Ford’s ‘updates’ now little more than free PR
Exactly 16 weeks ago, I wrote a column with the headline: “Surprise: Doug Ford is performing well.”
The column appeared just two days after the Ontario premier declared at one of his first daily COVID-19 briefings a province-wide state of emergency to help contain the spread of the pandemic.
I said Ford was finally acting like a real leader, decisive, compassionate and considerate. I also suggested this crisis could be Ford’s best hope to redeem himself with Ontario voters, many of whom despised him before the pandemic emerged.
Ford’s daily briefings immediately became the main source of news about the government’s efforts to deal with the COVID-19 issue.
But it’s now time to pull the plug on these daily “updates.”
Today, there’s little real news coming out of these briefings carried live on TV and radio stations and live-streamed on major news sites around the province and across Canada.
Instead, the briefings, which were relevant and important in the early stages of the pandemic, now have become unfettered free airtime for Ford to promote everything and anything he wants — from his plans for housing development around subway stations to the introduction of a new online safety training program, moves to reduce business red tape and also praising cabinet ministers who make an appearance on the daily show for all their hard work.
In reality, they’ve deteriorated into a political advertising exercise — and it’s free!
Importantly, this free airtime is being handed to Ford while his ruling Conservatives are already knee deep into the next provincial election, which is less than 22 months away.
It was Ford himself who declared the election has started back in late February, just as the pandemic was emerging as an issue, telling delegates at his party’s major policy convention: “My friends, the 2022 campaign starts today, starts now.”
At the same time, the free airtime for Ford effectively shuts out the opposition NDP and Liberal leaders, who struggle to get any reasonable coverage during the current health crisis.
What’s happening now in Ontario is similar to what occurred during the 2016 U.S. presidential election when Donald Trump received an estimated $2 billion (U.S.) worth of what in the U.S. is called “earned media.” The term is a reference to press coverage that doesn’t come from paid advertising.
In 2016, Trump purchased barely $10 million of paid advertising. He didn’t have to buy much because major media outlets, led by CNN and Fox News, provided free, wall-to-wall coverage of every Trump rally, press conference and utterance.
True, Ontario is in the midst of the biggest health crisis in a generation. But, as Ford has said, we are also well into a provincial campaign.
How much pre-election “earned media” is Ford getting from the media by having his daily briefings broadcast live and in full? Some of his daily “updates” last more than an hour and are followed on websites such as thestar.com as well as CP24, CBC Newsworld, CTV News Channel, 680 News and other radio stations.
Indeed, the media is allowing Ford’s public relations campaign to appear as news. A quick glance at recent “updates” provides ample proof that the daily briefings have lost their importance.
On Tuesday, Ford told the province that his government is “preparing for the next step, the next stage of our recovery.” However he didn’t provide a single idea of what might happen and when. On Monday, he spoke about plans to make it easier to build “transitoriented communities” near new Toronto subway stops. Last week, he touted a new virtual safety training program and made a big reveal that Health Minister Christine Elliott works hard.
Ford is fast approaching 100 briefings since mid-March. Clearly, he loves “the show” and plans to continue them, telling viewers this week that he “will continue to provide you with updates from this podium.”
Justin Trudeau announced on June 29 he would no longer hold regularly scheduled pandemic briefings. Ford should follow Trudeau’s lead. Sadly, that’s not likely to happen — not until the media stops carrying them live.
This free airtime is being handed to Doug Ford while his ruling Conservatives are already knee deep into the next provincial election