On coverage

The CP points out some positive news in media coverage of the campaign, as the Cons' attempt to manipulate early-morning coverage was an utter failure due to a refusal by the major networks to air new attack ads on the Cons' terms:

The Tories hoped to drive the daily news agenda with the planned 6 a.m. news conferences at their sophisticated campaign headquarters several kilometres away from Parliament Hill.

But today's unveiling of a new series of campaign ads attacking Liberal Leader Stephane Dion received no live coverage on any of the major national television networks.

Instead, Newsworld cut to the question-and-answer session after the announcement, when Conservative MPs Jason Kenney and Lawrence Cannon faced a series of tough questions.

The pair made no substantive policy announcements, choosing instead to target Dion and the main plank of his campaign platform, The Green Shift.

Reporters all but ignored the now-familiar attacks and instead questioned the two candidates on gas prices, tax policy and purported attempts to muzzle Tory candidates.

It remains to be seen whether the pattern will continue as the campaign progresses. And as the Con spin went following the appearance, they did manage to get some major network exposure later on - though it's not clear that the coverage was substantially different from that which every party has received so far.

But today's example may still serve as an important precedent where Canada's media refused to meekly carry out the Cons' public relations strategy. And that may turn out to be a serious obstacle for a party which is counting on enough coverage of its top-down messaging to make up for the fact that candidates aren't allowed to speak for themselves.