Local Radio show misses the mark

[Colin]

We have been seeing and hearing a lot of press about Tartan Day in Vancouver this year. The Vancouver Sun had a great article on Kilt Night and Tartan Day which feature board members Raphael and Todd Wong. The Sun also had a really good article yesterday about Robert MacDonald of www.westcoastkilts.com, but a local radio program really missed the mark today.

In their attempt to also hop on the Tartan Day band wagon and show their support for all things Scottish and all things tartan, they scheduled the owner of a kilt making company. Of course they happened to have chosen Steven from Utilikilts. Now I am not knocking utilikilts as this really has nothing to do with them, but when looking to discuss TARTAN Day, perhaps finding a kilt company that actually sells TARTAN would have been an idea. Steven also apparently kept referring the kilts as man-skirts rather than simply kilts (take that as you want). So instead of doing a bit of research and trying to locate one of the many (yes I mean many) kilt makers in the Vancouver area that sells traditional Scottish tartan kilts to discuss tartan day, 1410 CFUN in Vancouver interviews a guy in Seattle that sells solid colour kilts.

They could have tried Robert MacDonald, Bear from www.bearkilts.com, Terry Lee from www.tartantown.com and www.sfupipeband.com, or the Sons of Scotland, the Scottish Cultural Society, even Todd Wong from www.gunghaggisfatchoy.com , someone form www.houseofmaclaren.com , even Stev from www.freedomkilts.com (who offers tartan kilts), or one of the many other kiltmakers in the Vancouver area that specializes in tartan or Scottish events.

Kudos to UK for taking part in the interview and for continuing to promote kilts to the mass public, but Shame on 1410 CFUN for not doing a bit of research and for totally missing the mark on this one. When talking about Tartan Day in Vancouver, maybe try and find someone in Vancouver and someone that has something to do with tartan. There is no shortage of those.

[The Wizard of BC]

Yea, for Tartan Day last year the CBC also interviewed Steven. There was a thread here on that. Kinda wierd if you ask me. Our local media doesn't seem to take the time to even look in the phone book. They google kilts and interview the first person that comes up.
Here in Victoria there are four kiltmakers besides myself. We have each had our time in the paper and on the TV but when the CBC, Our national Radio Co. goofs it sort of hurts.

[Colin]

when the CBC, Our national Radio Co. goofs it sort of hurts.

Especially considering we all pay for it!

[Ayin McFye]

Steven also apparently kept referring the kilts as man-skirts rather than simply kilts .

Well at least I know why drunken uneducated people continue to yell at individuals who wear kilts and scream "Hey nice skirt", because even a kilt maker continues to call it a skirt.

Nice...

[macwilkin]

We have been seeing and hearing a lot of press about Tartan Day in Vancouver this year. The Vancouver Sun had a great article on Kilt Night and Tartan Day which feature board members Raphael and Todd Wong. The Sun also had a really good article yesterday about Robert MacDonald of www.westcoastkilts.com, but a local radio program really missed the mark today.

In their attempt to also hop on the Tartan Day band wagon and show their support for all things Scottish and all things tartan, they scheduled the owner of a kilt making company. Of course they happened to have chosen Steven from Utilikilts. Now I am not knocking utilikilts as this really has nothing to do with them, but when looking to discuss TARTAN Day, perhaps finding a kilt company that actually sells TARTAN would have been an idea. Steven also apparently kept referring the kilts as man-skirts rather than simply kilts (take that as you want). So instead of doing a bit of research and trying to locate one of the many (yes I mean many) kilt makers in the Vancouver area that sells traditional Scottish tartan kilts to discuss tartan day, 1410 CFUN in Vancouver interviews a guy in Seattle that sells solid colour kilts.

They could have tried Robert MacDonald, Bear from www.bearkilts.com, Terry Lee from www.tartantown.com and www.sfupipeband.com, or the Sons of Scotland, the Scottish Cultural Society, even Todd Wong from www.gunghaggisfatchoy.com , someone form www.houseofmaclaren.com , even Stev from www.freedomkilts.com (who offers tartan kilts), or one of the many other kiltmakers in the Vancouver area that specializes in tartan or Scottish events.

Kudos to UK for taking part in the interview and for continuing to promote kilts to the mass public, but Shame on 1410 CFUN for not doing a bit of research and for totally missing the mark on this one. When talking about Tartan Day in Vancouver, maybe try and find someone in Vancouver and someone that has something to do with tartan. There is no shortage of those.

Not to mention the two "hometown" Scottish regiments, the Seaforth Highlanders of Canada, and the Canadian Scottish from Victoria.

T.

[beloitpiper]

That's pathetic. And I think he is right in calling them "man-skirts". Steve from Freedom Kilts makes tartan kilts. They should've asked him.

[Makeitstop]

I don't know the station or show, but if the name CFUN is any indication, this probably isn't something that should be taken so seriously.

The CBC and other more serious broadcasters should be ashamed if they actually thought Steven was the go to guy for tartan day. He might have made an interesting guest in addition to a more traditional kiltmaker, but on his own, that's just not right.

Still, this is consistent with everything I've heard about the CBC.

[Darkislander]

Och well, at least it keeps the kilt no matter what they call it, to the fore.

[ccga3359]

Why not interview Kirkbright & Fraser are they not on the left coast also and everything to do with 'Tartan'? Did you call the radio station to point them in a proper direction?

[Retro Red]

I'd like to say I'm shocked that the radio station's reporting was shallow, inaccurate or biased, but I'm just too jaded & have peeked behind the curtain too many times to be shocked or surprised anymore. I just remind myself that most of what's reported today on TV & radio or in newspapers & magazines is meant to be entertainment.

I'd say this definition of "journalism" from the Random House Unabridged Dictionary is apropos -

"4. writing that reflects superficial thought and research, a popular slant, and hurried composition, conceived of as exemplifying topical newspaper or popular magazine writing as distinguished from scholarly writing."

.