The CBC is a successor organization to the Canadian Radio Broadcasting Commission, established in 1932 by the Conservative government of R.B. Bennett.
Succinctly, its mandate is to provide a wide range of programming that “informs, enlightens and entertains.”
Within that mandate it is required to pay attention to a multitude of considerations such as regionalism, cultural expression, official language representation, equivalent quality in English and French, contribute to national identity and reflect multiculturalism and multi racialism. Even Solomon would have difficulty with that tangle.
I enjoy CBC radio very much. It is a medium that is better adapted to deal with the foregoing criteria. It is a cheaper system to operate and covers Canada’s vastness. CBC radio’s share is now three times larger than the audience share of CBC-TV. It should be strongly supported.
I do not enjoy CBC television and have stopped watching it. According to Canadian Media Research, CBC-TV ratings are down to the level of a specialty channel, with five per cent of the viewers. It seems other Canadians are thinking along my lines. Even the highly-touted CBC News does not figure in the top 30 English programs week after week (See Numeris web site). But the CTV Evening News does.
CBC has become irrelevant except to an elitist Toronto group which has captured it. Perhaps others, like myself, are tired of hearing endless cries for social justice, rights for everything and everyone, or the evils of capitalism. Have you noticed the Liberal and NDP signs dancing around the ‘Vote CBC’ ones? Balanced and objective the CBC is not.
So keep CBC radio, dump CBC TV (and save $1 billion or more out of the taxpayer’s pocket) and let the new technological realities proceed.
Nestor GayowskyQualicum Beach
