It Never Ends
Filed Under: Canadian Affairs
Here we go again. It’s bad enough the CBC has become this country’s largest welfare recipient despite it’s abysmal ratings now a new report by the Liberal dominated Senate suggests we should make it a truly public broadcaster.
A Senate report on the state of Canada’s media will recommend that CBC-TV become a truly public, commercial-free broadcaster, The Canadian Press has learned.The CBC proposal would mean the federal government would have to boost the corporation’s almost $1-billion annual budget to make up for the loss of advertising revenue. The CBC currently makes about $400 million a year from ads, which the report recommends be gradually phased out.
Did you read that last sentence? Not only do we spoon feed this white elephant a billion bucks a year if the Liberals have their way we’ll on be on the hook for another $400 million yearly! And to think I’ve been going on and on about how the People’s Network should be privatized. God help us all.
More from Blogging Tories member Dr Roy’s Thoughts.
Technorati Tags: CBC, public broadcasting
4 Comments so far. Click here to join the discussion!
Steve
As with anything government does, it is a question of getting value for our money. I am not fundamentally opposed to the notion of a public broadcaster if it gives voice to a diverse range of viewpoints, including marginal ones.
But here the record is not encouraging. First, they turn the marginal into mainstream, to the exclusion of other, particularly conservative, views.
Second, rather than complement the existing private system, they compete head-to-head for advertising dollars for mass audiences, displacing bread-and-butter content such as the news. Radio-Canada is particularly guilty of this. Bumping the news for some American shlock, as recently reported, is typical.
If we are to get value for the billion dollars taxpayers already give them, let alone another 400 million, then the government needs to make them accountable.
I would suggest that the government provide secure long-term funding at 60% of the current level. A longstanding gripe of CBC supporters has been that the practise of giving the CBC annual allocations prevents long-term planning. Fair enough.
But any funding beyond that amount would be contingent upon meeting agreed upon benchmarks, among them critical acclaim, international sales, audience share in niche markets such as public affairs, diversity and neutrality. All this can be debated.
Ultimately, what is needed is a real culture shift that makes the CBC accountable to Canadians. It will take time, but it must happen. We deserve better.
Jun 21st, 2006
Len Kutchma
“First, they turn the marginal into mainstream, to the exclusion of other, particularly conservative, views.”
I know that those on the left argue the only reason we right-wingers dislike the CBC is for the aforementioned reason and that if the People’s Network espoused conservative values we’d not gripe and perhaps in my case that may be partially true on some subconscious level but truth be told I oppose the notion of a publicly funded broadcaster. But you do raise some very valid points. Well said.
Jun 21st, 2006
Vulture 6
Huh, a media outlet that lives off the public teet Good thing (PBS) that we (PBS) dont have (PBS) that here.
Jun 22nd, 2006
Len Kutchma
Hahahaha Vulture6!!!
Jul 2nd, 2006
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