Post 2980 - Evan Solomon

So, I have been listening to CBC radio for most of my life. There are people who hate CBC radio. They think it should not exist. I defend their right to say and write these things, but I do not agree with them.

Last year, Jian Ghomeshi was fired by the CBC after allegedly using women as punching bags. Turns out that senior managers, in a nearly insane zeal to make the CBC relevant, protected Jian and downplayed any and all attempts to censure him, until it was too late.

Last week, Evan Solomon, host of "Power and Politics" on CBC television, and of "The House" on CBC Radio One, was fired after it was learned that he was arranging sales of art to rich Canadians, many of whom he would have on either or both of his programs. He was fired because of the perception that he would take it easy on these people, not ask probing questions, because to do so might squelch any of those art deals.

Tim Bousquet, owner and publisher of the Halifax Examiner, wrote at length about this situation last week. The Toronto Star, which broke the story about Solomon, were so impressed with Bousquet's piece, that they asked permission to re-run it as an opinion piece.

I have a lot of time for Tim Bousquet. We have exchanged quite a few pleasant emails and tweets about subjects as mundane as American crime fiction, he has taken the time and space to say nice things about my blog, and at one point last year even stated that someone should hire me to write a column about the comings and goings in Nova Scotia radio. Uh....

I do not agree with everything that Bousquet writes, but that is sort of the point. He is the kind of guy who will write and say what he wants, and if you don't like it, then he is doing his job. In that case you will either have to accept that or find something else to read. I accept that.

It occurs to me that you might have missed his comments about Solomon last week. So here you go. Here is the original version, spread over two days. Here is the version that the Toronto Star ran, which mostly just cuts out the cussing. I like the first version, because it is more raw (rawer?) and more honest.

I know that some of my readers are writers, and that a couple of them are journalists who live outside of the country, and therefore likely have not heard about this story. I would be interested in knowing their thoughts about Evan Solomon and Tim's response(s).

You guys have a good evening. See you tomorrow.

Bevboy