What Do You Call A $200 Million Cut To CBC Funding?

113 Replies to “What Do You Call A $200 Million Cut To CBC Funding?”

1. NOW the’re getting messages from Mickey Mouse in Hooterville.
   HMMMMMMMM..

2. Cheering a possible $200m cut to CBC’s annual funding is like cake. Yummy.
   Compiling a list of suggestions WHERE those cuts should be applied is going to be icing on that cake.
   Perhaps some web-savvy cheerleader could start an online list, you know – “Fiends of the CBC” or some such. All for eventual submission to the CBC, of course.
   Suggestions:
   Neil Macdonald
   Heather Mallick
   Sue Ormiston

3. This just in: Friends Of CBC Website “hacked”!

4. Harper doesn’t need to waste political clout on the CBC, it will die a natural death.
   The digital era in the US has opened new doors for the traditional broadcaster. The Multi-casting of standard definition programming using the Hi-Def spectrum “may” result in >16 programs per broadcasting station. That would more than allow ALL the Sports packages, produced by Network, to be broadcast by a single affiliate. Think NFL Sunday Ticket.
   The Cable advantage will diminish & new programming ideas will be enabled.
   I guess the CRTC may prevent Canada from taking part (liberal traditional graft) & its not clear how far the FCC will go but starting in Feb we have 4 (four) multi-casting Channels, per Broadcaster, approved.

5. Oh look, financial statements:
   http://www.friends.ca/About_Us/contribution
   http://www.friends.ca/files/PDF/FCB-FS07.pdf

6. I have asked this question before and would like your feedback.
   Do the posters here actually get any responses from the Conservative party or its staff, MPs etc.? I have emailed, mailed, voice mailed questions to MPs like Jason Kenney, Flaherty and Day, spoken personally to his staff and used the contact on their webpage and have never received a response!
   As I live in Toronto I have no Conservative MP but my Liberal one responds to my emails as does the NDP party.
   I get bombarded with funding requests and always send the letters back, though I am a party member, saying nothing further until I get a response in some format…crickets.
   What say you?

7. Phillip, CBC would have died a natural death were it not for the fact that they have been receiving a free nine-hundred million a year out of our taxes. Because they have guaranteed revenue, rating, or competition, are non-issues. And there’s been no repercussions to their constant campaigning against the Conservatives and, by extension, conservative Canadians.
   To the Friends of CBC, even a recession is no argument against this waste of money. Ian Morrison says “These are extraordinary times. Our national political scene is unstable, and our economy has slipped into a recession….” This, in defense of spending billions on an LPC-promotion network that insults Conservative voters non-stop, coast-to-coast on their own dime.

8. hey joe! where you goin with that baloni in your hand? i enjoyed your message; it was positively, er, giddy

9. lookout: I actually can’t bear The Vinyl Cafe: Stewart McLean’s “uptalk”—every statement sounds like a question—is SO Valley Girl
   Most interesting. Like, I was just thinking about how much Julie Nasrallah (sp?) with her 5-hour classical music show (10-3) is, like, SO not enjoyable with her studied valley-speak.
   And this Rich Stirfry at 3pm with his studied dropped-r faux-folksiness drives me nuts too; the new meme seems to be: let’s be as amateur sounding as possible and/or let’s be hip. Chic proletarian?
   TIP: In my car, I’ve got CBC2 on button 1 and the French on button 2, to which I switch as soon as Stirfry gets a cookin’. There you will get adult men with deep voices and Parisian accents spinning very tasty classic jazz.
   Vinyl Cafe? Is that the guy who does the Jimmy Stewart impression? If so, he drives me nuts too.

10. Vinyl Cafe with a plastic host.

11. MND, yes, he’s the Jimmy Stewart/Garrison Keillor wannabe? (Hey, now I’m doing it too?)
    Julie Nesrallah: I so agree? I wrote some emails to the CBC blog site* about their dumb new programming and said some nasty things about her Valley Girl impersonation. And, DID you know that her favourite time of the day is LUNCH? Who the heck cares. I never listen to stir-fry . . . If I knew how to program my car radio–maybe my husband can do it!–I’d try the French jazz.
    *In the first week after CBC 2 ruined its programming, it got over 1000 hits–about 98% just furious about the changes. I’ll bet just about no one goes to their site now. What full of themselves losers. Do they care? NO!
    A very Merry Christmas to everyone here!

12. I agree with Me No Dhimmi,
    I prefer radio for us regular folk, like Newstalk 650 where they tell us the weather every 2 minutes, or C95 where we can here the latest news on Paris Hilton, or hot 93 where i can here some fine country music. I don’t need none of that big city radio with jazz and classical music. That’s queer music. Yup, I don’t need to open my mind up to new things i prefer the same old mindless drivel…….I guess why I love this website so much.

13. Dave,
    After that Polish guy got tased to death in Vancouver, I sent Stockwell Day an email. He responded in just a few days, with what I thought was a brush-off about having to wait for the inquiry. However, after the inquiry was finished, without any prompting from me, I received a 2 page email from Mr. Day laying out in some detail the official summary. I still think the results were unsatisfactory, but I can’t fault him for his responsiveness. I’m sure it was a staffer who wrote it, but I guess that means he’s trained his troops well.

14. Now, if CBC went the way of PBS and asked for donations, I’d probably send some money their way, provided they showed anything worth watching. Heck, even reruns of The Junior Forest Rangers. Has Joe Two Rivers worked since then or is he up in CBC’s executive floor?

15. Thanks Kevin, maybe I will have to shower more often to get a response.

16. 200 million cut, it’s a start.

17. morrison, a disgrace to the clan.

18. Speaking of CBC Radios 1&2, one evening last week I got a phone call from BBM conducting a survey of Ottawa-area radio listening habits. After we went through the list of available stations and I related my listening habits (CFRA most of the day, can barely receive it after sundown – thanks CRTC – every French station in the Ottawa Valley comes in loud and clear 24/7, however), they came to the point and I’m guessing the true purpose of the survey. Did I ever listen to CBC Radios 1&2? I mentioned that I did occasionally on Galaxie (satellite TV), but couldn’t stand the boring chit-chat. If I want to listen to classical music, there are several Galaxie channels and I don’t have to listen to some pretentious bore.

19. One other thought, watch for them to cut one of the most popular programs they have, what ever that is on CBC, so there will be a flood of protest. An old tried and true method to stir up the natives and muster support against this dastardly deed by the Conservatives.

20. CBC has a small and diminishing audience, but until recently, much of it was a loyal audience. Then came the programming changes at Radio 2. Along with the loss of much of the classical and jazz programming came a “new wave” of simply silly hosts.
    Most of the formerly loyal audience that I know are now saying things such as: “Why would I complain if the government decides to throw CBC under the bus? After all, CBC just threw its most loyal audience under the bus.”
    Yes, the little things that once provided a small recompense for tolerating Peter and the rest of the prima donna cultural marxist clan are gone. They did it to themselves, folks; they alienated the few listeners who might have defended them. Well, other than the coalition of weasels, who probably started this rumour in the first place.

21. I have a crappy MP when it comes to answering my emails.
    I have sent her 3 or 4 over time to express myself about whatever it was. Never once got a response. Not once. She does hold town halls 5 or 6 times a year, but she or her staff should take the time to at least send a thank you email.

22. Jeopardy was a 7:30pm staple at my house.
    Now all Jeopardy shows are from a CBC feed, no matter what channel you watch on Rogers cable.
    CBC purchased the show for millions, even though it was available free to all Canadians before that.
    The first two times I tuned in, I got the obligatory CBC lefty talking head lying to me during the commercial.
    Sigh, I no longer watch Jeopardy.

23. “One other thought, watch for them to cut one of the most popular programs they have, what ever that is on CBC, so there will be a flood of protest.” – Western Canadian
    They have popular programs? I mean, other than hockey.

24. I get Jeopardy from some CBC outlet in Peterborough, wherever that might be, and I just mute the commercials. I think most of them are for local businesses anyway, so they would mean nothing to me.
    I agree that CBC should raise their funding through public donations in the same way that PBS does. I probably would not contribute since, except for Jeopardy I do not watch TV (I only have cable because my wife watches the nature shows). I didn’t even watch the Grey Cup this year since I was not subscribed to the tier that carried the game, (CBC copped out on that one).

25. CBC radio.
    You may already know this, but if not:
    Check out cbc.ca/radio, see, New at Radio 2.
    They’ve got 4 new internet music streams running with zero chit-chat.
    Classical / Jazz / Canadian songwriters / Canadian composers [mostly avant garde I think].
    You need only bookmark one. When on that site there’s a handy switcheroo thingy “Select Channel” to go to one of the other streams.
    Excellent. Dialogue box shows composer, title, artist, label, disk # for selection now playing.

26. I dont allow CBC in my home.

27. “They have popular programs? I mean, other than hockey.”
    We don’t even watch hockey on CBC, or anywhere else for that matter. The only reason to turn on CBC is Doctor Who.

28. Not watching Jeopardy because its on a CBC feed is pretty hard core. I have the same problem, that its CBC no matter what channel I watch it on.
    I used to listen to CBC radio in the morning on my way to work because it is commercial free. I eventually stopped because my blood pressure couldn’t take it. I now listen to John Oakley on 640 AM Toronto, or Bill Carrel on 1010am Toronto. Oakley is a dude.

29. What Do You Call A $200 Million Cut To CBC Funding?
    Not Enough.

30. Warwick said, “Now they’ll think I support the trough-wallowing commies.”
    No problem, just be sure to send your MP a real e-mail telling your real intent. It will helpful in establishing the credibility of all the other e-mails.

31. If the Snear Bee Snear wants to keep it’s funding, then get real and give honest media coverage.
    Not the leftard bull Sh#t they produce now.
    Tjat sum should be just a start, I can see some budget savings already.

32. The Mike Duffy vs: the John Liberal-Hack Duffy moment: (tried and tried to find the video – must have been too embarrassing for CTV’s “opened journalism” !
    [ An act designed to destroy their political opponents has somewhat backfired into their faces making them look desperate and mean spirited.
    What’s worse is that we now have a Duffy vs. Duffy moment here… What I’m talking about is a confrontation that happened between legendary CTV election reporter Mike Duffy, and the Paul Martin’s right hand man John Duffy over The Ad That Never Ran TM.
    “You were in here earlier when we were off the air on a commercial break trying to intimidate me into not going back to that ad,” said Mike Duffy, his voice rising in indignation. “We will not be intimidated. We will do our jobs as journalists.”(link)(video)(via)
    Mike Duffy is said to be a Liberal supporter, and was once in line towards an appointment by the Liberal Prime Minister into the Senate. I’ve never seen a moment like that on Canadian TV before. Mike was steaming mad. If there is one political lesson the Liberals should take from this is never tick off Mike Duffy.] Backoffgov.com

33. First off .. wgy stop at $200 million?
    Second … Friends of Canadian Brodacsting The CBC …. are probably feeling a lot like Olivia Ciao today …. will the there be a report of conservative “hacking” of their email system
    Waiting……………….

34. Dave – I’ve sent two e-mails to my Conservative MP. John Duncan. The first one was answered personally by him and the second by a staffer indicating my mail had been passed on to him.
    Regarding the CBC, it most definitely should be restricted to services where there is no commercially viable competition, like the high Arctic.

35. That’ll teach me to not read the updates first. I had to look up Brad Trost on google so I could send him a retraction. Cut all the funding. I wished him a merry Christmas too, so there.

36. A lot of comments on this thread with respect to the quality of the programing, which is missing the point. It doesn’t matter if you like the shows or not, you are FORCED to pay for them. If you like them, and enough other people do too, the programs will be made for another network. If there are not enough fanx, then why should it be done with tax dollars?

37. A lot of comments on this thread with respect to the quality of the programing, which is missing the point. It doesn’t matter if you like the shows or not, you are FORCED to pay for them. If you like them, and enough other people do too, the programs will be made for another network. If there are not enough fanx, then why should it be done with tax dollars?

38. 1: Sorry for the double post, dial up issues.
    2: DaveCF: what have you got against the high arctic???

39. Sudbury has a great morning radio show, Morning North. Very popular, very in tune with the community, and non-partisan. I enjoy it.
    Anything coming out of Toronto CBC can be chopped.

40. So the tits are doing fine, but the asses seem to be faltering.

41. I didn’t rely on the FOC to do it for me. I googled my local, Liberal, MP’s e-mail address and sent him this:
    The Friends of the CBC have informed me that the Harper Government is going to reduce the budget of the CBC by roughly 20%; $200 million.
    I write you to encourage this, and demand even further cuts, as I do not want to pay for people to watch TV. I do not watch CBC and should not be forced to pay for it.
    Obviously, various identifying bits of this e-mail have been edited out; but, you should always be public in your e-mails to MPs. Anonymous is ignored.

42. So, I called the number and left a message to the effect that the FOCers should campaign to buy the CBC from the feds for one (1) dollar and run it themselves; and I would support their campaign. Then, they get what they want, and I don’t have to pay for it any more.
    Seems reasonable to me. If the FOCers want to have the CBC, let them have it.
    Margaret Blatwurst can have her own nightly for all I care. At least we won’t get any more CBC GGs.

43. Hey, I terminated my TV feeds. Full stop. $90 per month for stuff I didn’t want. Senseless. I listen to the radio. The only CBC show I listen to is teh Saturday Morning Politics Now, which even is becoming tiresome; probably will stop.
    The pro-liberal establishment crap this channel exudes is indefensible; it would only be allowed in countries like the UK and USA, as government channels. (Oh, so tghey are).
    Let them eat rice or earn bucks; no more of tax payers’ money for them.
    CBC for the FOCers!

44. Yahooo!! Now how ’bout those damned Human Rights Commissions.
    Go Harper!!

45. Weasel Farmer, you hit the nail on the head. CBC does have good programs. Those who oppose privatization seem to think CBC would sink into oblivion. I don’t happen to think they would. The only thing that would happen is they would be forced to provide programming that people actually want to watch and, like you say, people who have no use for them wouldn’t be forced to pay for any of it.
    All Hail the Harper Government!!!!

46. Here in Ontario we have both the CBC and TVO, a public broadcaster funded by the provincial government. (Oh, and TFO, its French twin.) This has always seemed like redundancy. And here’s the thing – TVO is turning out to be the better channel, at a fraction of CBC’s budget. They don’t purchase U.S. programming to simulcast, and don’t have commercials.
    How, precisely, did this happen?

47. It’s not just that the CBC’s programming is consumed by less than 2% of the population, it’s the bloody fact that they have never been audited independently. Who the hell knows where that $1.1 billion goes every year. Let’s look at the CBC’s management structure. Let’s look at their business partners and dealings. It’s not just the 5 star lifestyle and $1 million bonuses at Christmas time (divided by less than 8 deserving senior managers) or even the political patronage or liberal bias, it’s $1.1 billion plus additional revenues which go who knows where. No accountability + no viewers = no more money. The CBC has become a bloated bureaucracy which exists to launder tax dollars while defeating conservative ideology. Shut it down.

48. Just checked my old hotmail account, and have a nice thank you note from “Friends of CBC”. They even attached a copy of my note, which they obviously didn’t read. They asked for a donation. I’m guessing this was as much an exercise in fundraising as a campaign to support the CBC.
    Why does the CBC need a support group anyway? I can understand why PBS has a “friends of” group, since they rely on public funding. The CBC gets every penny from the government. This group is obviously some kind of scam.
    One more thing, since I responded to this request I’ve been having a few glitches with my laptop. I hope this wasn’t some sort of ambush.

49. For people who say they dislike the cbc…you sure seem to know a lot about it? I haven’t owned a television set in more than 15 years. Don’t have a clue what cbc tv is about and don’t care. What I do care about is having to support the corpse with my taxes. I have an internet radio, xm sat radio and listen to private broadcasters on terresterial radio. I think morrison was fear mongering, making sure the cbc wasn’t touched in the January budget. After what happened to Harper in the Oct election he has no appetite to cut cultural subsidys.

50. For people who say they dislike the cbc…you sure seem to know a lot about it? I haven’t owned a television set in more than 15 years. Don’t have a clue what cbc tv is about and don’t care. What I do care about is having to support the corpse with my taxes. I have an internet radio, xm sat radio and listen to private broadcasters on terresterial radio. I think morrison was fear mongering, making sure the cbc wasn’t touched in the January budget. After what happened to Harper in the Oct election he has no appetite to cut cultural subsidys.