The Virtual Self: How Our Digital Lives Are Altering the World Around Us by Nora Young. (McClelland & Stewart, 2011) Click to buy this book from Amazon.ca: The Virtual Self

Text of introduction by Joseph Planta:

I am Planta: On the Line, in Vancouver at TheCommentary.ca.

Nora Young joins me now. The CBC Radio personality has written a new book The Virtual Self: How Our Digital Lives Are Altering the World Around Us. It’s a fascinating book that looks at how we all knowingly and unknowingly generate data about ourselves online. How we feel, what we consume, where we go, are all things we keep track of online on one of the many social media sites we maintain. There are good things about it of course: we can see what we’re doing, looking at our habits, improving ourselves thanks to our own data whether it’s a loyalty program, a mood tracker, or a calorie counter. Businesses can use it to track their customers and their habits. And there are bad things. What about where this data resides? What if it’s misappropriated by criminals, say it gets in the hands of the wrong people? Ms. Young in this book does a fine job warning us of the pitfalls, and arms the reader with ideas on how to be more savvy. It’s a great chronicle of how our world has changed, for better and for worse. Nora Young is the host and creator of Spark, the weekly program on CBC Radio that looks at technology and culture. She was the founding host of Definitely Not the Opera. Her website is at www.norayoung.ca, and you can follow her on Twitter; her handle is @nora3000. The book is published by McClelland & Stewart. Please welcome to the Planta: On the Line program, Nora Young; Ms. Young, good morning.

Text of introduction by Joseph Planta:

I am Planta: On the Line, in Vancouver at TheCommentary.ca.

Gary Bannerman died on Monday, 11 July 2011. The broadcaster, journalist and author is being remembered as an iconic radio host. That he was. From 1972 to 1988, he was the premiere talk show host on radio station CKNW, going head to head with the legendary Jack Webster. He bested Webster in the ratings, and raised the bar for talk shows in this town and this province. He held politicians to account, reported on big stories in British Columbia and around the world, and not to mention was an advocate for the consumer. He negotiated a hostage taking, and covered the 1973 Middle East War. He left CKNW in 1988 amidst some acrimonious contract negotiations and some personal health issues. He sat on the BC Ferries board for a time, and with his wife Patricia, established Bannerline Corporate Communications, a consulting firm that kept him busy. His Wikipedia entry states that his consulting and writing work kept him so busy, his media appearances were restricted to rare guest appearances. He appeared on this program twice. He was a welcome guest, and a gracious, generous friend to the program. We exchanged emails from time to time, and up to this past April, we were planning another interview. Alas, we never got to it. I regret very much never following up and having him on again, and I feel bad that I never got to tell him, how much I appreciated his support early in the life of this program, for the kind words he had for my work, and for the lessons he imparted both conspicuously and simply in the way he comported himself. I never met Gary Bannerman, and I never really heard Gary’s shows, because I was only four when he left CKNW in 1988. But if one availed themselves of history, picked up a book say, it wasn’t difficult to see how much of giant he was in broadcasting, and how prodigiously talented he was. And later, in the conversations on the telephone, the emails, and the sort, I got to know him best as a person who was generous and kind.

On the program now, I’ve called on some of Gary Bannerman’s friends and colleagues, who join me to remember him, acknowledge what we’ve lost, and what his impact was on his business and our province. First is Gary’s long time producer and friend, the legendary radio producer Shirley Stocker. I’ll also talk to an old friend of Bannerman’s former premier Bill Vander Zalm; a former colleague and competitor, Rafe Mair; and the political commentator Alex Tsakumis, who has on his website a very fine tribute to Gary. And throughout this program today, I’ll play a couple of cuts from Gary Bannerman’s appearances on this show.

When I sketched out a list of the people I wanted to talk to about Gary Bannerman, one name was at the top of the list. I’m delighted she’s on the line now. Shirley Stocker was Gary Bannerman’s producer at CKNW. She was the executive producer for many of the great talk shows on the station. She is currently the Executive Director of the CKNW Orphan’s Fund, and will retire from that position shortly. Please welcome to the Planta: On the Line program, Shirley Stocker; Good morning, Ms. Stocker.

Text of introduction by Joseph Planta:

I am Planta: On the Line. This is THECOMMENTARY.CA.

The author and environmentalist, former cabinet minister and broadcaster Rafe Mair joins me again. He is always a welcome guest on this program, as I’ve long been a fan of his broadcasting and writing. What with the year’s end so close, it’ll be good to check in with him as to what’s going on that we ought to know about. He is a regular columnist at www.thetyee.ca, and can be heard regularly on the political panel Monday mornings on CBC Radio. His website is www.rafeonline.com. Please welcome back to the Planta: On the Line program, Rafe Mair; Good morning, Mr. Mair.

One More Time! The Dal Richards Story by Dal Richards with Jim Taylor. (Harbour Publishing, 2009) Click to buy this book from Amazon.ca: One More Time!

Text of introduction by Joseph Planta:

I am Planta: On the Line. This is THECOMMENTARY.CA.

Last year, when Jim Taylor was on the program to talk about his memoir, he mentioned that he was working on my guest now, Dal Richards’s own memoir. Dal was one of the first guests on the program when we first started five years ago, and now he’s back as his book One More Time! has just been published. It’s a wonderful book, filled with wonderful remembrances of his storied career as a musician here and across Canada on the radio and elsewhere. The book has some wonderful photographs, and is also a wonderful view onto this city, Vancouver, taking us to those great places that once were, Isy’s, The Cave, the Panorama Roof at the Hotel Vancouver and more. He was born in 1918, and he’s been honoured by nearly every institution in this country. He has the Order of Canada, the Order of BC, he’s got honorary degrees. He will be a Torch Bearer in the 2010 Winter Olympic Games. He plays regularly gigs throughout the area, so check out his website www.dalrichards.com for dates. You can also hear his program, Dal’s Place, Sundays on radio station AM 650. He maintains a calendar that’d tire someone half his age, but at 91, it doesn’t seem to faze him. This is such a great book, and you ought to go out and get it: One More Time! The Dal Richards Story, written by Mr. Richards with Jim Taylor. It’s published by Harbour. Please welcome once again to the Planta: On the Line program, Dal Richards; Good morning, Mr. Richards.

The Age of Persuasion: How Marketing Ate Our Culture by Terry O’Reilly and Mike Tennant. (Knopf, 2009) Click to buy this book from Amazon.ca: The Age of Persuasion

Text of introduction by Joseph Planta:

I am Planta: On the Line. This is THECOMMENTARY.CA.

Terry O’Reilly joins me now. The host of the award-winning CBC Radio program The Age of Persuasion, with Mike Tennant, has written an aptly titled book, The Age of Persuasion: How Marketing Ate Our Culture. Like the program it is a highly engaging and endlessly fascinating book. It’s very readable and witty, not to mention informative and of course, entertaining. The book takes us into the world of advertising, how the ads we see, hear and, to the marketer, hopefully feel—are made. We also get a good history of ourselves, through the ads that we’ve been exposed to. It’s a great primer on how to be media savvy. Terry O’Reilly co-founded the audio production company, Pirate, and has had a long history in the advertising business. He has been inducted into the Marketing Hall of Legends. The radio program returns in January. Please welcome to the Planta: On the Line program, in Vancouver, Terry O’Reilly; Good morning, Mr. O’Reilly.

Text of introduction by Joseph Planta:

I am Planta: On the Line. This is THECOMMENTARY.CA.

One of the continuously surprising things about doing this interview program is that from time to time you get to talk to people you’ve long been a fan of; people you’ve been listening to for years, watching, or reading. David Berner is one of those people. And one of the great bonuses has been getting to know David, on occasion having lunch with him. Over a recent meal, he told me about some travels he’s made this past summer, trips that revisited his past. Over forty years ago now, David founded a residential treatment centre for drug addicts, ex-cons and alcoholics, the X-Kalay Foundation. If you’re like me and listened to David’s radio program over the years, you’ve heard about it before. But the background is fascinating, and on a trip to Winnipeg some weeks ago, David gave a marvellous talk to the organisation about its history. It’s on You Tube, and we’ll link to it on the website. (Watch David’s speech HERE.) If you get the chance to watch the video, it’s about an hour or so, but well worth it. I’ve asked David on today to talk about this part of his vast and varied life, to talk about drug addictions. In his previous appearances we’ve talked politics, but this time something different and I hope useful. In his last appearance in May, we talked about the suspending of his blog, which I’m glad is now back. David’s posting frequently, and they’re great reads. The blog is at www.thebernermonologues.blogspot.com, and his website is at www.davidberner.com. Please welcome back to the Planta: On the Line program, David Berner; Good morning, Mr. Berner.

Text of introduction by Joseph Planta:

I am Planta: On the Line. This is THECOMMENTARY.CA.

I’ve long been a fan of my guest now. And here’s why: A few weeks ago, it was a Wednesday, after a late lunch, I was in the bathroom brushing my teeth. I had to be somewhere at 3.00pm, and had to be out of the house by 2.15pm. I’ve tried to stop running the water as I brush my teeth, and to fill the silence or whatever it is that compels a lot of us to run the water, I turned on the radio in the bathroom. After the news, Eleanor Wachtel announced she was to interview Simon Winchester on the history of the Oxford English dictionary. It is not a dictionary I use—I use Wikipedia. Nor, are dictionaries a topic I would have listened to. But something compelled me to listen, and soon enough, I found myself riveted by the conversation, and I wasn’t out of the house until 10 minutes to 3.00pm. Later, I sought the program on the CBC’s website just to make sure I didn’t miss anything.

Eleanor Wachtel joins me now. She is quite simply the finest book interviewer in the country. To the author and the listener she is easygoing and engaging; welcoming and approachable. She has written and co-edited a number of books, including indispensible books of some of her interviews. She began her career in Vancouver, and was also an adjunct professor of women’s studies at Simon Fraser University here. She moved to Toronto in 1987 as a literary commentator at the CBC. She has hosted Writers and Company since its inception in 1990. In 2005, she was named to the Order of Canada, and the citation made note of her prodigious gift at interviewing, among other notable achievements. In its twentieth season, Writers and Company is the most prestigious literary program in the country. It airs on CBC Radio One here in Vancouver, Sundays at 5.00pm, and Wednesdays at 2.00pm. She’s in town having just done the Alice Munro tribute at the Vancouver International Writers and Readers Festival. On November 21st, she returns to open the Jewish Book Festival with a conversation with Meir Shalev. In Vancouver, please welcome to the Planta: On the Line program, Eleanor Wachtel; Good morning, Ms. Wachtel.

Text of introduction by Joseph Planta:

I am Planta: On the Line. This is THECOMMENTARY.CA.

The 22nd Annual Vancouver International Writers and Readers Festival runs between the 18th to the 25th of October 2009. The line up of writers appearing this year has already been described as ‘first-class.’ At various venues on Granville Island, there’s nearly something for everyone. Amongst the headlining events include a tribute to Alice Munro, with the legendary author in attendance, and Peter Mansbridge will close the festival with a lecture at the Stanley Theatre on the 18th. Also making appearances this year are Joseph Boyden, Alistair Macleod, Bonnie Burnard, Brian Brett, Annabel Lyon, William Deverell, Douglas Coupland, Lorna Crozier, Audrey Niffenegger, and John Irving, amongst others. There are also French language events. Joining me now is the artistic director of the Vancouver International Writers and Readers Festival, Hal Wake. The former broadcaster was a long time host of the CBC Radio program the Early Edition. For more information on the festival, check out their website www.writersfest.bc.ca or call 604 629 8849. Please welcome to the Planta: On the Line program, Hal Wake; Good morning, Mr. Wake.

Text of introduction by Joseph Planta:

I am Planta: On the Line. This is THECOMMENTARY.CA.

Joining me now is the comedian, broadcaster, and bon vivant, Patrick Maliha. He is ‘the artist formerly known as the Balki Jesus.’ He is also a long time television and radio personality here in Vancouver, formerly the host of an afternoon talk show on 1410 CFUN. He was also a candidate in the municipal elections of a few years ago. He appears regularly at venues here in Vancouver. There’s much to talk about this Thanksgiving. I’m pleased to welcome to the Planta: On the Line program, Patrick Maliha; Good morning, Mr. Maliha.

Burying Don Imus: Anatomy of a Scapegoat by Michael Awkward. (University of Minnesota Press, 2009) Click to buy this book from Amazon.ca: Burying Don Imus

Text of introduction by Joseph Planta:

I am Planta: On the Line. This is THECOMMENTARY.CA.
I’ve long been a fan of Don Imus. Anytime I could sneak him into a conversation on this program, I would. I watched his show on MSNBC ever since we started getting the news channel here in Vancouver around 2001. He would be on live from 3.00 to 6.00am Vancouver time, and I would always record it and watch it later in the day. I had about 15 video tapes that I’d rotate daily to record the show. That way if I wanted to go back and hear something funny or a particularly interesting interview with some politician, well-known broadcaster, or generally well-connected personality, I could go back a couple of weeks or more. It seemed everyone did the Imus show, and important politicians or journalists would go on there and goof off with the I-Man, while later on going on 60 Minutes, Meet the Press or some other more highbrow program. I still have the 15 video tapes, and have yet to bring myself to watch his last day or so on MSNBC. You might recall in April 2007 Imus had called members of the Rutgers women’s basketball team, ‘some nappy-headed ho’s.’ It ignited a firestorm that was at once unique as it was noteworthy. The Imus show quickly lost sponsors, and soon he was dropped by MSNBC which simulcast the radio program syndicated by CBS. The whole event started a debate over free speech, race, gender, and the power of language. Imus was off the air for a few months before re-emerging in December of 2007 on WABC radio in New York and RFD-TV, and now next month on the Fox Business Network.

My guest now, Michael Awkward, has written a thoughtful, endlessly educational, and fascinating book, Burying Don Imus: Anatomy of a Scapegoat. It’s written from the singular perspective of a black intellectual who has a long-standing commitment to feminism and a deep familiarity and appreciation of the Imus in the Morning program. It illuminates much about unsolved race relations in America, and more. Michael Awkward is the Gayl A. Jones Collegiate Professor of Afro-American Literature and Culture at the University of Michigan. This is, I believe his fifth book; and it’s published by University of Minnesota Press. I’m very pleased to welcome to the Planta: On the Line program, Michael Awkward; Good morning, Professor Awkward.