Daily's 'Top 20' List - Fact Or ??

"Just the facts ma'am, just the facts"

The local daily, owned by media giant Glacier Media recently published their annual .Most Powerful People list, which raises a few questions, not the least of which is what was the criteria for selection of local individuals to be chosen.

Newspapers as a rule pride themselves on their unbiased, objective reporting of just the facts, and usually relegate their opinions to the editorial page where readers sometimes don't make the distinction between reporting of the 'facts' and expressing an editorial opinion. Two recent examples of such 'reporting' would have been their first 'opinions' about the Colliery Dams and more recently the $3 million purchase of the Wellcox rail property. In both of these cases they came out foursquare in favour of the city's decision with little examination of the facts.

A dictionary definition of powerful is : having great power, prestige, or influence. The word power has several definitions such as: ability to act or produce an effect, legal or official authority, capacity, or right, possession of control, authority, or influence over others.

The list published by the Daily in order of importance:

1. Al Kenning, city manager
2. Hugh Nicholson publisher Daily News etc.
3. Levi Sampson, Harmac head
4. Tom Harris, businessman
5. Steve Laird, businessman
6. Ann-Marie Ebdrup, businesswoman
7. Rick Windley, owner Windley Contracting Ltd
8. Gord Carlson, owner, G.W. Carlson Group
9. John Ruttan, mayor
10. Ralph Nilson, CEO and pres. VIU
11. Dave Hutchinson, supt. School District
12. Norm McNabb, developer
13. Russ Burke, businessman
14. Adrian Legin, CCCU president and CEO
15. Shawn Atleo, First Nations chief
16. Donna Hais, businesswoman
17. Bob Moss, businessman
18. Barrie Rogers, businessman
19. Wayne Procter, businessman
20. Wayne and Brenda Krawchuk, McDonald's owner

Looking at the above list 15 of the 20 would be classed as members of the local business community, 2 in the education business, 1 First Nations chief, 1 local politician and 1 chief bureaucrat.

Curiously absent from the list would be leaders of local unions and the considerable power they wield over the local scene. Heads of local lobby groups such as the arts and culture community are also absent from the list. No mention of either MP's or MLA's is likely a factual if not disturbing observation to think that car dealers outrank our elected leaders in the power department is hardly comforting.

Fact or Self-Serving?

The obvious question to arise from looking at this list, is the #2 position occupied by none other than the publisher of the publication which has created the list. I wonder if the editorial team at the News Bulletin would share this evaluation?

If the criteria for selecting the Daily's publisher is the number of eyeballs his group can put on a page, I think their total weekly 'numbers' fall short of the weekly numbers the Bulletin can put on the page.

Unless Glacier publishes the criteria by which this list was generated, it is nearly impossible to measure the validity of their list. Perhaps the lack of explanation as to the criteria for list selection and the qualifications of those making the selections speaks to the weight you can give this list.