Should we ban electoral ads on TV?

[Moonlight Graham]

Why? Because they don't inform anyone about anything. They always now seem to sink to the lowest common denominator, with some politician moronically attacking some other politician with "facts" that are usually lies.

Its a waste of money, its a waste of 30 seconds of my life, they do nothing to inform the public but rather skew their opinion with rubbish.

Just a thought. Opinions?

Edited September 16, 2008 by Moonlight Graham

[Riverwind]

Just a thought. Opinions?

That would give the media complete control over how the issues are presented to voters - a media which has a long standing tradition of slanting stories according to the bias of the media organization. Ads are definitely the lesser evil because people at least know they are watching a partisan message. Edited September 16, 2008 by Riverwind

[scribblet]

I didn't vote because there wasn't a reasonable alternate question i.e. freedom of speech for everyone - I reject the dumb option.

Start watching for the Liberals to start with their favourite attack narrative - the “Hidden Agenda”.

As they lose more momentum on the trail, the Liberal War Room will be issuing a flurry of messages to reporters with dire predictions and so on.... as they (Liberals) cross their fingers hopeing it will work again. -

Maybe we'll see another - you know -

soldiers

in our streets'

with guns

[White Doors]

I agree. I didn't vote either.

You don't like the ads, change the channel. pretty simple really.

Besides, if we are talking about 'bans' shouldn't we ban murder before we drill down to political advertising?

[Topaz]

Voters who are on top of politics don't much care for the ads but for "new" voters it may be different. Also, the polls that they have out should be banned because "new" voters may look at those polls and say well why should I VOTE, either their candidate is way ahead or far behind, so why bother. I think that could be the reason why some new voters don't vote. I think all parties should make special appeal to the new or first time voters like they did in the US in the last election.

[marksman]

More information is better than less information and that goes for ads polls and almost anything else. Even media biases generally balance each other out.

It's too bad that most of the information we get in these ads shows us how sad politics is in Canada.

[Shakeyhands]

As someone else on this board suggested, I think ads should be limited to policy and plans, not attacks on the other party. IMHO they just lowers the discourse.

[White Doors]

As someone else on this board suggested, I think ads should be limited to policy and plans, not attacks on the other party. IMHO they just lowers the discourse.

If you feel that way, vote accordingly.

Personally, I am uncomfortable with someone dictating what I can and cannot see.

Funny, the leftists seem to be all for it and these are the same people who fall all over themselves about the patriot act?

perverse.

[marksman]

If you feel that way, vote accordingly.

Personally, I am uncomfortable with someone dictating what I can and cannot see.

Funny, the leftists seem to be all for it and these are the same people who fall all over themselves about the patriot act?

perverse.

Wasn't it the Harper government that wanted to limit what you see by withholding tax credits for productions that it deemed inappropriate? Blaming censorship only on leftists isn't accurate.

Let the ads show what they want. Canadians should be smart enough to punish the ads that don't contribute to the discussion of the issues. Of course when everyone engages in the lowest common denominator behaviour then I guess we're all just screwed.

[Hcheh]

Why? Because they don't inform anyone about anything. They always now seem to sink to the lowest common denominator, with some politician moronically attacking some other politician with "facts" that are usually lies.

Its a waste of money, its a waste of 30 seconds of my life, they do nothing to inform the public but rather skew their opinion with rubbish.

Just a thought. Opinions?

Yes, I agree with you. Take a look at the attack ads McCain is releasing in the States.. I've asked around and some people actually believe that crap! I asked a McCain/Palin supporter why he opposed the Obama camp, he told me, "Obama is going to raise my taxes!". So then I asked him if he was making 250,000 + dollars a year, and he was completely confused.. I know this forum is about Canadian politics but this clearly an issue in the States as well as it is in Canada.

They should only release campaign "ads" that have an informative and objective perspective on current campaign details. It would be more of a "campaign tracker" instead of a campaign ad. But yeah, all the lies and distortions on campaign ads are completely useless, and they aren't harmless. Some people vote based on the knowledge they obtain from these ads..