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White boobs on the tube

Rating: NNNNN


with my remote control, a notepad and some leftover red snapper with rice and peas, I took a peek at how Global TV’s news broadcasts are faring on the diversity front. WGG denotes “white guy or gal” and ROC denotes “reporter of colour.”Noon: News At Noon host Beverly Thomson joins Health Matters host Christine Crosbie (2 WGGs). It’s going to be a long day.

Reporter Sue Lindo (ROC) reports on goings-on in Hollywood.

Money Wise hosts Peter Kent and Deirdre McMurdy (2 WGGs) report on the UN summit in Mexico.

During the Taking Stock segment, Kent interviews the National Post’s David Steinhart (WGG).

In the Pennywise segment, Dierdre McMurdy interviews Jonathan Chevreau (2 WGGs) from the National Post about mutual funds.

Reporter Sean O’Shea (WGG) tells the story of a South Asian woman who bought a sofa from Leon’s that wore out.

Reporter Jacques Bourbeau (WGG) talks about Scott Reid, a Canadian Alliance MP from Kanata. No melanin in sight.

5:30 News: Beverly Thomson and Leslie Roberts (2 WGGs) host. Hey, at least Roberts is sporting a nice suit of colour, with a brown tie. My dreadlocks stand erect.

A report on the George Bush-fuelled Operation Anaconda is prepared by reporter Terry Okeda (ROC), a CBS News correspondent. But she’s American, so it doesn’t count. (-1 ROC)

Reporter Elaine Loring (WGG) reports that newlywed Liza Minnelli has announced she’ll be adopting four children of different races. Global could learn something here.

Christine Crosbie (WGG) reports in the Health Matters segment on angioplasty procedures.

Sean O’Shea (WGG) reports on false credit card applications. The real scam here is me watching this colourless reportage.

Graham Richardson (WGG) reports from Queen’s Park on the OPSEU strike.

Neha Bhupal (ROC) reports on the Paul Watson/Michael Lewis murder and witnesses not coming forward. Is this the only time the black community is newsworthy? Why didn’t Global report on how Lewis’s Black Reaction dancehall sound crew was one of the most talented in the city or how good a basketball player Watson was. Jah rest their souls.

Scott Arnold (WGG) on Mayor Mel’s bogus Olympic party.

Gus Kim (ROC) reports on Toronto’s rodent population.

Meteorologist Michael Kuss (WGG) reports that we’re expecting snow. Am I the only one who sees the irony here?

Sports reporter Jim Tatti (WGG) wonders if the Leafs are pulling a trade before the deadline. And, oh yeah, the Raptors still bite.

Irshad Manji (ROC) in The Last Word segment makes a splendid case for immigration. “Diversity breeds creativity” she explains.

Postscript: The only thing global about Global is its studio set design, which has some nice colours — smart blue and browns. In a full day of programming, not one person-of-colour news reader sat at the anchor desk.

Ken MacDonald, national VP of news at Global, tells me, “We are currently reviewing a very detailed plan. We continue on an ongoing basis to ensure diversity is top of the mind in all our planning.”

Why are we so afraid to call the pot white?

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