ElectionLine’s View From Abroad: CBC News Correspondent Richard Madan Says “Pleasant” Canadians Have Edge Over “Divided” U.S. Networks
26.04.2024 - 13:25
/ deadline.com
Welcome to ElectionLine’s A View From Abroad series, in which we speak with media figures who don’t live in America but keep a close eye on its politics. Every few weeks, these smart observers will provide a unique perspective on what promises to be a fraught and unpredictable campaign for the White House. This week, our interview is with Richard Madan, the award-winning Washington D.C. correspondent for Canada’s CBC News.
When Richard Madan and his crew get out of Washington D.C. to talk to American voters, they sometimes stick a tiny Canadian flag on the viewfinder of their camera. It’s a signal to contributors that they come in peace and Canadian pleasantries — and, by and large, it’s effective.
“When you go into these unfriendly crowds, the second I say we’re Canadian television, any animosity instantly disappears. Generally speaking, Americans have positive views of Canadians,” the CBC News correspondent tells Deadline.
At a time when dividing lines between U.S. networks are etched so deeply and people are raging at the media, this perception of cordial impartiality can be a distinct advantage in interviews. Madan says he saw evidence of this in February during the Republican primary in South Carolina, where he enjoyed a “wonderful dialogue” with people who were being “a bit more guarded” with domestic network journalists.
Madan, who was born in Georgia but grew up in Alberta, has covered the past two American presidential elections up close for Canadian news. At CTV News, he endured a “trial by fire” reporting on Donald Trump’s White House run just months after moving to Washington in 2016. He now works for CBC News, Canada’s public service broadcaster, and thinks the challenges of chronicling U.S. politics