August 16, 2010

It’s not TV. It’s George F. Walker

George F. Walker After decades of populist programming, serialized television has blossomed into an auteur’s medium over the last decade. This new golden age is marked by subtle characterization and complex narrative: American cable networks such as HBO and AMC have pioneered the revolution with series like The Sopranos, Mad Men and The Wire. Here in Canada, playwright George F. Walker has emerged... [More >>]

July 28, 2009

Why the CRTC must bring Al Jazeera to Canada

Washington-based TV anchors Marash and Fakry of the Al Jazeera English language network. Photo by Jason Reed/Reuters. In late 1996, in a tiny peninsular emirate on the Persian Gulf with a total surface area barely larger than Toronto and Montreal combined, an experiment began. At the invitation of Qatar’s head of state, a small group of former BBC Arabic journalists relocated to the capital, Doha.... [More >>]

June 18, 2009

Dear CBC: Review more books

Professional book reviewing is dead in this country. The CBC could revive it. The CBC could be a force for CanLit. Why isn't it? Illustration by Dushan Milic If Clive Owen were a Canadian author, maybe the CBC would finally review books. Katrina Onstad, a film columnist for CBC.ca, begins a recent review: “The International opens with a long, extended close-up of Clive Owen’s face, following... [More >>]