680News - Lisa Brandt

Just what is a “nice day”?

It seems simple enough to describe an upcoming day as nice. But we look at Brian Hill’s forecast and each of us has a different take on what kind of day it’s going to be.

One of us is a bikini-wearing sun lover who thinks it’s autumn if the temperature doesn’t hit 30 and feel hotter. She thinks a summer day is wasted if it’s not spent on a patio or baking on a lounge chair.

One of us loathes being in the heat and thinks a high of 27 that cools down at night is just about perfect. She doesn’t believe in the right to “bare arms.”

Another of us truly detests being in the sun and would like some cloud cover and a nice breeze, thank you, even while swimming.

If a “nice day” means something different to each of us, it has to have different meanings for our listeners, depending on what you plan to do. Business people in suits, cab drivers, roofers and landscapers likely have varying opinions on what constitutes a nice day for them.

Here at 680News, though, it’s always a nice day for a lucky 680 News Insider Club Member when we miss the weather guarantee!

Are journalists biased? I can only speak for those I know here at 680News and in our private lives, we are as opinionated and have as many personal DOs and DON’Ts as anyone else. But unless they’re doing commentaries or talk shows, where opinion is the reason for the broadcast, you should not be able to discern a journalist’s personal feelings about contentious issues.

Where personal bias is useful is in story selection. We all throw out our our opinions on the value or importance of various news items as we decide which stories will be most important to you, and therefore deserve our time and attention. That is part of the role of a journalist and one of the reasons why a team approach to news works so well.

Are we perfect? Of course not, but some listeners also feel they hear bias where none truly exists. Several months ago we received a virtually equal number of complaints about perceived bias on each side of our coverage of an international story with polarized political views.

In some cases, people hear what they want to hear. Had the reaction been weighted to one side or the other, we may have had a legitimate problem but lots of ears, eyes and typing fingers handle information before it goes on the air and we’re quite confident that we do a good job of getting to the point without telling you, the listener, how to think.

Having said all that, we are all open to scrutiny and you certainly keep us on our toes!

There’s virtually no such thing as a universal “good news” story. There is always someone who will point out the negative aspect of even the most seemingly benign little tidbit that comes to light in our world.

Recently, on my very early morning drives into the station, it’s been a kick to watch the light tests on the CN Tower. They lit it up for real on Canada Day. It’s very pretty.

Every major city in the world illuminates its most magnificent landmark to draw ooohs and aaahs from tourists but the Tower has been dim for about a decade. The old lights on the aging Tower were expensive and problematic to replace, not to mention the size of a washing machine. Eventually the managers just gave up.

But now technology has advanced and the lights are smaller, easier to use and are computer-programmed to morph into virtually any colour combination or scheme. The LED lights are more environmentally friendly than their predecessors. After consultations with experts, the Tower managers have taken a responsible approach to saving wildlife and agree that the lights will be turned off during times of peak bird migrations.

But the landmark beautification program has its detractors. Some say it’s irresponsible to begin a new lighting project during times when every level of government is reminding us all that it’s our duty to conserve energy. Others have said it’s frivolous to light the tower now after all of these years when we’ve gotten by just fine without it.

Two million people visit the CN Tower each year. Imagine the kick they’ll get when they’re out at night, seeing it shooting up into the black sky, all purple or green or red or any other hue you can think of. It’s been giving me a kick and I’m a local who’s just driving to work at a very silly hour! Sometimes this city just needs a little sparkle just for sparkle’s sake.

Lisa