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Monday, June 3, 2013

The Toronto Star tries to spin poll that says half of Toronto thinks they're liars

A CTV/Ipsos Reid poll indicates that Torontonians are evenly divided as to whether the Rob Ford "crack video" exists.

The Toronto Star, whose vendetta against Rob Ford began the day he declared his candidacy for mayor, has managed to put a spin on it that further undermines their crumbling credibility.

The Toronto Star's spin
Their headline for the story proclaims: "Rob Ford crack scandal: More than half of Toronto residents believe Ford video exists, poll finds "

What they leave out is that with the poll finding 51% who believe it versus the 49% who do not, accounting for margins of error, there's effectively a split down the middle. The CTV story notes that, saying "Torontonians evenly split in their belief of Rob Ford crack allegationswhile The Star tries to fudge their facts.

Worse for The Toronto Star, it means that the fact that half of Toronto does not believe the video exists, by extension, means that half the city believes Toronto Star journalists are liars.

The obsessive hysteria with which The Toronto Star has incessantly harangued Rob Ford is claiming victims. But those victims include The Star itself. Its own credibility annihilated, their efforts are backfiring.

based on this CTV item
The outcry they are trying to stir up is showing itself to be a manufactured fizzle. The major damage The Toronto Star has managed to inflict is to the state of journalism in Toronto rather than to the city's resilient mayor.

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

I have a funny feeling that I read something very similar coming from Richard Nixon's people back in the early 70s.

The fact is that three journalists - two from the Star and one from Gawker - saw the same video and arrived independently at the same conclusion.

Investigative reporters aren't in the habit of making up stories. Any journalist who does try to cut corners tends to pay for it with their career.

As for the Fords: their relationship with the truth has been - let's be generous - dodgy over the years.

If I have to choose between the word of Robyn Doolittle and Kevin Donovan and the word of Rob Ford and Doug Ford, I know where I'm going to place my trust. That trust will be there whether the video eventually comes to light or not - something over which Doolittle and Donovan (and even the nice people at Gawker) have absolutely no control.

Richard K said...

I am not going to express an opinion about the existence of the video.

I will say that

a) I think Kevin Donovan is one of the best investigative journalists in Canada and

b) The Star has also shown itself willing to depart from the truth in when it comes to Rob Ford.

In this instance, let's say, hypothetically, there is a video. As someone who has worked in the movie business, I can assure you, you can make a video where anyone or thing can be made to look like they are doing anything, and yes, with audio editing, they can even be made to sound like they are saying anything.

Based on the hypothetical assumption of the video's existence, The Star set about to destroy Ford's career and reputation based on something about which they could not verify the veracity.

That says a lot about where The Toronto Star is when it comes to Rob Ford, and that does not inspire a great deal of trust.

Anonymous said...

I'm waiting for someone to claim the video is "fake, but accurate".

Richard K said...

That`s what I`m expecting from NOW magazine

Anonymous said...

@annonymous: With Nixon, the tapes materialized.

The Star went back to the 1980's to attempt to find something on the Ford family in relation to drugs-that's known as scrapping the barrel.

When that did not work they attempted to link him to a gang murder; yet it's okay for Obama to be pictured with the 15 year old girl who was gunned down a block from the Obama's home in a gang murder.

Hate drives people to do very evil things; it's no secret that the said reporters hate Rob Ford. Lying is the least of what people who hate a person attempt to do to them. Friendships and strong commodary are formed from having a common hatred. There are spople out there, I've met a few in my day, who are perfectly okay with cutting off their nose, to save their face.

Until a verified video materializes, one has no choice but to not believe these reporters who have without question, wrote plainly and frequently of their 'hatred' of Ford.

sanwin said...

Keeping in mind it's a 90 second video viewed on an Iphone...

Anonymous said...

Lets face the facts.. It was a good ole high school swarming.. Crack head? Murderer? Destroying Emails / records?.. Sweet job offers to draw away staff members at just the right moment..

Lets not forget this whole thing started in New York?

It stinks that political forces in Toronto set this whole thing up $$$

Anonymous said...

Its easy to create a fake story about Rob Ford.. 25% of Toronto hate this guy and will eat up any and all negative press they can get their hands on..

There are no bounds to cashing in on this sure thing..

So you report some New York gossip site can get a video of Rob Ford eating children.. they just need 200 thousand dollars..

Then your not making up the story your just reporting it right?

Only one person stands to gain from this circus and that is Ms Chow, downtown's choice for mayor..

The best thing about Rob is all the right people hate him..

Anonymous said...

Remove all the leftist smear campaigns and Rob Ford would be reelected in a second..

He has kept taxes low and improved services at the same time..

Whats Olivia Chow gonna tell the suburbs? Close your eyes and open your wallets the leftists are back in charge?

The horror!!!!

So.. The only way she is gonna win is if she is running alone.. The only way thats gonna happen is if Rob gets removed..

Starting to get it guys?

Anonymous said...

The dog ate my video.....

Anonymous said...

This isn't the first time "respected" "investigative" "journalists" have been caught fabricating stories. Just ask Dan Rather about it. Given that the Star is involved it's guaranteed to be a fake.

Anonymous said...

There is already a precedent for someone trying to fake a Rob Ford photo. Sarah Thomson attempted to manufacture a photo of Rob Ford's hand in the vicinity of her assistant's ass. Is is not plausible that this was the impetus to create a fake video to discredit the mayor? The crack dealers and extortion money are a smoke screen. The video was never intended to be released because then it would have been revealed as a fraud.

Anonymous said...


Today 5:43pm

"The Rob Ford Crack Video Might BE Gone"

Though the media circus will continue showcasing the act.

http://gawker.com/the-rob-ford-crack-video-might-be-gone-511254183

Exurban said...

Yes, Gawker now says the vid is "gone" ha ha, like that's a surprise.

To follow up the comment of Anonymous at 6:46, yes the media have now dug up every piece of dirt they can on the Fords going back to the 1980s, and guess what? They didn't find much. So we can now consider the Fords to have been vetted in a way politicians rarely are -- and 'progressive' icons never are.

Sigivald said...

I have no opinions on Ford or the Star, but ... when you start reaching for "and a guy from Gawker saw it too", well...

You're in trouble.

Because I wouldn't trust Gawker to tell me what color the sky nominally is.