Why would over 1,500 readers write to Globe and Mail television critic John Doyle about changes to the news programming at the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation? Because he asked for it. But who are these people? And what do they want him to do about it? Participation in a live online chat today was bound to meet with more enthusiasm than colleague Andrew Ryan breaking out the CoveritLive contraption for a real-time play-by-play of David Letterman’s first show back after the blackmail affair revelations — even though the show had been taped six hours earlier. “Harrison” was among the first to pose something to Doyle: “I’m a 16-year-old and while my generation might have a short attention span and a capacity for sensory overload, I think this new format went too far. Especially when you’re [sic] core audience is older than myself, I don’t think they’ll take too kindly to the visuals, graphics, and audio clips.” Nice of him to have such concern for his Globe-reading elders — but why wasn’t he in school at 1 p.m. on a Tuesday afternoon? “Cliff” chimes in: “John, you mentioned how everyone has fair criticism free from bias. Is it safe to assume that you don’t have a bias either with your hammering of CBC and propping up of CTV? Considering CTVglobemedia signs your paycheques” CBC executive vice president Richard Stursberg feels the exact same way! “Kim” noticed Doyle was taking a little too long to answer the increasingly hostile inquiries: “Do us a favour and remove the ‘live and interactive’ description. This is neither.” And the critic’s response? “I’m typing as fast as I can.” However, eight days into the first week of complaints about the CBC News Network, a more compelling conversation for the Globe would have surrounded Defence Minister Peter MacKay getting engaged to Jana Juginovic, a conspicuously fast-rising CTV News executive currently on leave for a Harvard media fellowship.