EDITORIAL – City’s latest video sounds like a partisan plug for council
Mayor Ken Christian prides out of City Hall in City video.
An editorial byMel Rothenburger.
IT’S STILL EARLY IN THE WEEK and everybody has a right to feel a bit crabby early in the week so here’s my beef for the day.
I happened to come across the latest video from City Hall as I was browsing, and checked it out. It annoyed me.
Produced a couple of months ago by Joy Factory Films, it has vague similarities to one that was made quite a years ago featuring an original song by Kamloops musician Henry Small. That one was truly inspiring and left you with a real sense of the lifestyle and aspirations of the city.
The difference between the two is that while the original sang the praises of Kamloops, the new one spends too much time singing the praises of City council.
It’s supposed to be about the City’s strategic plan, but barely mentions it. Mayor Ken Christian does a decent job on narration, but there’s a lot of unnecessary braggadosio, including claims of “bold leadership” and “leading by example” and so on.
Surely, we can agree on objectives but it’s purely a matter of opinion whether City council is providing bold leadership or leading by example.
The video also talks about “accountability and relationships” being council’s top priorities but later says “safety and security” are the top priorities.
The images are of various scenes in and around town but the video doesn’t forget to show us City council hard at work..
Here’s my complaint. If money is going to be spent on a video — and it’s not necessarily a bad idea — then shouldn’t it be about the council’s objectives and never mind bragging about “bold leadership” and such?
This one looks and sounds very much like a partisan plug for the next election.
Mel Rothenburger is a former mayor of Kamloops and newspaper editor. He publishes the ArmchairMayor.ca opinion website, and is a director on the Thompson-Nicola Regional District board. He can be reached at mrothenburger@armchairmayor.ca..
And a shrewd observer may well ask…an example of “bold leadership”.., where can it be found? Maybe that relatively newly crafted self-serving promotional office and dubbed community communication and engagement? I mean Kamloops is a relatively tranquil place to live, gifted by immense natural beauty but what are we doing to be classified as bold leaders? Following trends ain’t bold leadership. Providing for “lip service” ain’t bold leadership.
Honestly, these videos make me gag. I’m not a fan of cheesy promotional videos, you know, the warmed up, fluffy, unimaginative stuff, where local luminaries beat their chests about how great we are. Furthermore, I don’t see the need to assiduously follow business formulas preached by cadres of MBAs where we must brand and promote thyself. Nope.
It sure is only a matter of opinion and what would the mayor say anyways? Conceding the obvious that senior staff is truly in charge?