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Wednesday, January 18, 2006
Journalism lessons from Don Martin
By all accounts, CanWest scribe Don Martin is a likeable enough fella. I certainly don't relish the idea of pointing out the fact that he seems okay with fabricating the details of a story. But, when he viciously attacks the reporting of the Western Standard as he did in this nasty little election blog (I know, it's a month old, but who knew Don had a blog . . . . . . anyone?), I have to stand up for what's right.
When our reporter Kevin Steel called Martin to follow up on an item on eFrank, reporting that PMO flak Scott Reid had told Martin that "Alberta can blow me," (here's the story we ran) Martin claims he told him "nothing." "What part of 'off the record' don't they understand?" he huffs. And Don claims he "never once talked to a real live reporter" from our "right-wing rag."
Strictly speaking, this Clintonian evasion is true. That's because he left our reporter a voice mail backing up the eFrank story. Steel, who according to Martin, "isn't much of a journalist" was, thankfully, a careful enough journalist to save that voice mail. Have a listen:
After you do, you be the judge of whether Martin is firmly asserting that he will not comment, as he implies in his blog rant, or whether he, in fact, is very playfully confirming that the whole thing did in fact happen. While you're at it, listen really close and see if he mentions the phrase "off the record" at any point in the conversation.
The answer of course, is no. In reality, this is what Martin says:
"I really sort of look at bar conversations as staying in bars, but you can probably take what you read and assume it's more or less a reasonable facsimile of what went on. I just really don't want to talk about it."
And Don has the nerve to claim he did "not confirm the contents of the alleged discussion"? Um, actually, Don, that's exactly what you did.
So why would Don out-and-out lie about telling us his comments to us were 'off the record' and/or that we made the whole thing up? Well, in the first week of December, the intemperate Scott Reid was still looking like he would be in charge of government media relations for a few more years to come. And, as Don notes, the PM was facing some uncomfortable questions on the campaign trail about Reid's foolish comment and whether Reid's disdain for Alberta represented the viewpoint of the prime minister's office. Meanwhile, Don, by breaking his own "old-fashioned Alberta rule of journalism" and confirming the comment to, of all places, the Western Standard, was the man responsible for it. What are the odds that Scott was going to give Donny those exclusive interviews with the PM after this?
In other words, it would seem his deceitful blog post is simply Don betraying his colleagues in the journalism community just to suck up to the chief flak at the PMO.
I guess that's what a real journalist does.
Posted by Kevin Libin on January 18, 2006 | Permalink
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Tracked on 2006-01-19 11:38:06 AM
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By all accounts, CanWest scribe Don Martin is a likeable enough fella. I certainly don't relish the idea of pointing out the fact that he seems okay with fabricating the details of a story. But, when he [Read More]
Tracked on 2006-01-19 6:13:08 PM
Comments
Is Don related to Paul? A Western cousin, perhaps?
Posted by: Buck Martin | 2006-01-18 8:44:34 PM
Stick to your GUNS Kevin. Way to go !!! Smoke the bastards out. How long before Don Martin is writing his resume. Perhaps the folks at CanWest need to be pleasantly reminded about this whole affair.
Looks like the six figure jobs going to the spoon fed Liberal Pablum eating folks in the Press Corps is all but over.
Posted by: BDT | 2006-01-18 8:45:37 PM
Don Martin has a blog?
Posted by: EBD | 2006-01-18 8:47:46 PM
Wasn't the other part of the story if the Liberals lost this election, that Scott Reid would blow all Albertans?
Posted by: rockyt | 2006-01-18 9:01:30 PM
congrats to you ezra and the snap journalists you have on staff. courage, resolve, and ethics. you have, and will continue in the future, to provide us dull easterners with a fullsome point of view of our country. and wouldn't you know it that damn "non journalist" steel is on top of communications and information being king. martin can go blow me thet damn alcoholic. hic. he probably wants to continue the "free drinks on the taxpayers" scott was readily doling out.
Posted by: Ottawa Core | 2006-01-18 9:34:59 PM
When I read, several weeks back, that Martin was ghosting a book for Belinda Stronach, I figured that he had undergone a makeover to ensure a proper fit in a well-tailored, Liberal pocket.
It was around that same time that his television commentaries began sounding eerily similar to the mumblings of Keith Boag.
Posted by: MGk | 2006-01-18 9:41:15 PM
Ouch. Nice post.
Posted by: groovy-on-granville | 2006-01-18 9:47:39 PM
Where is Scotty now? No doubt pigging out on popcorn and beer deep in the bowels of Ottawa.
Posted by: walter | 2006-01-18 10:05:51 PM
Don Martin is doing his Bobbie Bittman routine from SCTV, including the fake chest hair.
Posted by: Plato's Stepchild | 2006-01-18 10:27:59 PM
never did trust that squinty eyed liberal. isnt it funny that the very people who think evolution to be the only way of everything in this world.... never evolve themselves. ie Liberals
Posted by: bartinsky | 2006-01-18 10:28:57 PM
Two words: Ohhh Burn!!!!!!!!
Posted by: Stopthetrain | 2006-01-18 10:34:41 PM
"When I read, several weeks back, that Martin was ghosting a book for Belinda Stronach, I figured that he had undergone a makeover to ensure a proper fit in a well-tailored, Liberal pocket."
Hey, hey, hey, ease up, now. Don's a revolutionary! Who says all Senate, ambassadorships, and vice-regal patronage has to go to CBC hacks. Donni's on a mission to change the culture man!
Posted by: Stopthetrain | 2006-01-18 10:39:20 PM
In Liberal Canada, inquiring about any of the various elephants in the LPC room meant being labelled as rude, un-Canadian or right-wing. Don Martin has been none of those things. He has instead been one of the leading practitioners of the sort of mild moral-hedging and fence-sitting which has predominated our various national newspapers' political opinion pieces.
The mild, effusive didactic tone of his columns manages to simultaneously teach and erase at the same time. After reading one of his columns you come away with the feeling that nothing whatsoever has been added or subtracted from the status quo, the maintenance of which requires such writers, who are not inclined in the slightest to cause any sort of disturbance, or to uncover anything that someone in the ruling tribe might not want uncovered.
Kevin Steel, in comparison, comes across as one of those rare but eternally recurring people who feel duty-bound by their own sense of honour to shine a light. After reading any of his articles in the Western Standard, you come away not only edified, but also knowing that in the larger Canadian context the status quo has been shifted in the direction of the truth. Whether the topic is China, the UN, appearances of political interference in the RCMP, or any other topic, Steel and the Western Standard's writers have been undeniably ahead of the curve. Issues and truths that were first brought to light for many peole through the WS are, even if they're not quite being reported on, finally being alluded to in the MSM. The WS, by breaking the mold has provided at the very least a subtext to a lot more MSM reporters' tentative approaches towards that whole "telling the truth" thingy.
Taking the milder, status quo path of a lot of MSM commenters could be evidence of professionalism, or it could be politeness, or moral cowardice. In Martin's case, it sure seems like it's a preponderance of the first two. His defensiveness about the Reid quote sounds like he is just defending his well-earned reputation for both.
But he can probably relax a bit, and oil up his springs, because the undertakings of the new tribe coming into Ottawa will certainly not be off-the-record to such a ridiculous degree.
Posted by: EBD | 2006-01-18 10:46:25 PM
What galls me, is the arrogance of this statement...
"Federal Liberals in high places consider Calgary to be a lost cause and the rest of Alberta to be only slightly better."
...Thanks for clarifying, Don...Loser.
Posted by: Wonder Woman | 2006-01-18 11:03:07 PM
"The mild, effusive didactic tone of his columns manages to simultaneously teach and erase at the same time"
Its like having a warm mineral bath with a hint of chloroform in the water. Your eyes get heavy, you start to nod off, and then....
Posted by: Plato's Stepchild | 2006-01-18 11:25:16 PM
This is not about Don but....
Is anyone out there reading and challenging the falsehoods, lies, misinformation, negative innuendo and baseless, fact-less rhetoric coming out of Maude Barlow's Blog at Macleans on-line magazine. I am disgusted by her comments that are based in leftist gobblygook. Are there any journalistic standards left in reporting? Or can anyone hitch themselves to a popular mag and utilize same as their own personal soapbox of self serving half-truths. What disgusts me more than anything else is that a great portion of the uninformed electorate will believe her rants. Until now I had never heard of the name of Maude Barlow. I thought Maude Barlow was a character out of the old west. Something akin to Annie Oakley. Unfortunately I was wrong.
Posted by: John Morrison | 2006-01-18 11:50:18 PM
My tables, meet it is I set it down that one may quaff and quaff and quaff and be a villain.
Posted by: Barley | 2006-01-18 11:52:39 PM
Well said EBD, and everyone else. I have seen those MSM media clowns turn on a dime - they like to play little games with truthful, trusting people. WS has been 'on to them' for a LONG time now; if Kevin, Ezra, Candis, Andrea , Warren and all had not been twice as intelligent and a lot faster on the draw, they would have been 'railroaded' out of business by those arrogant eunuchs (Liberano/ND henchmen) a long time ago. NEVER,EVER trust the MSM.
I'm pleased to see that you are fast learners over at WS - where is the knight of the good iron man on this? This is his kind of story.
Posted by: jema54j | 2006-01-19 12:31:39 AM
Knight of the Good Iron Man has been a moral compass, in an oddly certain way, through some trying times -- nice to see someone else see it that way.
Posted by: EBD | 2006-01-19 1:09:30 AM
Kevin, I understand your point and on balance, you're right. But I think a reasonable explanation for Don Martin's statement that he said it was "off the record" in the voicemail, probably one of a million things he had to do that day with a hangover no less, and he most likely honestly remembered it that way.
People aren't infallible and neither is Don Martin.
Do I think Scott "Alberta can blow me" "beer-and-popcorn" Reid is an ass and the Liberal Party is worse?
Yes.
And you're right to call him on point if his memory or characterization of the conversation is in error. However, do you remember the exact language you used in every voicemail you've left?
I doubt it.
Now, the part where you're criticizing him for (almost) confirming to you in a voicemail a conversation he now states was "off the record" is fair.
Posted by: Chris from Victoria, BC | 2006-01-19 2:04:44 AM
Break it to us slowly. >>
Defeat could cripple Liberals for years
Bad loss will erode vote-based subsidy
New rules may hamper ability to recover
Jan. 19, 2006. 01:00 AM
ANDREW MILLS
OTTAWA BUREAU
If voters send Paul Martin packing to the opposition benches Monday, Liberals could spend years in the financial wilderness, thanks to a set of election rules that will hamper the party's ability to replenish its coffers. >>>
torstar
via bourque.org
Posted by: maz2 | 2006-01-19 7:01:17 AM
I think Maude Barlow`s blog in Macleans is illuminating. I had no idea that Dubya wanted to put "lasers" in orbit. Imagine that. This space "laser" could be christened the "death star". We could call this space "laser" program "star wars". She isn`t joking. A space "laser". A giant "laser" in space. Ken Whyte`s decision to give her a blog all of her own has probably done more to discredit Barlow and other pinky brains than anything else I can think of.
Posted by: Mark Guppy | 2006-01-19 7:05:43 AM
Well if it's any consolation, Don Martin has a history of changing his mind and screwing over fellow journalists. After going out on strike with his fellow Journalists at the Herald, 2 weeks later he was crossing the picket line.
As for Journaitic acheivement, I know of less than a dozen Canadians would ever buy a paper because Martin's scribblings appear in it.
If you're from Alberta you remember how desparately Don plays down his Calgary Herald days to fit into the nattering GTA-MSM self promoting political sycophant clique. Frankly from my perspective Martin is as vacant as they come...pen for hire...dictate copy of your choice....just let me say we "had drinks together"...Don loves to rub elbows with the ruling class poobahs and is not shy in letting us all know who he knows...one of his startling brush-with-greatness moments, as revealed in his book, is the fact he knows Ralph Klein well enough that he has tinkled in Ralph's home water closet.
Frankly, from my optics the only lessons Don Martin is qualified to give are lessons in compromise, mediocrity.....and of course indefensible hubris.
BTW: My favorite Western news mag (WS) has now gained a superlative attachment to the common epithet hurled at it from the GTA mavens of medioctrity. Western Standard is now referred to as an ULTRA right wing rag. You have gained the honor of "ultra left wing rag" in a couple of recent sound bites from mediocrity's cheerleaders,in the NDP and it was mindlessly repeated by GTA/Ottawa media. Roughly translated from eastern patronage mediocrity to western Canadian independent English, "ultra" means that you are percieved by them to be as dogmatic as they are...but of course lacking the requisite hubris to assume your viewpoint is the only one which counts, Lib-left media dogmatism gets branded "Professional values" while you remain "ultra" right wing rag vendors. I don't know what you have done to deserve this honor but keep it up.
Congratulations on your new status. You know you're over the target when you're close enough for them to throw mud at you.
Posted by: WLMackenzie redux | 2006-01-19 8:31:24 AM
The best part of the voice mail is his uncomfortable nervous laugh! In fact he is probably laughing uncomfortably right now as he sees his Liberals about to lose ... and he realizes that his blog's highest traffic day is because of that ultra right wing rag...
Posted by: Jose | 2006-01-19 9:18:16 AM
Regarding Maude Barlow's verbal diarrhea, here's what Colby Cosh wrote in yesterday's Maclean's blog:
Suggested kicker paragraphs for Maude Barlow's next four blog entries:
"I'm not calling anybody a racist, but you'll just have to draw your own conclusions about the lack of prominent Uzbek leaders in the upper ranks of the Harper campaign."
"Stephen Harper favoured the war in Iraq and supports the weaponization of space. It doesn't take much to connect the dots: if we discover life on Mars, it won't be six weeks before the Princess Patricias are trying to reconnoitre Olympus Mons while trying to suck down carbon dioxide at 63 below."
"The human body consists of about 12% lipids--hydrocarbons that, like crude oil, are capable of storing tremendous amounts of energy. So before you vote, ask yourself: do you really trust Stephen Harper not to melt down your children to heat Dick Cheney's ranch house?"
"As a committed Canadian nationalist, it's only natural for me to support the United Nations and other globalist institutions whenever possible, object to the re-arming and re-provisioning of our armed forces, oppose increased attention to our Arctic sovereignty, and resist the implementation of stronger security controls at our border.
...What? Why are you staring at me like that?"
Posted by: Mississauga Matt | 2006-01-19 9:41:28 AM
Mark Steyn's latest:
http://www.steynonline.com/index2.cfm?edit_id=23
'CAMPAIGN CANADA
Countdown to liberation: Four days to go!
Politicized? Moi?
Stephen Harper makes a few mild observations on the political realities of the Liberal state and everyone recoils in horror: by pointing out the "politicization" of the courts, the civil service, etc, it's Scary Stephen who's "politicizing them". My old comrade Andrew Coyne
http://andrewcoyne.com/2006/01/harper-in-shock-liberal-patronage.php
patronage.php
has chapter and verse on the absurdities of this: it's ridiculous to get outraged over statements of the obvious - since 1993, 89% of all political donations by federal judicial appointees in Ontario have gone to the Liberals but we're supposed to pretend it's a scrupulously non-partisan bench.
Meanwhile, the strikingly similar formulations of the press criticism of Harper's remarks tend to confirm them: why, you'd almost think they were re-typing Grit war-room e-mails. And why wouldn't they? The over-regulated Canadian media offers limited job promotion opportunities except to waft upwards into Liberal patronage positions (as my National Post colleague Anne Dawson has just done). Consider, for example, the curious attitude of CTV News to its own polls: On Tuesday night, it was 42-24 to the Tories - the biggest lead of the campaign - and ol' Lloyd buried it. Well, maybe it was one of them there "rogue polls". But on Wednesday it was 41-25 - and they buried it again. I guess Harper should be grateful Lloyd didn't go with "Tory lead plummets in poll shock!" CTV seem to have adopted a Lady Bracknell attitude to their polling: to produce one massive Tory lead may be regarded as a misfortune, to produce two looks like carelessness. (The Western Standard's riposte to CanWest's Don Martin, complete with audio of his phone messages, makes a similar point, and with macho back-room Liberal fellatial banter, too!)
http://westernstandard.blogs.com/shotgun/2006/01/journalism_less.html
The scandal isn't Harper drawing attention to the politicization but the unwillingness of the thoroughly politicized organs of the Trudeaupian state to see it. Consider this small item: the Liberal Party solicits donations from the Privy Council Office employees at the office.
http://www.edmontonsun.com/News/Election/2006/01/18/1399439-sun.html
That's merely the gazillionth tiny sign that the party no longer understands the codes and conventions by which the Westminster system operates. I'm not arguing that, in their elision of the line between party and state, the Grits have turned us into the Soviet Union. But, as I've put it for a few years now, they have turned us into Malta in the Seventies - we have the outward emblems of a functioning constitutional monarchy, but all the checks and balances have gone. That's why the faintheartedness of the Tory platform is neither here nor there. What's necessary on Monday is for the Liberals to lose. If, through some freak combination of factors, the Bloc wound up forming the government, a party that wants to secede from the nation would be less damaging to the country than a party that wants to swallow the nation. On Monday, it's important for the health of our democracy to demonstrate that Canadians can still muster the will to change governments.
STEYNONLINE January 19th 2006'
Mark
Ottawa
Posted by: Mark Collins | 2006-01-19 10:21:35 AM
And then there's Maude...
http://www.museum.tv/archives/etv/M/htmlM/maude/maude.htm
Posted by: Plato's Stepchild | 2006-01-19 12:02:25 PM
"People aren't infallible and neither is Don Martin"
You're certainly right about that, Chris from Victoria. I'm a pretty big screw-up myself. And if Don remembered the incident incorrectly, then that would normally be perfectly excusable.
But Don didn't have the courtesy to call me, the editor, up and complain directly about this perceived injustice. He didn't call the reporter, Kevin Steel to clarify the matter. Instead, he said nothing for weeks after the story ran and then, once on the Liberal campaign trail, suddenly launched into a series of unwarranted, unfair and plain old mean attacks against us in a public blog post. Read his remarks. They're completely over-the-top.
I'm all for forgiving mistakes. By by trying to blame us for something that was his own doing, Martin demonstrates that he's the one who's convinced of his own infallability.
Posted by: Kevin Libin | 2006-01-19 12:19:16 PM
Oh for God sakes, the endless whining. The Western Standard is a rag that does nothing but pollute public discourse. Everyone knows that. And your saved message says nothing.
Posted by: Ti-Guy | 2006-01-19 1:06:17 PM
OK, so Don Martin is a dick-wad but perhaps it's not all his fault. Perhaps he's been emboldened by WestJet's promise of free flights.
btw, isn't it odd that his name is "Don Martin" but it's Paul Martin who is the real Don of the Librano crime family?
Posted by: Rob R | 2006-01-19 1:20:43 PM
Ti-Guy
Your comment is that of a loser who just hates it and is lashing out. If you weren't so contemptable at picking on a Magazine instead of looking at commies you suppot and why your gang is tubing I might have pity for you.
Rather, I am enjoying your pain.
Posted by: Duke | 2006-01-19 1:39:27 PM
Hey I have seen Don Martin's picture and I would swear there are family ties to Alfred E Neuman.
Posted by: Duke | 2006-01-19 1:40:48 PM
if you remember .. Fester Bester Tester of Mad Mag. was authored by a guy named Don Martin. This is too creepy.
Posted by: Duke | 2006-01-19 1:42:35 PM
Now, what's a 'petard' again? 'Cause this boob has been hoist by his! Nice!
Posted by: benning | 2006-01-19 4:42:27 PM
test
Posted by: pete warland | 2006-11-01 8:33:07 AM
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