A poll recently conducted by the University of Pheonix's Political Science Polling Facility (PoliSciPolliFac) has found that most Americans know more about Canadian events and politics than they do about their own.
The poll found that while 93% of those surveyed knew who the Canadian Prime Minister was, only 32% could name George W. Bush as the current president. Also, while 77% of those surveyed could name every province and territory in Canada, only 13% could list all 50 states.
Responding to the poll, Dr. James Garner, Ph.D, who makes up 50% of the University of Pheonix's Political Science department, said the results were not surprising. "Right now there is a lot of action in the Canadian political scene. I mean, right now the Candian Conservatives are working out tax incentives for Canadian artists. Just yesterday, the Canadian supreme court affirmed its stance against tobacco advertising. American politics just can't keep up with that."
The survey also found that Canadian television programming, and in particular, Canadian news programs, are becoming increasingly popular in the United States. In 2000, only 34% of Americans regularly watched the CBC, but today, more than 78% of Americans watch at least a half-hour of the CBC per day.
Garner explained:
"Americans just can't get enough of the action-packed Canadian news. It makes sense, because if you turn on CNN, all you hear about is subpeonas, senate trials, scandals, and on and on with this boring stuff. But you turn on the CBC and they have news about teacher's unions and commemorative plaques for new bridges. And Americans are eating it up."
Friday, June 29, 2007
Americans Outraged as Media Outlets Halt Coverage of Paris Hilton
Media companies across the nation are dropping their coverage of Paris Hilton, a trend most Americans find troubling. Citizens are speaking out, decrying the Hilton blackout as "unamerican".
"Without the Paris Hilton stories on the news, we only get stories about federal politics and the war in Iraq," said Julie Morris of College Station, Texas. "How are we supposed to watch that all day? It's just ridiculous."
All over the country, Americans are sharing the same sentiment: Paris Hilton is the most newsworthy person in the country.
When reporters from The Des Moines Daily News banded together and refused to continue reporting on Hilton, local residents amassed in protest. Over 1500 natives of Des Moines rallied at town hall and marched six miles to the offices of the daily paper. Many protesters held signs and banners deriding the Daily News reporters for being unwilling to continually cover the young and talentless heiress of the Hilton empire.
"All we want is for the papers to cover the stories we think are important," said Dave Malone, who attended the protest. Malone, a welder at a local steel plant and father of three, has been following the Paris Hilton story for over four years. "I started reading about her back in 2004, when she was on The Simple Life. Boy, were things different then--and the newspapers weren't afraid to cover any of it."
John Morin, a reporter for the Daily News, explained the reasoning behind the blackout:
"We are living in troubling times, and as Americans, there are stories of incredible significance that journalists need to uncover and report. The politics of this country are deeply distressing and our freedom is being eroded daily. As a journalist, I believe printing a single column inch about Hilton is unethical."
Despite the many important issues engulfing the country, Americans are unconvinced that a Paris Hilton blackout is necessary.
"Now all the news stations only report on the war in Iraq and boring political stuff. And with American Idol between seasons, there's barely two or three hours of television I can stand to watch every day," said Lisa Pendigan of Winfield, Kansas. "We really need more Paris Hilton stores, or I don't know if I'm going to survive the summer."
"Without the Paris Hilton stories on the news, we only get stories about federal politics and the war in Iraq," said Julie Morris of College Station, Texas. "How are we supposed to watch that all day? It's just ridiculous."
All over the country, Americans are sharing the same sentiment: Paris Hilton is the most newsworthy person in the country.
When reporters from The Des Moines Daily News banded together and refused to continue reporting on Hilton, local residents amassed in protest. Over 1500 natives of Des Moines rallied at town hall and marched six miles to the offices of the daily paper. Many protesters held signs and banners deriding the Daily News reporters for being unwilling to continually cover the young and talentless heiress of the Hilton empire.
"All we want is for the papers to cover the stories we think are important," said Dave Malone, who attended the protest. Malone, a welder at a local steel plant and father of three, has been following the Paris Hilton story for over four years. "I started reading about her back in 2004, when she was on The Simple Life. Boy, were things different then--and the newspapers weren't afraid to cover any of it."
John Morin, a reporter for the Daily News, explained the reasoning behind the blackout:
"We are living in troubling times, and as Americans, there are stories of incredible significance that journalists need to uncover and report. The politics of this country are deeply distressing and our freedom is being eroded daily. As a journalist, I believe printing a single column inch about Hilton is unethical."
Despite the many important issues engulfing the country, Americans are unconvinced that a Paris Hilton blackout is necessary.
"Now all the news stations only report on the war in Iraq and boring political stuff. And with American Idol between seasons, there's barely two or three hours of television I can stand to watch every day," said Lisa Pendigan of Winfield, Kansas. "We really need more Paris Hilton stores, or I don't know if I'm going to survive the summer."
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