I'm not a big reality tv guy.
OK I do suggest that The Bachelor actually marries The Bachelorette - and that if they make it together as a couple for a year they get the million bucks - but the REAL reality television that we saw at the Vancouver downtown 'riot' has me reflecting on media and how well they handle mind blowing events such as this.
First off major KUDO's go to CTV's Vancouver affiliate who went wall to wall on the riot for about four hours as they fed the National CTV Newsnet from the centre of the action (more on their locale later).
When you get thrown into such a situation, on mere moments notice, you operate seemingly 'on fumes' because the rule book simply doesn't exist on how to handle this type of event when there are drunk or stoned 'thugs' operating mere feet away from you - while you dodge rocks, sticks, hammers, pepper spray, tear gas, and various accelerants - simply doing your job.
To do it with 'composure' is an art unto itself and the CTV crew were simply amazing as they did continous' play by play' of this most horrific event.
CTV reporters were on almost every corner 'hot spot' with live hits complimented by a reporter chiming in from the news helicopter above. The video was as compelling as anything you'll see in a Jason Bourne movie - except that it was all very REAL.
Cars on fire. Guys jumping over the cars while others flung mailboxes and porta potties at them. Glass breaking everywhere - 'hurt' people (kids) on the ground - and all the while the CTV crew were composed and seemingly calm on the outside while, most likely, worried about their personal safety on the inside.
One vibrant female reporter gagged through a report while fighting back tear gas only to be told "please" stop - get to safety inside - and get back to the station. There's an adrenaline that kicks in during these times and often it is 'viewers needs first' that motivate them...it's a very special skill sort.
CBC, mere steps away from the action as well, seemed to struggle and only had a few of their staff on hand while CTV called in their team and sprang to action with exposure from several fronts throughout the night.
Of note a number of former Edmonton media were involved in the telecast. For example, recent arrival in Vancouver, Lynda Steele (formerly of Global) reported from her condo above the fires. Perry Solkowski, another ex ITV (Global) guy was interviewing the Mayor in the heat of the battle. Rob Brown, ex of A Channel (now CITY) was the guy who carried on in the heart of this insanity for over four hours and didn't even flinch once as he held on to his gas mask while standing beside two 'powerless' security guards and his camera man.
As mentioned, this destruction was going on outside the front door of both of these television stations and could 'easily' have had these same thugs throw bricks threw THEIR windows and take over the television station. It's not beyond the realm of possibilities.
The sad part of this event to me was the complete lack of a game plan from the Vancouver Police. Now I don't mean to be cruel to them because they did the best they could under unimaginable conditions but they certainly did NOT have a formal game plan in force to be ready to guide 100,000 people in a safe manner.
To hear that "it was only a few people doing this" was simply disrespectful to Vancouverites.
To say "we have additional help coming from around the mainland" meant RCMP and surrounding Police forces had to travel for 'at least' an hour to just GET to the melee which, to me, was certainly a sign that there was not enough manpower on hand 'at the beginning' of this sad event.
Then to see them standing in the centre of the riot without proper equipment (many just had on the yellow vests - no helmets - no gas masks) - showed that they were really afraid of the "human rights" cry out from the G8 type gatherings and when these goons saw nobody was getting thumped back by Police simply broke into retail outlets like London Drugs, and The Bay, and 'destroyed' the businesses right in front of the Cops standing mere steps away.
Hard to fathom!
Officers on horseback simply 'moved forward' to force the people out of the 'retail areas' issuing a command for them to go home - which was near impossible because the transit system was virtually shut down and these goons were stranded in the downtown core prolonging the damage.
It was almost impossible to get in to douse the fires - and assist the hurt - because Emergency Services (rightfully so) would also have been targets.
In Europe they have special tank type machines that fire cold water with a special red dye in it on the goons which quickly ends the thuggery AND identifies the goofs as the dye is almost impossible to wash off. Show up to work the next day with red skin and bingo you're off to the slammer.
And this was one of the first riots where "social media" had a major impact.
Several FACEBOOK sites have quickly been set up so people can feed pictures of these idiots on line so that Police can identify and arrest them. Hundreds and hundreds of pictures are allready posted.
Beauty!
So - to wrap it up - think of the danger you have to worry about on a day to day basis and compare it to the media who handled this world wide embarrassing night - and I'm sure your respect for these people will climb to the same territory that mine did watching them in action last night.
GREAT broadcasting 'is' reality tv (and radio) and these reporters, anchors, and camera people all deserve our respect and a 'huge raise' for the amazing job they did on covering this event.
Kudos and compliments to those people!
And my thoughts to the 'real' hockey fans and great people from Vancouver who will have to deal with this 'crap' each and every time their sporting teams get to the big show down the road.
