioActive · December 22, 2016 2:25 pm

I'm of two minds on this but overall I would have to agree. While this would seem to give O'Leary an advantage of being able to regularly appear to speak his mind several times a week in pseudo-campaign mode, the fact he hasn't officially declared is a loophole in the system - and he's passing right through it.

This is no different than Tory on RB pontificating about the waste at City Hall (oh, the irony!) or when Rob Ford would rail against Toronto councillors' profligate spending on 640 before he officially became a mayoral candidate. It may seem unfair, but they weren't violating any rules or even ethics and until O'Leary finally makes his intention known, there's simply no legal reason he shouldn't be allowed to continue.

Leslieville Bill · December 22, 2016 3:07 pm

Kevin O'Leary is "just visting".

cGrant · December 22, 2016 3:39 pm

O'Leary's not going to run. Why would he? He's a multi-millionaire and runs several companies. He'd have to step down, quit The Tank and take a pay cut. He's just $h!t-disturbing the political scene right now and having a nice lark doing it. This whole argument is moot. As he'd say, "where's the payback? where's the return multifold to me as an investor?"

December 22, 2016 5:12 pm

cGrant wrote:
O'Leary's not going to run. Why would he? He's a multi-millionaire and runs several companies. He'd have to step down, quit The Tank and take a pay cut. He's just $h!t-disturbing the political scene right now and having a nice lark doing it.

Umm.........

cGrant · December 22, 2016 6:52 pm

Charlie wrote:
John Tory (unofficially) ran for mayor for at least 2 years from his daily soapbox on 1010, just as Rob Ford built his brand every week on Oakley's morning show.

The assumption is that all possible voters are listening to that station at that time. Given the huge fracture of listening habits people have, was there really any advantage(s)? People that listen to those two stations have a proclivity to vote to the right anyway, so they were preaching to the small, fragmented choir.

December 22, 2016 8:11 pm

cGrant wrote:
People that listen to those two stations have a proclivity to vote to the right anyway, so they were preaching to the small, fragmented choir

You have evidently confused "listening to" with "being subjected to"

Radiowiz · December 22, 2016 10:17 pm

grilled.cheese wrote:
O'Leary is a goof. We need Dougie Ford at the federal level.

It sure would be interesting seeing Kevin & Doug fight over who should be the Federal Conservative Leader...

Kilgore · December 23, 2016 9:22 am

grilled.cheese wrote:
O'Leary is a goof. We need Dougie Ford at the federal level.

Regular appearances on the hugely popular Greg Carrasco show could accelerate one or other into 24 Sussex

cGrant · December 23, 2016 9:49 am

Kilgore wrote:
on the hugely popular Greg Carrasco show

"Hugely popular"?!? On a low-rated station? Isn't that like the smartest kid at the Special Education table?

Kilgore · December 23, 2016 11:51 am

cGrant wrote:
"Hugely popular"?!? On a low-rated station? Isn't that like the smartest kid at the Special Education table?

Did not this same discussion take place after Rob Ford was elected; namely that exposure provided by regular guest slots on the John Oakley program propelled the candidate from South Etobicoke into the mayor's chair?

cGrant · December 23, 2016 12:07 pm

Kilgore wrote:
Did not this same discussion take place after Rob Ford was elected; namely that exposure provided by regular guest slots on the John Oakley program propelled the candidate from South Etobicoke into the mayor's chair?

No.

unclefester · December 24, 2016 12:09 am

So the National Post says that Bell media has dropped Mr. O'Leary from both Business News Network and CTV news...

Pity...

No specific mention in the article I read of Newstalk 1010...

But do we assume the edict includes all Bell properties ??

Kilgore · December 24, 2016 6:47 am

cGrant wrote:
No.

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