Volume 10, Issue 3

November 2010

“The philosophers have only interpreted the world...

the point, however, is to change it.”
- Karl Marx

mit makes
MUSIC
FEATURING
MONICA ROSSA
BRANDON SOUSA
& GENEVIEVE FISHER
(PICTURED)

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE:

Controversially Canadian
Jennifer Spence
Sleepwalking into Oblivion
Hadrian Mertins-Kirkwood
Breaking the Binaries
Sarah Koopmans
and much more www.mitsc.ca

Disclaimer: The sole responsibility for the content of this publication lies with the authors. Its contents do not reflect the opinion of the
University Students’ Council of the University of Western Ontario (“USC”). The USC assumes no responsibility or liability for any error, ESAELP PLEASE
ELCYCER RECYCLE
inaccuracy, omission or comment contained in this publication or for any use that may be made of such information by the reader.
 CONTENTS
3 10
Breaking the Binaries Naughty and Nice
Challenging conceptions of gender The men’s body wash war: Axe vs. Old
STAFF exclusivity
SARAH KOOPMANS
Spice
JONATHAN NGUYEN
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Letter from the President
Hadrian Mertins-Kirkwood ERIKA CASUPANAN 11
zine.editor@gmail.com
The Unilever Paradox
HEAD COPY EDITOR 4 Hypocrisy in the way we get clean
Taylor Pearce KIM APPOTIVE
zine.copyeditor@gmail.com Can-See-No Reality
Casinos cashing in on the hyperreal
LAYOUT EDITOR
Mary Wong
TAYLOR PEARCE 12
zine.layouteditor@gmail.com Announcing the mitZine
ADVERTISING AND WEB EDITOR
5 Online
Jonathan Forani Sleepwalking into Oblivion
zine.adteam@gmail.com We can’t live like we do forever... so why
aren’t we looking for alternatives?
CONTRIBUTORS HADRIAN MERTINS-KIRKWOOD

WRITERS 6 READ
Kim Appotive, Erika Casupanan,
Gillian Cummings, Sarah Koopmans, MIT Makes Music THE ZINE
Featuring Monica Rossa, Brandon
Jonathan Nguyen, Tania Overholt,
Jennifer Spence, Julian Uzielli Sousa, and Genevieve Fisher ONLINE
JULIAN UZIELLI, TANIA OVERHOLT, www.scribd.
ILLUSTRATORS
GILLIAN CUMMINGS
Megan McDonald, Liam Grue, Warren com/mitZine
Kong, Emily Stewart
COPY EDITORS
8
May Chow, Gillian Cummings, Marisa Controversially Canadian
Dametto, Meg French, Bryan Gold, The Political Fight Over ‘Fox News North’
Mathu Jeyaloganathan, Kristen JENNIFER SPENCE
Roseheart, Andie Wright, Steve Wright

EDITOR’S NOTE BE MORE THAN A READER:

Reception to last issue’s cover story (“The Myth of I am also excited to announce the launch of the CONTRIBUTE TO THE
Post-MIT Careers”) has been mixed, ranging from mitZine Online (mitzine.wordpress.com), our
straight-out rejection to begrudging acceptance. first foray into the overcrowded blogosphere.
As a more optimistic counterpoint, this issue’s mitZine web editor Jonathan Forani has been
cover story (“MIT Makes Music”) looks at the hard at work developing a stylish and innovative
burgeoning music careers of several current web platform to supplement the print version of We’re always looking out for talented writers,
FIMS students who are using and applying their the Zine, and the end result is a new avenue of illustrators, copy editors, artists, and other
theoretical educations in their creative field. It’s free expression for FIMS students. Check out contributors. Make your voice heard and your
an empowering reminder that the elusive careers the mitZine Online for reviews, videos, opinions, work seen in the official FIMS undergraduate
undergrads desire are entirely attainable with and other content that we can’t fit into the print student publication.
enough effort and initiative. edition.
Contact Hadrian Mertins-Kirkwood for
This issue of the Zine also features critical Hadrian Mertins-Kirkwood information or inquiries:
perspectives on the controversial Axe brand, mitZine Editor-in-Chief
insight into the phenomenon of homosexuality zine.editor@gmail.com
in a heterosexual marriage, and an eye-opening Or visit us online at www.mitsc.ca
look at the proposed “Fox News North”.
 BREAKING THE BINARIES
CHALLENGING CONCEPTIONS OF GENDER EXCLUSIVITY
written by Sarah Koopmans // illustrated by Emily Stewart // edited by Bryan Gold
Amy is twenty-one. She is a college student. She is Dr. Treena Orchard is a health sciences professor
gay. She has also been married to a man for almost whose research includes gender and sexuality
three years. issues. She is interested in Amy’s unique story.
“There are many factors that [convey] the
Amy tells her story casually and comfortably, the
expression of sexuality in society. They are hard
way that anyone might while reminiscing about
to classify because we live in a binary world, but
his or her childhood. From the ripe old age of six
sex isn’t binary. The spectrum of sexuality is what’s
or seven, Amy had known that she found girls
real.”
attractive. Naturally, hormones kicked in around age
fourteen, and she realized she “wanted to do more Amy is unruffled about how remarkable her
than just look at them.” situation is: “There really is no difference between
my marriage and someone else’s... I chose my
Though there aren’t many years between age
husband, and so it doesn’t matter that sometimes I
fourteen and twenty-one, Amy talks about how she
may desire sex with a woman; I desire a relationship
had a few relationships with women. Some were
with my husband more.”
purely physical, but one of them was just like any
girls’ first love story: “We did what society usually There is little literature that echoes Amy’s account.
expects couples to do: the long walks, staying up Most documented stories are of people who
all night talking, leaving each other little ‘I love you’ have come out while in committed heterosexual
notes—the cheesy stuff that gives you the warm relationships, causing both partners to have to
fuzzies.” reassess their relationship because of their mixed
orientation. The book Married Women Who Love
Then, when she was seventeen, she met Mike.
Women by Carren Strock (Doubleday, 1998), cites
“We had that ‘eyes meet across the room, he tries
many examples of women who either didn’t realize
to suppress a sly smile, she blushes’ moment…[I]
their orientation until after they were married to a
loved him instantly,” she says. “I am not sure how to
man, or felt they had no other option but to follow
explain it. Nine out of ten times I would prefer to be
through on what Dr. Orchard calls the “hetero-
with a woman rather than a man, unless of course
normative scripts” that classify our society.
that man is my husband.”
Amy is an extraordinary example of how the linear
Two months into their relationship, Amy nonchalantly
nature of societal boundaries is changing. She talks
told Mike that she “historically date[d] women,” but
about the power of choice, and about faithfulness.
“he handled it beautifully…It just wasn’t something
“I am committed to [Mike], and that’s why he has
we dwelt on.” Having gotten to know each other,
never asked me to forfeit the part of me that is gay,
and finding out they had the same life goals—which
because regardless, I am his.”
included raising a traditional nuclear family—they
got married.

LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT

Hello everyone. I hope that midterm season treated you well, and that the
images in your head of Weldon aren’t too scarring. Remember, knowing the
exact number of ceiling tiles on the fourth floor is totally an employable skill.
Knowing the exact number of ceiling tiles in Weldon and in the Fanshawe
library? Now that equals an instant job.
My past month has been filled with many discussions. The Undergraduate
Student Fund Committee met to discuss proposals for funding. Some of the
approved projects include MIT’s 2nd Annual Wet/Dry Formal in March and the
Charity Coffee House in November. Keep checking out our website because
a full list of approved projects should be up very soon! The Equipment Loan
Program, which allows undergraduate FIMS students to rent video cameras,
has begun and is also a project funded by the Undergraduate Student Fund.
If you have any questions about how the USF works, how to apply for funding,
and anything else that the Weldon-bound heart of yours desires, then let me
know.
As all of you know (hopefully), a few weeks ago there was a lot of talk about a
potential strike. Hey look, we’re still in class. Wild. While the negotiations were
in progress I was liaising with the USC to provide feedback on the potential
strike that I have received from FIMS students. The feedback included opinions
on communications, contingency plans, and more. Remember if you ever have
any feedback on the USC in any way please let myself or MIT Councillor
Brandon Sousa (bsousa2@uwo.ca) know.
I have also been working with members of the MITSC to plan initiatives for the
faculty. This month alone you can look forward to the MIT Clothing Sale, MIT’s
Annual Coffee House, The Student Panel, Academic Futures Week, and more.
If there is an event or initiative you’d like to see let me know.
As always, I have office hours every Wednesday from 1:30-3:00 in NCB 298.
There are 9 ceiling tiles in that room. Come play sometime? That’s all for now,
friends.
Erika Casupanan
MITSC President
ecasupan@uwo.ca
[mitZine v10.i3] 3
CAN-SEE-NO REALITY
CASINOS CASHING IN ON THE HYPERREAL
written by Taylor Pearce // illustrated by Mary Wong // edited by Marisa Dametto
He will feed and famish you, marble floors, pillars and high ceilings make your staring at the dealer on the screen: a life sized
Make your wallet bleed and banish you, synapses snap to adjectives like slick, lavish and woman simulation, complete with cleavage like the
Nurse you drunk ‘til you concede and ravish you. opulent. To further overwhelm you, game tables and Grand Canyon.
slot machines are splayed out across the floor; no
Sound like the beginning to a sad country song? Over at the slots, the machines whirl and woo
matter where you turn, you’re greeted with row after
Although Willie Nelson could undoubtedly turn this in excited measure as the patrons sit, dull and
row of machines. This space creates a conflicted
into another Grammy for his shelf, its inspiration withdrawn, waiting for a win. Slots can be described
sense of wide-open containment; you’re trapped
doesn’t come from a bourbon-fuelled break-up. as a game where you’re always losing money until
here and you should like it.
Instead, it stems from a place that pays homage to you win. Seem like a no-brainer? Well, it should
an assassinated emperor 24/7. Although you must be legal to enter, there are since cerebral cortex activity isn’t required to play.
features that seem designed for children, most The slot machine gladly slurps up your money and
Welcome to Caesars Palace.
notably the free all-you-can-drink pop machine. as your balance dwindles and inflates in a rocky
Located in Windsor, Ontario, the automobile capital Most six-year-olds would drop their hard-earned sea motion, your index finger’s attachment to “the
of Canada, it should come as no surprise that this allowance for unlimited access. In games, most button” remains constant. After a few spins, you
city has been hit hard by the recession. Ironically, exchange your money into chips or receipts that continue to lose money, until you’ve reached Uno:
Windsor’s Caesars Palace is its own product of are printed with your standing balance. There isn’t one spin left. You know you shouldn’t push the
outsourcing, as the casino brand originally hails from much difference between that and an afternoon button, and at least walk away with your dignity, but
the Las Vegas strip. Never having visited before, spent wielding Monopoly money. your next spin could be the winner. You pause—and
my expectations were shaped only by the many push the button. Nothing. The slot machine’s whirl
I couldn’t help but observe how bizarre the set up
movies I’d watched throughout my life as a chronic and woo now seems to mock you as it takes your
of a casino is. Regardless of age, female servers
cinephiliac. From Rain Man, Ocean’s Eleven and last penny.
must wear short, white dresses that would make
even The Hangover, movies have used casinos as
Wilma Flintstone wince. Here you find fifty-five Within the walls of the casino, time is distorted and
a backdrop prime for plot conflict. Still, the movies
year old Ethel working her clunky pumps, while she discarded. Windows were conveniently eliminated
don’t do it justice. Once you step inside a casino,
serves cocktails to nineteen-year-old high rollers. in the design plan. Once you enter, you have no
you step inside another world: the hyperreal.
The patrons within the casino seem to absorb this indication of whether it’s day or night, as if you are
Hyperreality, according to famous French theorist strange energy. At the game tables, people bond expected to use photosynthesis with the light thrown
Jean Baudrillard, is the blurring of what is real and together with each other’s wins and losses, hoping off the machines to further fuel your spending. After
what is fantasy.1 In terms of the casino, this blurring the close proximity to a hot hand will rub off. Even someone loses money, they inhabit three states of
is made murkier the further into the experience you Baudrillard’s simulacrum is evident over at a video time at once. You’re in the present as you reflect
go. From the moment you enter, the grandeur of black jack table, where five eager men sit around
continued on page 9
SLEEPWALKING INTO OBLIVION
WE CAN’T LIVE LIKE WE DO FOREVER... SO WHY AREN’T WE LOOKING FOR ALTERNATIVES?
written and illustrated by Hadrian Mertins-Kirkwood // edited by Kristen Roseheart
We are a generation that is woefully unprepared to
handle the grim realities of the coming century. A
consumer culture that values novelty and instant
gratification has conditioned us to look no further
ahead than the next MacBook release, Facebook
feature, or Harry Potter blockbuster. We don’t think
about what will happen to us in 5, 10, or 50 years
because we are told not to. Why pay now when we
can pay later? Even our eye-opening MIT classes,
which deconstruct the hegemonic powers of the
past and apply those lessons to today’s structures
and ideologies, don’t look far enough into the future
to reasonably understand the world that we will one
day be a part of.
The lobbying industry affects public policy more
than our elected officials. The corporations that we
sustain mitigate our real concerns with superficial
products and entertainment. The obvious failures
of neoclassical economics are becoming apparent
to the millions of unemployed and indebted. The
environmental crisis has become a debate of
whens, not ifs. Neo-nationalist movements in
Turkey, Japan, the United States, and elsewhere
foreshadow the inevitable disintegration of
globalization. The stratification of wealth and power
is worse today than it has ever been. Perhaps more
importantly, those who hold the power are becoming
increasingly invisible.
Despite their best attempts to pacify the masses
with persistent, far-reaching propaganda, however,
the power holders are scared too. Infinite growth
is logically impossible on a planet with finite
resources. We will run out of viable oil reserves
within 60 years—we know that—but we don’t know
what our alternatives are and we don’t know exactly
how long we have to figure them out. The cost of
acquiring stuff will continue to rise (not just in terms
of national debt, but lives too) until we either exhaust
the Earth’s remaining resources or are forced to
radically reconstruct our models of production and
consumption.
And what are we, as citizens, supposed to do?
To completely escape consumerism and the
hegemonic forces at play in Western society would
be to live outside culture. Practically speaking, it
cannot be done. Throwing down your iPad to go
fend for yourself in the wild would do little to provoke
change beyond ridicule from
the mainstream news media. “What is needed is a real
understanding of what is
What is actually needed is a
large-scale societal rejection
of the hypercapitalist model
happening to the world and
that has exploited the why it cannot continue.”
world’s resources and poor
people for the last century. What is needed is a real
understanding of what is happening to the world
and why it cannot continue.
Knowledge may be power, but it is also a burden.
To know that we cannot live as we do for another
50 or 100 years is reason enough for most people
to put the blinders back on and hope someone else
figures it all out, but the state of the world is not
something that can be remedied by one person,
regardless of how much hope or change they
promise. It takes action by all people at all levels
of society. It takes information campaigns, protests,
and the subversion of normalized, consumerist
values. It takes a drastic reevaluation of what really
matters to us, and what is worth fighting for.
You can start by learning about the world. Reading
the news will help you retain far more information
than watching it, and talking about it with your peers
will allow to you better critique the reality being
fed to us by corporations, media, and politicians.
Empathy, a quality obscured by an advertising
environment that prizes egoism and individuality
above all else, can make a big difference in how
we interpret the headlines that matter, like “Dozens
die in Baghdad explosions” (BBC), compared to
the ones we actually care about, like “Students
lose with strike” (Gazette). Pull yourself away from
Youtube or Twitter for
long enough every
day to take an active
interest in something
that actually matters.
Whether it be the
ongoing war crimes
in Iraq, Darfur, and
Gaza; the rapid, worldwide extinction of thousands
of animal species; or the compounding problems
of the world economy, find something that bothers
you and do everything you can to learn about it and
make a difference.
It’s not optional. We need to make a difference
now because although the people in charge won’t
be around to deal with the disasters they have
created, we will be. We will be forced to care when
our comfortable, insulated lives begin to crumble
around us.
We need to make a difference now, because within
our lifetimes it will become too late.
Sources available upon request.
[mitZine v10.i3] 5
 MIT MAKES MUSIC
MONICA ROSSA
written by Julian Uzielli // edited by Steve Wright
Monica Rossa may be young, but that doesn’t mean she’s inexperienced. At
only nineteen, she has experience on both sides of the music industry; she
put out an album when she was sixteen, which got airtime on several radio
stations, and now works full time for Cordova Bay Records, an independent
record label based in her hometown of Victoria, BC.
“I have had the fortune of being exposed to the music industry as both an
artist and a businessperson,” she said, “and I’m thankful that I’m now on
the other side of the desk.” She started as an intern, a position she landed
through connections forged at a talent competition called Victoria Idol. She’s
now a full-time employee of the label, which represents such artists as Krome,
State of Shock, and David Gogo. Her responsibilities cover everything from
website maintenance to seeking out and signing new artists, to representing
the label at events like North by Northeast and Canadian Music Week. And,
to top it off, Monica has just been offered a position on the board for Fierce
Panda UK, in addition to her other duties at Cordova Bay.
Despite her obviously busy schedule, she maintains a full course load as a
second year honours MIT student, with a minor in music. “Certain times, the
workloads will both be pretty heavy but other times they’re manageable,” she
said. So how can she stand the stress? “Work hard, play hard,” she laughs.
“The music industry is the only place where drinking is encouraged on the job
and going to see concerts is just an extension of a business trip.” Evidently,
work and play can mean the same thing.
There’s no shortage of excitement on the job. “My initiation rites included
avoiding the sexual advances of rock stars and embarrassing myself at
work,” she said. “I have spilled soda water on myself in front of a roomful of
very important industry moguls.” Despite a few misadventures, though, she
doesn’t regret making the transition from recording artist to her position at
Cordova Bay. “I don’t hesitate to say that I have the best boss in the world,
and the relationships I have with the people I work with are some of the new artists for Cordova Bay.
closest friendships I have.”
Does Monica have any tips for budding artists in MIT? Yes: send in a demo.
Although she doesn’t have immediate plans to perform on another record, She encourages hopeful rock, pop, folk, jazz, and blues artists to send
Monica still writes her own songs on the side, and was recently offered a in an mp3 with a short description of your act and your qualifications to
publishing contract as a songwriter. Her main priority, though, is business. monica@cordovabay.com, with “demo” and your name in the subject field.
She plans to open her own PR firm with a focus on entertainment before she For more information about Monica and Cordova Bay Records, check out
graduates from Western, and in the meantime, she is constantly looking for www.cordovabay.com.

BRANDON SOUSA
written by Tania Overholt
edited by May Chow
What do the Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Hootie and
the Blowfish and Brandon Sousa have in common?
Well, for starters, all of these big city natives create
music that come from their very own walks of life.
Brandon says his fun, vulnerable and soothing
music is his expressive outlet. It is a constant piece
of work, being inspired frequently by quotes he
overhears, personal experiences and the motivation
to encourage a sense of comfort in his audience. He
starts by experimenting with different guitar chords,
and then works at creating lyrics that fit. He admits
that creating the music is his biggest challenge,
where his lyrics are prepared in one sitting. The end
result: an uplifting sound and relatable lyrics.
Next—they all became an instant success and grew
from there. In 2001 at a leadership conference,
Sousa hesitantly performed his first show after
being convinced by his peers. In succeeding to
move the crowd, the show only encouraged him
to continue. It was from Algonquin Park to Kernel
Park where he performed alongside Tranquil at
the age of sixteen. The crowds kept getting bigger
and the performances more frequent. He’s had the
opportunity to perform at Toronto’s Reverb, Colonel
Mustards in North York and London’s Alex P. Keaton
and alongside Roger Marles, Marino Manzoli, and
Joseph Accardi. Along this journey, he was able to
build a bigger fan base, develop recognition and
GENEVIEVE FISHER
written by Gillian Cummings
edited by Mathu Jeyaloganathan
MIT – Media, information and technoculture? Sure.
Meet incredible teens? Absolutely.
Allow me to introduce you to a talented individual
at Western: Genevieve Fisher. Genevieve is a first
year MIT and pop music student who is pursuing
her dream of becoming a country singer while
simultaneously obtaining a university education.
The London-born star won her first singing
competition at age two and it has been all uphill
from there. Between volunteering and singing
at various events, Genevieve is set on getting
her name known. She has now won two London
Music Awards for best country singer, making her
the youngest ever person to win, and is in the
process of releasing her first CD. After returning
from Nashville this past Thanksgiving to record five
songs for her upcoming EP, she is now putting the
final touches on her album cover and looking to get
her first single released on the radio. “Nashville
was such an amazing experience. It was a stepping making her range limitless. friends. Though her favourite music is country, with
stone for my career, and I can’t wait to go back” she role models being Patsy Cline, Jason Aldean and
said excitedly. Working with the same musicians So how does she manage to keep up a budding
Carrie Underwood, she also loves all other types of
that have performed for Brad Paisley and Kenny music career, while at the same time working
music.
Chesney has provided her with great experience, towards a double major at school? “Juggling both
which has given her more confidence to pursue the school and singing has been a challenge for me and To top everything off, Genevieve is more than
career of her dreams. I knew from the start that it wouldn’t be easy” she just an amazing singer. She has her grade six in
explains. “At times it’s very stressful, but this was piano and has played the violin for eight years now.
In the meantime, Genevieve continues to use her my choice to balance both. I hope that one day I She also writes some of her own music. Listen for
talent to volunteer for multiple charities, and does can walk away with a university degree and become her new songs ‘Keep On’, ‘Some Letter That You
a lot of work within London and the surrounding a successful recording artist. I will do whatever it Wrote”, by famous song writer Jeffrey Steele, and
native aboriginal communities. Her background, half takes.” Her determination and passion for music is her personal favourite ‘Sway’.
Chippewa of the Thames First Nation, plays a huge astounding and has allowed her to advance as far
role in her life as her community has generously Genevieve is excited for her next performance at
as she has; it has already led her to some amazing
supported her career aspirations. The other half of Norma Jeans on December 11th, at 10:00pm.
opportunities. Opening for Crystal Shawanda was
her heritage, Italian, has also helped to shape her She is also hoping to have an album release party
one of the highlights in her career as it allowed her
perspective and her music. Coming from two very sometime in January. Check out her website at
to start branching off into the industry. They have
rich cultural backgrounds has led her to her to name www.genevievefisher.ca for the date and details!
since become Facebook friends and still keep in
her first album—Without Borders. She has no limits, contact with one another. Amazingly, in between all
no borders that define her culture and believes the this music, volunteering, and school, she still finds
songs on her CD are all different from one another, time to enjoy snowboarding and hanging out with

learn the attributes needed for every musician. artist. This effort led him to his first CD debut on the Come and see him at the MIT Coffee House Sunday
He says musicians must be gratuitous to all their Free the Children’s compilation CD, as well as his November 28th at the Spoke or visit his myspace
contributors, soak up every opportunity and personal favourite performance. Two years ago he page at: www.myspace.com/brandonsousamusic.
be personable, as the traits will help you build performed for Western’s Relay for Life, where he was If you are interested in booking Sousa for upcoming
fundamental relationships with those involved in able to use his music “to give back to the people.” As event contact his booking agent, Matt Marozzo at
the event and your audience. Building a connection he recreates the memory, he remembers the silent matt.marozzo@gmail.com.
with his audience has become Sousa’s main goal audience and sincerity shared amongst the crowd.
as result. He has learned to tweak the playlist to the
As he stepped in front of 300 people remembering
audience’s preferences and how to create a shared those who have fought cancer, his music took on a
sense of comfort and vulnerability between him and whole new role. It allowed him to “restore the true Are you a musician in
his audience with every performance. meaning of music as an art” as it helped created a MIT, MTP, or MPI?
soothing ambiance for those in reflection. From then
Last—they all share an interest in using their music Contact the mitZine about being
on, being a part of fundraisers and local events has
to help charitable organizations. Just as Hootie and featured in a future issue:
become Sousa’s primary focus.
the Blowfish have become nationally recognized for
their contributions, Sousa has worked hard in being So all three acts share the talent, the passion and zine.editor@gmail.com
thought of when local charities are in need of an the Hollywood look, but Sousa is here in London.
 with a press release with the relatively benign title
“Quebecor Media invests in New English Canadian
TV News Channel.” The language employed in
the press release, however, was a little more
impassioned; it spoke of “hard news”, “straight talk”,
and quoted Quebecor’s president as stating this
new channel would “shake up the current players of
the Canadian broadcasting system,” while “offering
Canadians something new, something better,
something distinct.”
Well, that didn’t seem so bad, right? (Wait for it…)
The press release also contained quotes from
Kory Tenycke, Quebecor’s newly-appointed Vice
President of Development. Tenycke was far from
a household name but was well-connected in the
“capital-C” Conservative world as a previous advisor
to both Preston Manning and Mike Harris, and a
lobbyist for the big-oil-funded Canadian Renewable
Fuels Association. Before signing on to help launch
Sun TV News, Tenycke served a year as Director
of Communication for Prime Minister Harper
from 2008 to 2009, and spent several months
as a Conservative party pundit for CBC News. If
Quebecor hadn’t wanted to court controversy, they
would not have enlisted such a polarizing figure. In
the press release, Tenycke attacked the “narrow,
complacent, and politically correct” approaches of
Canada’s primary news networks, and stated Sun
TV News would not “be another network catering to
elite opinion and ignoring stories important to many
Canadians.”
(That hardly sounded nonpartisan; cue the outrage.)
Journalists and news personalities in the Canadian
liberal media sphere were furious. Retired CBC
news anchor Don Newman proclaimed that this was
“the absolute last thing this country needs,” a CTV
executive nicknamed it “Fox News North,” and the
Globe & Mail ran several articles attacking what they
believed to be another outlet for Sun newspapers’
trashy, tabloid-esque, right-wing reportage.
But the most controversial aspect of the

CONTROVERSIALLY CANADIAN announcement was buried in the final paragraph: a

single sentence informing readers that the channel
had applied for a three-year Category 1 Specialty
THE POLITICAL FIGHT OVER ‘FOX NEWS NORTH’ TV license.
written by Jennifer Spence // Illustrated by Warren Kong // edited by Meg French
Canada has two categories for television channels,
as regulated by the Canadian Radio-Television
Will Canada become home to the next Glenn Beck? Canadian” station will be a valuable addition to and Telecommunications Commission. Category 1
That’s what some people are worried of following political debate in Canada? Or should we join channels must be offered by all digital cable and
Quebecor Media’s announcement of plans to Globe & Mail and CBC journalists in worrying this digital broadcast satellite providers, which provides
launch Sun TV News, a nation-wide conservative network could be unduly influenced by the slanted a built-in audience and guaranteed income.
television news channel, starting January, 2011. As “infotainment” approach popularized by Fox News? Category 2 channels, on the other hand, do not have
soon as the press release went out, critics of SunTV (Fun fact: The man behind that polarizing, partisan guaranteed cable-carriage rights, and do not have
were quick to label the proposal “Fox News North”, network, Rupert Murdoch, was recently spotted to be offered to all providers; as a result, Category 2
attacking what they believed would be a biased, lunching with a high-powered Sun TV News channels must work harder to gain audience share
propagandistic network, modeled after everything executive.) and revenue streams.
wrong with the American Fox News station.
The truth about this situation, like in all good news The problem with Sun TV News applying for a
As MIT students, what should we think about this? stories, lies somewhere in the middle. Category 1 license in June was that the CRTC
Should we unquestioningly accept Quebecor’s
This political firestorm all started on June 15, 2010, had decided back in March to place a moratorium
promise, believing that this “controversially
on new Category 1 licenses; all stations currently when Kory Tenycke published an opinion piece on continued from page 4
licensed as Category 1, such as CBC News Network September 3; his article, titled “Atwood sells out on your past, telling yourself you should have
and CTV News Channel, would be re-issued as to Yankees,” ran in every Sun-owned newspaper quit while you were ahead, meanwhile you are
Category 2 when their current licenses expired. across the country. In it, Tenycke writes that not going to continue the pattern in the future to try
only did Atwood place “her political agenda ahead to win your money back. Casinos might as well
No surprise: Sun TV News’ application was quickly
of principles and patriotism,” but that the anti-Sun add time travel to their list of amenities.
rejected. Quebecor execs argued that an exception
petition itself was a “farce,” because fictional
should be made for them, as they would be creating When it comes down to it, the casino is
characters ‘Homer Simpson’ and ‘Boba Fett’ were
“an Information & Analysis channel,” which would essentially a subverted bank. You have your
also listed as signees on the petition.
be “a completely new genre in Canada.” The CRTC helpful tellers dispersing money in good times
informed them that as a “News” channel, they were In response, Avaaz.org publically questioned the and taking it back in bad. Transactions take
nothing new to Canada. However, if Sun TV News source of Tenycke’s knowledge of those fraudulent place at every table. Over in a game of Texas
wished to re-apply for a Category 2 license, the names, as the signature list was not publically Hold ‘Em, a bad hand means a “remortgage”
CRTC promised that it would be granted “without viewable. Further investigation revealed that those of funds to stay in the game, while two to the
delay.” signatures could all be traced back to a single I.P. left, a despondent player wallows in their own
address from Ottawa, and that they were all added foreclosure.
But Sun TV News, and Kory Tenycke, refused to
the same night during which Tenycke had written
compromise. Their subsequent application to the The eeriness echoed in George Orwell’s “1984”
his article. Throughout the ordeal, Tenycke claimed
CRTC in August, asked that SunTV be awarded is recreated in the casino through the security
that the “prankster” had tipped him off via Twitter,
a brand-new, (made-up) classification: Category 2 cameras that litter the ceiling, as if Big Brother
but then quickly deleted his account. On September
but with a three-year “Mandatory Access” clause. In brought along sixty “Sister Wives”. You aren’t
14, Avaaz.org requested that the RCMP launch an
other words, a Category 1 license with a different allowed to take pictures with a personal camera
investigation into this “deliberate and illegal effort” to
name. The CRTC saw right through their plan, but and cell phones aren’t permitted at game tables.
discredit their organization.
dutifully scheduled a hearing for November 19th. The reason behind this is to ensure no one is
The next day, September 15th, Kory Tenycke cheating; it seems like another way to break
When news of this lobbying came out, Canadian
announced his effective-immediately resignation communication with the outside world and
media were in an uproar. Rumours swirled that
from Quebecor and Sun TV News. He stated his suspend the hyperreality.
Kory Tenycke was using his Conservative political
continued involvement in the project would only
connections to move the process along; one Globe If this sounds like a crazed babble about a
“further inflame” controversy, and admitted that his
& Mail column, in particular, accused Stephen casino’s corrupted pleasures, let me draw my
actions had “contributed to the debasing of [the]
Harper of pressuring the CRTC chair to resign from gaze back. Windsor’s Caesars Palace can be
debate” over the network. Shortly after this incident,
his position. Despite the fact that the CRTC chair looked at as an entertainment hub. Though it is
Quebecor appointed their new VP of Development:
denounced these rumours as “categorically” untrue, strongly reinforced you gamble, and undeniably
Luc Lavoie, a longtime spokesman for former
the anti-Sun-TV-News media continued to circulate. an ulterior motive for why other perks are
Prime Minister Brian Mulroney. Much like Tenycke,
At the same time, an online petition titled “Stop Lavoie has an expansive network of Conservative offered, this casino brings in entertainment acts
Fox News North” emerged. Hosted by Avaaz.org, connections on Parliament Hill. that vary from David Letterman and Ringo Starr,
an international activist organization, it claimed to Maroon 5 and Chris Rock. With an integrated
Two weeks later, in early October, Quebecor quietly hotel, it acts as a one-stop destination for
that Stephen Harper was using Sun News TV to
revealed that it would change its CRTC application overnight visitors who inevitably support the
“push American-style hate media onto [Canadian]
to seek a standard Category 2 license. They hope economy. Most importantly for Windsor, it’s one
airwaves,” and the channel would be “funded
to begin airing January 1, 2011. of their largest employers, hiring 3,600 people
with money from our cable TV fees.” Over 45,000
signatures were added to the petition within a Throughout this ordeal, both Liberals and who could be jobless without it.2 That’s 3,600
matter of weeks (the current count stands at over Conservatives have behaved like children; they’ve more families that can support themselves in
80,000). Not one of those tens of thousands of reduced valuable political debate to little more than uncertain times.
people, it seems, had bothered to fact-check what name-calling and hurtful gossip. The Conservative- With that said, what do we take away from a
they were signing: the creator’s accusations of backed Sun TV News vows to bring balance to hyperreality that can extend as much harm as
corruption were never cited, and his secondary Canadian news, yet insults their competitors and enjoyment? Although it may be very easy to
claim, that of taxpayer funding, was a complete debases any criticism as their competitors “taking slip into the “What happens in Vegas, stays
misinterpretation of the facts. Regardless, several a shot” at them. On the Liberals’ side, they routinely in Vegas” illusion, the reality is that the casino
notable Canadians, including author Margaret sing praises of free speech laws, yet want to stop is a business that makes money when their
Atwood, added their names to the growing list of this network because of the assumption it will customers lose it. If you truly want to get what
politically motivated signees. promote views they disagree with. you paid for, your best bet would be to pass
Quebecor dismissed the petition, denouncingAvaaz. This is the kind of insanity that we’ve come to over the allure of winning high stakes and tough
org as an “American special interest group funded by expect from America. Canadians are supposed to hands, and head for the buffet; at least your
U.S. billionaire George Soros”—despite the fact that pride ourselves on our tolerance and rationality, and stomach will be satisfied in the end.
Soros, a notable liberal philanthropist, had nothing here we are attacking each other over a television 1 http://tripatlas.com/Hyperreality
to do with the site. Sun News employees then went channel that hasn’t even released any programming 2 http://www.cbc.ca/canada/windsor/
on the offensive: a Sun News Ottawa bureau chief details yet. story/2010/01/29/windsor-sports-
accused Margaret Atwood of stifling free speech, betting-100129.html
Until we can experience the network for ourselves,
and a Sun newspaper columnist published libelous
let’s be reasonable. And hey, look on the bright
and defamatory statements about Soros. (Both
side: even if Sun TV News turns out to be just as
Soros and Atwood are considering legal action.)
biased as Fox News, it’ll just give Rick Mercer more
This escalating battle of ideologies came to a head material to mock on his show. [mitZine v10.i3] 9
NAUGHTY AND NICE
THE MEN’S BODY WASH WAR: AXE VS. OLD SPICE
written by Jonathan Nguyen // illustrated by Megan McDonald // edited by Andie Wright
Hello Ladies… woman in a forest, dressed in a low-cut bikini. We sexy women in skimpy clothing, the ad shows the
see her running through the wild with a determined male viewer how they would be seen in the eyes of
By now, we have all been exposed to the full-fledged
look, furiously searching for something. We also a female if he wore Old Spice. With both techniques,
war between the two largest competitors in the
start to see hundreds of more women, barely the commercial attracts both men and women.
men’s body wash and deodorant industry. In one
dressed and running Baywatch-style. As we see
corner stands the hip and controversial brand Axe, Think about it, guys: the next time your girlfriend
these women conquer the lands and seas of this
publicly criticized by female-advocate groups upset goes out to buy you deodorant, which one would
mysterious place, we finally realize what they are all
over the depiction of women in their ads. According she be more likely to endorse? Old Spice not
racing towards—a man profusely spraying the latest
to ABC News though, Axe still holds over half of only avoids objectifying
Axe product over himself.
the market share with profits of $50 million in the women in their
US last year. In the other corner stands Old Spice,
This advertisement is “Old Spice not only avoids commercial but manages
exclusively targeted
a seasoned brand that has been selling men’s
toward men and to further objectifying women in their to directly address them.
products for seventy years. Recently, Old Spice has
restrict its scope, the Don’t get me wrong; I
revitalized its image with trendy advertisements that
advertisement depicts
commercial but manages love half-naked chicks
have increased its market share by 8% last year
alone and elevated the brand to pop-icon status.
women as primal, man- to directly address them.” romping around in the
hungry beings, which wild as much as the next
Each body wash giant uses different approaches both alienates and objectifies them. The intended guy. The intriguing thing here though is that Old
to sell their respective products. On the one audience, it seems, is a one-dimensional male ego. Spice has managed to use sex as a selling point
hand, Axe relies on sexual innuendos an imagery, while upholding the positive image of women. Old
The Old Spice “I’m on a Horse” commercial is
and as a result, has attracted negative criticism Spice realizes something critical that Axe does
much different in approach and style. Old Spice
for objectifying women in its campaigns. On the not: even though the target demographic is men,
has received accolades that the commercial is
contrary, Old Spice uses the same “sex sells” the female audience should not be in any way
genius and a viral sensation, and the star of the
ideology to not only market its products to men, diminished or ignored. Start taking notes, Axe.
commercial, Isaiah Mustafa, has been elevated to
but to positively reinforce the female image, which
superstar status. Most of us have seen it at least
diversifies its brand more than ever. Ultimately,
three times on YouTube. For those who haven’t (for
through different advertising approaches, both
whatever reason), immediately report to YouTube
perpetuate two drastically different ideologies about
for evidence of its greatness. Old Spice manages
women and sex.
to create an illusion, where the commercial is still
Let’s take a look at two commercials from each marketing to male consumers (after all, it is a men’s
brand. For Axe, let’s review “The Axe Effect product), but Mustafa also speaks directly into the
Women—Billions”. It begins with a very attractive camera to women. Instead of showing dozens of
THE UNILEVER PARADOX
HYPOCRISY IN THE WAY WE GET CLEAN
written by Kim Appotive // illustrated by Liam Grue // edited by Gillian Cummings
Countless advertisements, television shows and
magazines in the media advocate “thinness” as
sexy—the standard which all women are told to
achieve. Only a small percentage of the population
fit this ideal, leaving the rest unsatisfied with
themselves. Based on recent campaigns, it would
appear that advertising is changing to target that
discontent felt by the majority of consumers. But
are advertising companies really promoting a new
body size that can be considered sexy or are they
exploiting the average woman’s concerns to sell
their product? The international company Unilever
proves the latter. Two different products, Dove and
Axe, send opposing messages of what a sexy body
entails. Dove’s Real Beauty Campaign promotes
all body shapes and sizes as sexy, whereas Axe
continues to promote thinness. Unilever owns both
of these products.
Since most women do not fit into the thin standard
of sexy, Dove’s campaign aims to target this issue.
Dove focuses on statistics identifying women’s
self-image issues. Their research states “only 2%
of [women] describe themselves as ‘beautiful.”
The debate on what ‘real beauty’ is focuses mainly
on size. One of the most memorable ads in their
campaign states: “All this talk about fashion
models and extreme dieting. How did our idea of
beauty become so distorted?” These statistics and
statements enforce the idea that there is a strong
correlation between being thin and being sexy. This
prompted Dove to change the face of their product,
introducing ‘‘real’’ women in their ads with captions campaign highlights.
such as “Flawed or Flawless?”, “Fat or Fit?” and
The fact that Unilever owns both products illustrates
“Oversized or Outstanding”? It would appear that
their willingness to use advertising to exploit the
Dove has begun to embrace a realistic standard
average woman to sell a product. There has been
of what should be considered sexy and is one of
an outcry over the company’s dual ownership and
the products that utilizes advertising to send this
the double-standard they have set for women. The
positive message.
Dove research proves that Unilever knew, down to
In contrast, Axe continues to show that men the exact percentage, the amount of women that
perceive a thin woman as a sexy woman. The are negatively affected by being unable to attain the
women portrayed in these ads are the opposite of ‘perfect’ body size.
those in the Dove campaign as they are thin, young
Unilever’s Dove campaign attempts to rectify this
and seemingly flawless. In fact, it would appear that
issue, while the Axe campaign continues to valorize
Axe has an inability to portray ‘real’ women in their
thin women. Unilever sells to women by appealing
ads. On What the Dove, a blogger writes, “none of
to their self-esteem, whereas their methods used
those women are a size eight because size eight
to sell to men contribute to why women have these
women don’t sell sex in the world of Axe.”
self-esteem issues. This proves that Unilever is
Axe’s advertisements suggest that sexy women will willing to manipulate women’s self-esteem in order
be magnetically pulled towards a man who uses to successfully sell products to all consumers. Jim
their product. In one ad, a man sprays himself Nail comments, “Only one in 100 people may know
with the product and turns into chocolate. As he that Unilever owns both brands, but that one person
walks down the street thin women chase after him is likely to be participating in social media.” This is
and touch, lick or bite him in a sexually explicit proof that the company does not want the masses to
manner. This suggests that a man who uses Axe know that their humanistic advertisements tackling
is as irresistible to women as chocolate. The Axe women’s issues with their body image is merely a
user welcomes this attention, as the women he marketing ploy.
attracts are thin and therefore sexually desirable.
The lack of “real” women in these ads tells viewers
that only thinness is sexy, which negatively impacts
the women who fail to meet this unrealistic standard
These are the types of ads that have contributed
to the women’s self-esteem issues that the Dove [mitZine v10.i3] 11
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