Posts with the Wild West tag

Barris Beat

Font of history

Written by Ted Barris on . 1 Comment
Sign announcing Frontier Town, opened in 1952, closed in 1998.

My parents, both U.S.-born, often took my sister and me on road trips back across the border in the 1950s and ’60s to visit our American cousins in the summertime. To help break the monotony of the drives to New York City, our parents often found amusement parks for us to visit along the way. One I’ll never forget was in the Adirondack mountains of upstate New York.

“Frontier Town!” announced the big red sign at the park’s entrance. And the marketing subtitle declared, “Where the Wild West begins.” (more…)

Barris Beat

Democracy in the details

Written by Ted Barris on . Leave a comment
Dr. Anand Doobay, at Markham-Stouffvile Hospital, an epicentre in the fight to save lives in a pandemic.  CBC News photo.

The point-of-view of the camera shows us whisking through a door with a “restricted access” sign on it. Around the gurney-in-motion, doctors, nurses and orderlies wear full personal protective gear, as we zoom down a hospital corridor. The CBC News reporter voiceover describes the medical staff coping with Markham-Stouffville Hospital’s COVID-19 case load.

“It’s like (the staff) is going to war,” reporter Wendy Mesley says. “Only they never know if they will win or lose.” (more…)

Barris Beat

No more immunity for social media

Written by Ted Barris on . 3 Comments

I walked into my History of Broadcasting class last Friday morning. I told those present – about 50 Broadcasting and Film students at Centennial College in Toronto – that I was tossing out the lesson plan that day. I suggested I had a more contemporary issue on my mind. But I didn’t want to colour their responses. I simply asked for their take on the alleged gang rape of that student near Vancouver earlier in the week.

“It’s revolting,” one male student said.

(more…)