The Southern Ontario/WNY Radio-TV Forum / More Richard Southern biased reporting

**Posted by Stefanie** July 4, 2025 9:14 pm

Hi, I sent Richard Southern at 680 news any email about more of his bias reporting today. Here's what he said and how I responded.
Stefanie,

I appreciate your feedback, but it's my job, and the job of every reporter covering Queen's Park, to hold the government to account, not to simply be a stenographer and read press releases. It's important that reports include both sides of an issue, and yes to cast a critical eye on what your government is doing. If you're able to point to anything I said that was incorrect I would gladly offer up correction, otherwise I think you may be confusing balance, and my job of holding a government to account, for bias.

My response....

Richard, you are confusing reporting the facts and holding the government to account.

I believe your job is a reporter not an interpreter.

I just need the media to report the facts and, with my voting, I'm able to interpret the facts and be in a position to hold any government to account. When I vote, if I disagree, I will hold them to account.

I have a graduate degree so I consider myself relatively smart. I don't need the media and you giving me your personal 'interpretation' of a situation in the government. I never read the editorial page of any newspaper...Why??.... Because if I know the facts from a story, I can make my own decision. Just give me the facts.

Your tonality in 98.7% of your reports on the Ontario government, obviously indicate your bias. I never hear anything against other parties.

You should be ashamed of yourself as a reporter........ Just give the facts and leave it to the listeners to make their own decision.

Maybe Rogers/your superiors have told you to constantly criticize Ford's government. If that is so, and if you're that fragile, Richard, quit the business or go to CBC.

Some of our greatest News reporters over the years just gave the facts.... Lloyd Robertson, Harvey Kirk, and even Peter Mansbridge at CBC.

Facts, facts, facts with no interpretation.

SW

**Posted by Muffaraw Joe** July 4, 2025 9:25 pm

Wow, you shamed him. He doesn't answer to the challenges you have with him. Your triggers are deeper than Richard Southern's commentary.

Bias is cool. it is how new ideas and approaches are formed. Even your biases Stephanie, we may not agree, but we get new perspectives. We can choose to dismiss them, or adopt other's view points.

It is healthy. What's not healthy is criticizing bias, if one doesn't like the reporter and their interpretation of the stories, then, that is on us, not on them. They are being who they are, so let them.

Lastly, it is helpful to think why Southern's reporting is triggering you, why is it challenging your views and beliefs? Perhaps discuss and share the why's of this story from your experiences.

.

**Posted by TomTV** July 4, 2025 9:38 pm

So when are you going to write Brian Lilley and complain about his right-wing bias?

**Posted by DX** July 4, 2025 10:07 pm

The one fact that everyone can agree on is that Richard Southern is employed as a reporter by 680 News, and has been for a long time, and Stefanie is not. The free market has spoken on that. But maybe Stefanie is just not a fan of the free market either.
Haven't seen any concrete examples of what Stefanie seems to think is so biased about his reporting, or how it is any different from other Queen's Park reporting. But it's all WhoGAS: Doug Ford has easily cruised to three majority governments, irregardless of his reporting.
There is also a reporter for the London Free Press newspaper who is married to a newly elected Conservative MP. But that doesn't mean that all of that newspaper's coverage will be automatically slanted to that party either.
It seems like an unnatural obsession over Richard Southern. Let's hear your thoughts about other reporters.

**Posted by Paul Jeffries** July 4, 2025 10:56 pm

Muffaraw Joe wrote:
Bias is cool. it is how new ideas and approaches are formed. Even your biases Stephanie, we may not agree, but we get new perspectives. We can choose to dismiss them, or adopt other's view points.

It is healthy. What's not healthy is criticizing bias, if one doesn't like the reporter and their interpretation of the stories, then, that is on us, not on them. They are being who they are, so let them.
.

Bingo.

PJ

**Posted by g121** July 4, 2025 11:00 pm

It would seem that the one who is so triggered is the one who is fragile ..

**Posted by dieter** July 5, 2025 1:50 am

Stefanie wrote:
Hi, I sent Richard Southern at 680 news any email about more of his bias reporting today. Here's what he said and how I responded.
Stefanie,

I appreciate your feedback, but it's my job, and the job of every reporter covering Queen's Park, to hold the government to account, not to simply be a stenographer and read press releases. It's important that reports include both sides of an issue, and yes to cast a critical eye on what your government is doing. If you're able to point to anything I said that was incorrect I would gladly offer up correction, otherwise I think you may be confusing balance, and my job of holding a government to account, for bias.

My response....

Richard, you are confusing reporting the facts and holding the government to account.

I believe your job is a reporter not an interpreter.

I just need the media to report the facts and, with my voting, I'm able to interpret the facts and be in a position to hold any government to account. When I vote, if I disagree, I will hold them to account.

I have a graduate degree so I consider myself relatively smart. I don't need the media and you giving me your personal 'interpretation' of a situation in the government. I never read the editorial page of any newspaper...Why??.... Because if I know the facts from a story, I can make my own decision. Just give me the facts.

Your tonality in 98.7% of your reports on the Ontario government, obviously indicate your bias. I never hear anything against other parties.

You should be ashamed of yourself as a reporter........ Just give the facts and leave it to the listeners to make their own decision.

Maybe Rogers/your superiors have told you to constantly criticize Ford's government. If that is so, and if you're that fragile, Richard, quit the business or go to CBC.

Some of our greatest News reporters over the years just gave the facts.... Lloyd Robertson, Harvey Kirk, and even Peter Mansbridge at CBC.

Facts, facts, facts with no interpretation.

SW

I'd like to hear some examples of where you think Richard is biased. But comparing a reporter like him to news anchors like Lloyd, Harvey and Peter really defeats your argument. A reporter and a news anchor have completely different jobs. Talk about comparing apples to oranges. And as someone else here has mentioned, what about Brian Lilley?

Last edited by dieter (July 5, 2025 1:52 am)

**Posted by Saul** July 5, 2025 5:59 am

Stefanie, what do you consider facts? And what do you consider interpretation? Here's an idea: Pick an actual news story which Southern reports, and where you see where the reporting goes off the rails. 680 News items aren't long, so it should be easy enough to transcribe a recording. TurboScribe (https://turboscribe.ai/dashboard) is free and excellent. Include that here, so we can see the story text. And point us to the trouble spot(s). I'm curious to hear you describe an actual example so I can better understand what you're getting at.

**Posted by jughead jones** July 5, 2025 8:49 am

This may not be a popular take, but I'm impressed he took the time to write you back.

**Posted by Capricasix** July 5, 2025 10:26 am

I don’t see any criticism of Brian Lilley forthcoming. After all, he is literally in bed with the Ford government.

**Posted by newsguy1** July 5, 2025 2:11 pm

Brian Lilly is a right wing editorialist and pundit.
He is not a straight ahead reporter, though he might have been in the distant past.
Editorialists can write whatever they want (to a legal limit obviously)
Some people do not understand the difference between a reporter and a columnist.

**Posted by pinto** July 5, 2025 3:29 pm

I like Richard's reports... just sayin'

**Posted by Radiowiz** July 5, 2025 4:45 pm

pinto wrote:
I like Richard's reports... just sayin'

& so do I.

Last edited by Radiowiz (July 6, 2025 6:30 am)

**Posted by torontomike** July 5, 2025 8:21 pm

I'm just hear to say of the 1000+ guests who have visited me home studio for a chat, Richard Southern may well be the nicest of the bunch.

If you're curious, here's the A-Z of his career and here's his return with Scott Metcalfe, Mike Eppel and Peter Gross to commerate the 30th anniversary of 680 News.

Last edited by torontomike (July 5, 2025 8:22 pm)

**Posted by Listener** July 6, 2025 5:13 am

pinto wrote:
I like Richard's reports... just sayin'

Me too!

**Posted by RadioActive** July 6, 2025 6:26 am

It's always been my experience that muckraking reporters are common on a political beat. Everyone wants to challenge the man (or woman, depending on who's in charge) and get the next big scandal. The late Colin Vaughan at City TV was notorious for this. But he did get some great exclusives.

I think the only way to really judge whether Richard Southern is what Stefanie thinks he is is to see how he covers a future premier from a different party. My guess is he'll probably be just as tough on them because that's just part of the job. It's going to be a while until we find out because the next provincial election is a long way away.

**Posted by mace** July 7, 2025 5:06 am

RadioActive wrote:
It's always been my experience that muckraking reporters are common on a political beat. Everyone wants to challenge the man (or woman, depending on who's in charge) and get the next big scandal. The late Colin Vaughan at City TV was notorious for this. But he did get some great exclusives.

I think the only way to really judge whether Richard Southern is what Stefanie thinks he is is to see how he covers a future premier from a different party. My guess is he'll probably be just as tough on them because that's just part of the job. It's going to be a while until we find out because the next provincial election is a long way away.

A pretty fair assessment, IMO.

**Posted by radiokid** July 9, 2025 6:10 pm

At the end of the day.... if the PC's didn't hold power and it was the Liberals, Richard would likely hold them to the same level. That's the job of a political reporter... not speak the talking points you agree with, talking points of the political party. They should be held to account for things they do.. That's what a REAL reporter does... I find so many green reporters who get this beat, simply let them get away with issues and don't ask the hard questions. Richard is experienced and to be honest one of the better Canadian reporters currently on the political beat . You don't have to agree with the facts... or disagree... but sadly in todays world with some political parties pushing "the left media" have people thinking they have to agree or disagree which is not the point. Stephanie... your issue is more with the facts and the take of those facts does not follow your political views. As Richard said... present him with evidence of things he has said that was wrong... and he will correct it.. but instead you avoided that completely.

**Posted by Stefanie** July 10, 2025 5:56 am

radiokid.....I'm not sure how you know what my political views are. Maybe I didn't avoid responding to him on incorrect items and sent a direct note . By the way, speaking of things that are wrong... It's Stefanie not Stephanie.. Duh!!

**Posted by Jody Thornton** July 10, 2025 7:26 am

Stefanie wrote:
radiokid.....I'm not sure how you know what my political views are. Maybe I didn't avoid responding to him on incorrect items and sent a direct note . By the way, speaking of things that are wrong... It's Stefanie not Stephanie.. Duh!!

Ah ... the fine art of side-tracking to avoid addressing or reacting to a point.

**Posted by g121** July 10, 2025 9:27 am

Jody Thornton wrote:
Stefanie wrote:
radiokid.....I'm not sure how you know what my political views are. Maybe I didn't avoid responding to him on incorrect items and sent a direct note . By the way, speaking of things that are wrong... It's Stefanie not Stephanie.. Duh!!
Ah ... the fine art of side-tracking to avoid addressing or reacting to a point.

Once again, Jody is bang on : )) .. as was radiokid & pretty much most others who've responded to the OP.

It's prudent to remind some that when one is in a hole, STOP digging .. Duh!!

**Posted by mace** July 10, 2025 9:41 am

I learned many years ago not to make political comments on this site unless you have ALL of your facts correct. There are many members who have a history of news gathering/reporting and are excellent at challenging those who don't have all the pertinent details to backup their argument.

**Posted by Saul** July 10, 2025 10:13 am

A journalist has been shamed here. Examples, or an apology, would be appropriate.

**Posted by Easily Amused** July 10, 2025 10:13 am

mace wrote:
I learned many years ago not to make political comments on this site unless you have ALL of your facts correct. There are many members who have a history of news gathering/reporting and are excellent at challenging those who don't have all the pertinent details to backup their argument.

Agreed. I often wonder if disgruntled listeners and forum contributors are actually political flacks running interference for their party's views and people. Especially on an anonymous message board.

**Posted by g121** July 10, 2025 10:44 am

Stefanie wrote:
.. I have a graduate degree so I consider myself relatively smart ..

so much to unpack .. dishing it out goes both ways ..

re: I have a graduate degree
in what?

re: I have a graduate degree
from where? Trump U?

re: I consider myself relatively smart
Dunning–Kruger effect ?

Stefanie wrote:
.. radiokid.....I'm not sure how you know what my political views are ..

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