In the news release from Muttart's employer Mercury LLC, it sounds like Patrick is pledging fealty to Fox News North. Grovelling, actually. Excerpts follow:
The most disappointing assertion in Mr. Peladeau's column is his "belief" that Muttart sought to "damage the integrity and credibility of Sun Media and, more pointedly, that of our new television operation, Sun News."
This assertion is false and downright bizarre.
For the record, Mercury was hired by Quebecor to assist Sun News with its pre-license branding and positioning. Muttart worked with a creative agency to develop the network's original logo (a modified version is currently in use). And he was the original source for the network's "hard news" and "straight talk" framing language. Even after Mercury's engagement with Sun News came to an end, Muttart was asked for and provided pro bono feedback on the network's graphics and on-air promotional spots. Muttart was so committed to the success of Sun News he proactively reached out to a number of current, former and prospective clients about advertising on Sun News and facilitated a number of introductions. Again, he did this pro bono as a supporter of Sun News.
Given the way Fox News North has been a bust so far, maybe Mr. Muttart's association with its graphic design team was enough to send Mr. Peladeau into paroxysms of rage.
Hey, 11,000 viewers is nothing to sneeze at.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.marketingmag.ca/news/media-news/sun-news-drawing-as-little-as-4000-viewers-during-some-time-slots-26636
When compared against other news programming on the dial, Sun News is not rating highly. While Sun News commentator Theo Caldwell was drawing 11,000 viewers at 7 p.m. last Friday, CBC News Network had an audience of 263,000 viewers across Canada. CNN’s estimated audience in Canada at 7 p.m. on Friday was 38,000 viewers.