Today’s Globe and Mail reveals that Senator Irving Gerstein has asked Conservative supporters about the 10 most important National Issues, and one of the questions is whether the more than $1-billion Ottawa spends on the CBC is “good value” or “bad value.”
Hey, I can’t image the true money-sucking Conservative stalwarts across the country would answer this one!
One problem the CBC has, is that a lot of people who have been very strong supporters in the past are perhaps a little cooler toward Mother Corp. now due to the terrible programming decisions – that have been an attempt to popularize programs that have very questionable value to Canadians.
Then there’s the way some important programs slots on CBC Radio have been either removed or turned into pop-radio style programming. And finally, the deterioration of news on both TV and Radio, largely because the top dog people running the service don’t have enough experience in the news business.
Concerning the Conservatives’ so-called “budget process” and deciding that government programs need to be cut – it’s all phoney! In the last budget, they gave billions of dollars to rich people by cutting their tax levels, and gave corporations billions they didn’t even ask for. This set up the situation that Flaherty and Harper wanted – a deficit. Now, for ideological reasons not budget reasons, they can go about and downsize government – one of their main objectives as a government.
As for my part, I worked in many divisions of the CBC for more than 20 years, and I still greatly value many of its programs, particularly As It Happens, The Current and anything done by Eleanor Wachtel. At a time when national broadcasters in many countries in Europe are making a great contribution to national identity, it will be a terrible shame if the CBC is financially starved to death.
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Mixed feelings about the CBC
ReplyDeleteIf I support the CBC, exactly what am I supporting? Is it the morning news at eight that is just a rip and read from that US's propaganda machine, the Associated Press? Is it "The current", that never has another point of view that I can see? Is it the endless repeats of programs that weren't that good in the first place?
Is it Evan Solomon yelling to interrupt guests on Power in Politics? Is it "news stories" that are really gossip because there is no verification? Is it Todd Spencer in charge of news content (God help us)? Is it all the good dramatic programming that they don't have the courage to stand behind?
There are good programs. Dispatches is one and I love Sunday afternoons (I invite guests in on Saturday). Randy Bachman loves his own voice but there is good music on Radio 1.
The CBC has been cutting its own throat for years. When you deal from fear, you lose. Too bad there has not been anyone there willing to go down swinging, at least no one I remember.
A CBC Supporter from Halifax
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