Spiked?

The VOCM newsroom quite often uses call-in show calls or conversations as the kernel (or pretty much the entirety) of a news piece, such as:

Details of Baby Bonus Still Being Worked Out
January 17, 2008

The Department of Finance says right now they have no time frame for the promised thousand dollar baby bonuses. Some new moms are wondering when the money will be handed out and if it will be retroactive. One mother, Amanda, who gave birth in October, called VOCM Back Talk saying she'd been told that only those who have babies or become pregnant after March 31st will be eligible. She says some new moms on the Burin Peninsula are planning to take up a petition. A spokesperson for the department says they are still working out the details and they will be revealed in due course.


RCMP Defend Ski Patrols
January 11, 2008

RCMP are coming to defense of their "sleuths on slopes." Police offices are taking to the slopes of Marble Mountain, doing random checks while patrolling the trails. Police are hoping the patrols will act as a deterrent against theft, drug and alcohol use as well as other problems which could interfere with a safe family ski experience.

However, some callers to VOCM's talk shows are questioning the need for such crime-fighting activity given problems elsewhere. On VOCM Open Line, RCMP Sgt. Wayne Newell said it's a voluntary program.

Concerns About Employment Levels at Fish Plant
January 21, 2008

The fish plant in Marystown is set to open next week but there may not be as many working initially as hoped. Allan Moulton of the FFAW says the plant will open as scheduled on January 28th. Moulton says he is hoping that there will be two shifts, but that is uncertain at this point. Moulton told VOCM Night Line with Linda Swain the operating plan will be similar to that of 2005, before the plant was shut down for over a year.

It wasn't surprising, then, to hear certain allegations regarding the cell phone use and driving habits of a certain politician first "break" on VOCM Backtalk with Bill Rowe on Monday.

What is surprising, though, is that while across town, CBC has latched onto the story, including, very properly, getting the politician's side of it, the Ministry of Truth itself, where the story was first broken, has not reported it at all.

(And "some NAPE worker"?)



ADDENDUM: United Press. Canadian Press, which even attributes the breaking of the story to the VOCM call. But still radio silence from the MoT.