See this poll on: https://poll.fm/1463879/embed
Create your own.
Opinions! We all have them. Find out what people really think with polls and surveys from Crowdsignal.
Opinions! We all have them. Find out what people really think with polls and surveys from Crowdsignal.
I unreservedly and wholeheartedly support the CBC! So far as I'm concerned, our CBC, like Macleans, is a real national treasure! Both are reliable, balanced media that faithfully support our Canadian culture and give us the world's news as unbiased as possible; long live both! To those of you deriding the CBC: you'd only be happy if Canadian broadcasting aped the American network model: privately-owned entities subservient to their sponsor's whims and controls. Ironic, that a nation supposedly built on 'freedom', relies so heavily for its news on some wealthy media owner's determination of what the 'news' is! I'd rather see tax dollars being spent on Canadian-content programming, it serves the growth of the Canadian TV and Film industries; all to the good for our Canadian culture. I'm happy the CBC has the likes of Rick Mercer, This Hour has 22 Minutes, The Fifth Estate, The Hour, Hockey Night in Canada, Marketplace, Little Mosque, etc. On the other hand, if you're only happiest when filling your head with intellectually-neutral pap, then tune in the US networks (PBS excepted)... and please shut up about the CBC. And please shut up you tedious rightwing wonks... the CBC's supposed left-wing bias is such a pantload! Others have already spoken eloquently about the sane and sound reasons we ought to support the CBC. I agree. Those of you wanting it torn down are incapable of seeing the importance of having a broadcaster devoted to the public interest. Indeed, every country needs a reliable public broadcaster, free of corporate control, AND yes, even changes in governments - Canadians are blessed with one of the best!!
After reading the comments I see that the CBC has been referred to as both right and left leaning. I'd say they are doing their job. As someone who lives in a rural area I would be lost without them as local radio and newspapers are awful and American television is a wasteland. One only needs to look at the ignorance of the American public about world affairs to realize that a public forum on the news and issues of the day is important if not necessary. We need to protect what we have. It will be a lot harder to get it back after it is dismantled and we find we cannot live without it.
The CBC, especially the TV part, is a bias left wing organization. If it was balanced and reported without bias then I would be in favour of more support, however, that is not the case. You only need to watch Peter Mansbridge's body language toward Harper vs Obama, Layton and Ignattieff. Also the CBC tends to focus more on USA issues than on Canadian issues. For example, CBC spent more than 30 hours (radio and TV), covering Obama's 6 hour visit to Canada, however, it has barely mentioned that Harper's visited the USA along with a number of other ministers. What was the out come of these visits over the last 2 months? Finally, do we really need the News World TV Station? Do we need the National News which is usually only 3 to 4 items and if you had listened to the radio all day, a repeat? Do we need the whole TV Programming? I sure hope that the world does not think that "Little Mosque on the Prairies" and "Being Erica" represents Canadian Culture. I am sure that Canadian culture could be better served without this TV media. CBC radio is interesting but once again starting to repeating it self and showing its' left leaning tendencies. Also after they moved to FM is hard to receive in remote areas. A AM band for talk radio would serve more people in our remote northern areas.
CBC is having excellent programing and, I think, they are essential for overall Canadian info field. Private companies are too much "money" oriented and greedy and information is way too much right oriented to be considered objective.
CBC is nothing more then a propaganda machine for the left, tear it down.
Government has several important roles: defence, protection of public health, international relations, rules to protect Canadians from those who would take actions that harm us and our environment. Government does not belong in media AT ALL.
I support the CBC and I like the public channel from the States.These stations at least have programs that show some intelligence.But CBC radio could uae a boost of some sort.A lot of their talk shows are fairly boreing
I support it without giving it a second though. Some people are so against it though that I feel in order to balance out the "hate" against it there needs to be more people in favour for it.
The bottom line is I feel we need a government sponsored station that doesn't have to adhere to the lowest common denominator. Regardless of whichever spectrum you believe it's on, a publicly, Canadian owned broadcaster is necessary. They may not get it right all the time but at least their only concern isn't money.
I'd listen to CBC if they started playing some freaking PROGRESSIVE music. Nobody does that anymore!
Without CBC we will gradually lose Canadian Content and independant opinion. The only programmes to survive will be from the major U.S. Networks with their much larger advertising revenue. Our private networks already show many U.S repeats.
Fix cbc funds as a Percent of GDP to keepit independant of Political Parties.
I would be lost without CBC Radio One and Two. Intelligent, thoughtful, entertaining and most of all unique. Try it with an open mind someday.
Before getting any extra money they need to seriously look at wasted money and for sure there is plenty!
Listen to C B C-T V- nightly-- 9-or 10 O'clock news. Like the idea of being able to choose what time I can watch -it. the at issue pannel-- most interesting-- Rex Murphy-also--& watch a few others. However it should not be a public enterprizes-- make it private-- & see if it survives! why should we subsidize one station & not another! Don't listen to any of it's radio content--but their news hour explains things exsplicitely--where-as-other channels-take bits -clips & pieces -of -the whole story-& leaves the viewer in limbo-wondering what the last answer would be!!! Why not have a vote on it????
Have listened to CBC Radio for years almost to the exclusion of anything else. Now that I live in Victoria I find I like the NPR Programming too--good music.
About CBC television I am lukewarm really dont get much that"s not available on the American channels. and CTV does a pretty good job.So much TV is utter garbage wherever it originates.
Radio 1 is generally a good listen excepting of course the Sunday phone in Cross country check up God what a waste of air time! I would love to see Radio 2 expanded ,presently its under publicized I dont even know where it is on the dial!! or anything about its playlist except its supposed to be a relief from the top 40 and actually plays some classical music. WHAT A NICE CHANGE THAT WOULD BE.
As to the political stance of CBC I dont find it excessively left wing, a little on air opposition to the predominant "World View" of Most of todays opinion or editorial media is healthy i believe. In Sum I vote we make CBC Radio 1 and 2 superb and let CTV take up everything that is worth saving CBC Tv.
CBC is Canadian.I lived in United Kingdom for 26 years and followed the BBC all my life and watch it grow to a huge audience around the world.I lived in Canada now for 26 years and enjoyed CBC programs.it does not matter who in control of this Government their always going to be cut backs,but who suffers we do the Canadian people.let the Canadian chose what type of programs their like.Make like PBS and support it that way in a 50/50 partership with the Canadian people.
I don't oppose a public broadcaster. I just oppose them getting more money when things are tight. I also oppose their progressive bias, but that's another issue altogether.
I am a strong supporter of the CBC - and would even be prepared to pay extra to maintain it. Without it we will be totally absorbed - culturally - by the US broadcasts.
I'm sorry but the CBC is NOT liberal biased. this is just the typical republican-style ploy to make themselves look like victims. The people with the money decide what gets put on air more than anything but at least with a public broadcasting we can diminish that. At least a bit.
I am retired military of 32 years. I fully support the CBC. Anyone calling the national broadcaster left wing and communist cannot fully understand free speech. As others have said, our neighbours to the south are very ill informed about world events. Many Americans say thank god for the CBC because that is how they find the real truth. Most other countries (except the US) have publicly funded national broadcasters, this is how the general public is kept informed about world and national current events. No, I am neither a left winger or a communist.
BM.
The ultra-right wing CBC should be unsupported by a moderate right-central government like the Conservatives. Any broadcaster that allows broadcasts about imaginary sky-friends (such as the Mary Hines program Tapestry on Sunday) and lets David "Axis of Evil" Frum hoist a "news" program, is fast approaching support for the Falange. SHut them down and replace it with some good socialist teaching programs.
Quoting Turkey railing the CBC for "blatant support for Suzuki and other climate change alarmists, with constant harping on the climate change agenda throughout all of their national and local programming."
You mean climate change alarmists like scientists around the world? You mean the things they're saying like the polar ice caps are melting? You mean like London England has barriers against flood waters on the Thames right now, which will now have to be built higher or the tube will be flooded out?
I say, we need all the information on climate change the CBC can provide, as counterbalance to all the Ostriches out there!!
A few years ago I would have voted "Yes", since I really enjoyed listening to CBC Radio Two. However, since the programming changed radically, I now never listen to Radio Two. I do tune in to Radio One when I'm driving, and if it's some locally based programs, may listen. The national talk shows are mostly such egotistic drivel, that I quickly change to my CD player. As far as TV is concerned, the in-depth news coverage is good, much better than any private broadcasters give us. However, Newsworld is a joke. Mostly, when I turn it on there's some program about antiques or some other totally non-news program. CTV Newsnet is much better as an all-news channel.
I know people inside CBC and a chronic problem with CBC is the bloated administration of the corp and every time money gets tight they cut programming. One CBC personality told me he'd like to stand at the door of CBC and greet everyone coming in, asking them exactly what they do. If they weren't directly involved with programming they would be fired.
Time to purge the fat from CBC!
As a Canadian who has been living in the USA for the last 5 years, I have come to understand how great Canadian Television really is. The CBC has way better content than the trash TV and obsessive/compulsive news propaganda proliferating over the airwaves in the US. Here I watch the BBC where I can find balanced views. If I could get the CBC here I would watch it every day. Canadian culture is very different from US culture. I know, I've lived in both places. Also, it may come as a shocker but Canadian Healthcare is a million times better than what I've experiencedin the US. Embrace our Canadian Culture----do we really want to be Americans?
The CBC has drifted away from its original programming concept of bringing quality entertainment, and in an effort to capture the Me generation has lowered its standards. I would recommend that it take a serious look at the programming and fund raising models used by the PBS and NPR networks in the States. At the moment they seem to be trying to wrestle for market share with the likes of Virgin while also satisfying their traditional mature audience. This breaks the first rule of marketing, "Sell an inexpensive product cheap; or a high quality product at an upper end price. Stay out of the middle ground."
This arrogant, out of touch organization deserves no more of my money. They axe the CBC Orchestra. They remove the last remnants of enjoyable programming from CBC radio - both to the loud objections of their previous loyal listeners. They deserve to be made to make do with the extent of the gifts the taxpayer has already forked over. They have made themselves irrelevant.
One in twelve Canadians actually watch/listen to CBC so let's forget the fantasy of a public broadcaster uniting us all. This tiny minority is very happy to get a heavily biased leftist viewpoint paid for by all taxpayers. There is no balance at the CBC across the board in so-called news, opinion or entertainment programing as any objective observer can ascertain over a few days exposure. Even its cultural programing skews left. If it were balanced, conservatives would watch the CBC as they are dragooned into paying for it. Instead, it is a propaganda organ. It is highly telling that Al Jazeera recruits staff (two so far) from the CBC.
Apart from philosophy, the CBC is a hotbed of union featherbedding and various other corrupt practices like clocking in for absent workers or playing cards on company time. This Augean stable needs to be cleaned out.
The CBC should have been cut loose many years ago. It has, for many years been little more than a mouthpiece for the Liberal party. If it is a popular broadcaster that a majority of Canadians choose to watch, then they will have little diffuculty finding advertising dollars, thus becoming self supporting. On the other hand if they fail to measure up they may thankfully die a quiet, gracious death, saving all of us a great deal of money.
For those who feel it is the "Glue that holds us together", good Lord, if this country and her people are so shalloiw that a left winf fiddleyjit is required to hold us together, we're a nation and a people seriously lacking in self esteem.
Yes, I love the CBC, but think it is time the CBC cuts some of its fat. Not only only on TV programing, but especially on the Radio talk shows. There is so much boring talk on the radio and I would prefer more soothing music in our stressful world.
Jarrid sucks cock.
Maybe CBC should look for volunteers if it claims to have unbiased reproting. Doesn't sound unbiased to me - a lot of liberal leaning programs. And as far as Little Mosue on the Prarie - I agree 100% with Shawn Arney - it's a ridiculous show full of irritating characters & nothing at all like real life. Waste of money. Maybe the producers should take a look at some of the reality shows being produced by our Southern neighbours ( Little House sound familiar??) that are very successful, & do a Canadian version. I like the ones that do some good - like Ty Pennington's Makeovers. Not only do they develope an entertaining, informative program, but they also leave something behind for the good of individuals. Look at how successful Mike Holmes and Debbie Travis have become. I even like Derek Friday's show- so we do have charismatic tradespeople out there. I would much rather see a different location, project & family each week from across Canada, than the stiff, stilted conversations of these fakes on the Mosque show.
Another reality show idea that might be a hit across the border - Canadian Justice - most popular court cases across Canada - with a poll at the end of each show as to how the judge will rule. Show the poll before the sentencing the following week - then see how the judges rules. I am sure that they would be interested to know how some of the ridiculous sentences get passed, & what the judges look like who hand them out. This could be syndicated & sold as a series even - with cases like Vincent Li, Robert Pickton, Paul Bernardo - that defines a nation of nutcases with even nuttier judges.
Following is my letter to the PM and Minister Moore (Moore.J@parl.gc.ca, pm@pm.gc.ca)
Ottawa, 2009_03_18
Dear Prime Minister Harper and
Minister Moore
First, I'd like to call your attention to a Toronto Star poll, dated 15 Mar 2009, in which respondents were asked, whether the CBC receives too much public funding, not enough or the right amount. Half of the respondents with an opinion (i.e., excluding the "don't know" cases) selected the "too much" box. It is well known that in unscientific polls of this kind, stake-holders mobilize on a large scale in order to skew the results; and still, those at the CBC trough were unable to muster a majority in support of continuing their feeding at the public expense! Clearly, the CBC has no public support.
I would point to two reason for this lack of support. First, the people's sense of fairness and common sense dictates that the CBC should have to compete like any other media outlet in our country.
Second, it is clear that the CBC tows a very specific party line and reflects a strong leftist bias. This statement is based on both (i) media reports and (ii) my personal experience. Following is an example for each category.
(i) Honest Reporting (HR) issued documentation recently about the biased reporting of the CBC with regard to the Israeli-Arab conflict. The document, entitled "Quality Control Problems continue at CBC" (http://www.honestreporting.ca/2009/02/quality-control-problems-continue-at-cbc.html) notes the following, among other points:
On February 1 and 2, CBC.ca erroneously reported that there were "no reports of casualties or damage" after 2 rockets launched from Gaza had landed inside Israel. In reality, three Israelis were injured (2 soldiers, 1 civilian) in these attacks.
This type of "error", of which many examples are given by HR, is a result of the CBC mindset which aims to minimize the suffering of Israeli civilians, exaggerate the damage caused to the Arab terrorists who continually shell Israeli civilians, and present Israel in the worst possible light at all times.
(ii) I ceased watching and listening to the CBC in July 2000, because I could no longer tolerate the biased reporting my taxes kept funding. It seemed to me that regardless of the topic being debated, the CBC's opinion of balanced debate consisted of panelists who ranged "from the extreme left to the off-the-map left". Acquaintances, however, forward to me selected recordings of CBC reporting, all of which seem to justify my boycott of the CBC.
In summary, based on Canadian values of fairness and free markets, I urge you to cease providing the CBC with further funding.
ohhhhhh there we go again!!!!!!! how much longer will we have to support something that no one wants??????? the CBC is so old and so overrated.... old man running it, who have no idea that the world has evolved!!!! YAHN
However, i do like some of the programming. I would suggest a system like PBS. It's fair and you, who love the CBC would/could keep your precious white elephant and support it at the same time. Now all of us (canadians) support something that only 35% of the population wants or needs.
AND....... with the economy in a little bit of a slump, CBC should be able to support itself! So much of public money goes into a small venue... do the math!
healthcare needs and will only survive with more public money and we all need health care!!!!!!
I sure hope our government sees the light and does something about this waste of public money!
The government should match the per capita funding with BBC. People are entitled to a commercial free CBC but lets bring in more Canadian content including much needed local programming in the form of discussion panels, forums etc of public interest and concern. Let's face it,sustained informative and informed shout free programs discussions cannot be found on commercial radio very often.
Canada does not need a national broadcaster. Now that Air Farce is gone, there is nothing worthwhile left to watch (hockey maybe when the Leafs are doing well).
I gave up years ago on getting any sort of unbiased news reportage.
CBC radio is okay but not necessary, and then only if it sticks to what it does well (cultural programming).
If we must have the CBC let it compete on an equal playing field with other media outlets for advertising dollars.
I'm one of the 'Those opposed' that EM is refering to. What an intelligent comment. Or not.
Amusing that you make judgements on me based on information you invented. If you don't know me, how could you say if I voted for Harper
? Actually, I vote Liberal. But if it makes you feel better, I voted for Harper many, many times just to make you angry and bitter. And I'd vote for him again. 'There's the rub'?? Oh, yeah, that hurt a lot!
And your asinine remark about 'brown people'. Where did that come from?
I watched Little Mosque On The Prairie on You Tube. Wasn't funny. I could see it working if it were just a 5 minute sketch. But stretching out one premise over several episodes gets a little tired. Do I lack a sense on humour? Maybe and maybe not. Check out the You Tube comments. Most of them negative. Check them out now and see for yourself.
My name is Shawn Arney and that's my real name. I'm not hiding behind and alias.
Maybe you're the Human Rights Commission trying to stir up racism?
Anyways, I haven't heard very much about a REAL life msque o a prairie and I suspect that one doesn't really exist. Am I right or am I wrong? I guess 'investigative journalism' would be helpful in uncovering that.
My contention is that the CBC wastes other peoples' money. I wonder what the cost/social benefits are to setting up actprs and film crew at the taxpayers' expence. I don't care which minority they're from. It's a complete waste of money and we should get very, very angry about that. People should get fired. I mean it. So should the people at the Human Rights Commission.
Lastly I want to say this: If you cannot make a profit on your programming, then you are wasting money. If it's my money, I will not support you.
Speak out, people! This has got to stop.
Even though I abhor the new CBC Radio programming and miss the calmness of their former musical agenda I believe that it is our National Lifeline to other parts of the country and it would be a very grave mistake to be stingy with funding and risk losing this vital connection with our fellow Canadians, at home, in the U.S., or abroad. There are definitely programmes worth listening to, but I find that there seem to be fewer than there were prior to their recent changes. We need another Peter Gzowski, broadcaster extraordinaire.
Of course we shouldn't give more money to the CBC! We should give it to large financial corporations and auto manufacturers, like they did in the United States.
The CBC presents Canadian voices to Canadians in both official languages and a variety of Aboriginal languages as well. Who else is going to do this for us? Perhaps we need more of the American perspective on the Economy, Foreign Relations, Trade, and more Dance and Reality Programs as provided by our private broadcasters.
My mother said you always get what you pay for! In these tough times we ought to buy Canadian!!!
I believe we should increase funding and at the same time try to encourage Canadian content on the CBC. I received good quality employment at a fair price only to have the show cancelled because the CBC said its budget suffered because the leafs did not make the playoffs so they axed 3 new shows. This show then was picked up in the States and became so popular that now they have reconsidered and are now shooting a second season Funny how we had to get our big brothers approval before we had enough confidence to invest in a second season.
I'm with Jarrid...
Although I know the discussion is re. funding for the television arm, my beef is with CBC-Radio.
I cannot count the number of times I have found this national treasure/national travesty relating highly biased, liberal-left viewpoints and giving unqualified support to the Liberal Party, while being overly hard on conservative viewpoints and the Conservative Party.
Among the worst offenders are Anna Maria Tremonti and Michael Enright.
Further, despite the amply available countering views on man-made climate change, the Corpse seems to be in the tank for their own agenda on the matter. This shows up as blatant support for Suzuki and other climate change alarmists, with constant harping on the climate change agenda throughout all of their national and local programming. How about a little balance, folks?
Regarding CBC-Radio, let's do a LOT of housecleaning, and turn this turkey around to a truly balanced, thoughtful news source representing all Canadians and not just the Liberal Left.
Failing that, I would not be too unhappy to see the CBC-Radio service shut down.
Cheers?
Keep the CBC Radio and re-organise the TV regular system.
If someone likes to watch the CBC ( Communist Broadcasting Corporation) they can support it with their own money, not the taxpayers. The taxpayers can save a billion dollars every year for ever if the government would sell or scrap the leftest CBC. Let it compete for addvertising dollars like the other TV and radio stations and get their hands out of our pockets
CBC television is mostly an abomination displaying political bias and distorting or advancing one-sided liberal commentary on news, domestic and international. Viewed at the best of times by no more than 8% of the potential Canadian audience, I believe this subsidised Toronto centric broadcaster is more divisive than a force for unity across this once great land.
It's Canadian content programming is usually boring and lacking in production values. It's messaging is trite, often non-factual and patronizing and smacks of social engineering of the worst kind offered up by the same tired, unattractive talking heads we've been exposed to for the last 30 years or more.
Such an organization should not exist in a democracy. Sell it off, now.
CBC should be given the boot. It does not represent tax paying Canadians. Too much coverage to special interests and a waist of tax dollars.
I am amazed at the percentage of people who do not wish to support increasing the budget for the CBC. Perhaps they have no sense of national identity to which both television and radio contribute greatly in news broadcasts and other programmes. Perhaps they lack interest in music that lasts longer then three minutes or has skill of composition and performance (although in the recent past the persons who are programming CBC Two, aren't doing their best job). Perhaps they like television filled with violence and gore and poor writing or reality shows usually produced by our neighours to the south.
I am Canadian and proud of it. The CBC is a contributing part of who we are as a country and reflects this persona beyond our geographical borders. The controversy around increasing the budget for the CBC has been going on for a number of years. It is increasing apparent that the Harper government would like to get rid of the CBC completely. To stop supporting the CBC by not giving it enough money to carry out it's programming is extremely short-sighted and will greatly harm the connection we now have from coast to coast. We need to increase the support to the CBC to allow us to continue to have a level of programming that we can all be proud of.
Those opposed know that CBC programming exposes their own biases (to a sitcom that reveals 'brown people', moslem Canadians living lives similar to the rest of Canadians, Shawn??!!?!? Obviously your life lacks the humour part, I think.) Opposed to intelligent newsgathering and investigative journalism? Opposed to the majority of Canadians who did not vote for the Harperites? Aye, THERE's the rub.
The CBC is the "glue" that holds Canada to-gather.They need adequate funding to be able to produce well researched and timely programs.
Other networks, all owned by US corporations by the way, will tell us who was in an auto accident or who had their house catch fire, usually due to smoking, but only the CBC will give us the real important national and world news. Without the Canadian CBC we would become as ignorant about world affairs as the average person living in the US.
Little Mosque On The Prairie.
I believe we need to do whatever is necessary to support the CBC. The CBC offers a unique perspective of Canadian issues that is not limited by such interests as those of media conglomerates whose programming depends on advertising. For example, Canwest communication network involves the Pacific newspaper group (The Vancouver Sun, The Vancouver Province as well as some community newspapers), HGTV, Global TV and a long list of others. What happens to the voices of homeowners whose interests are subsumed by those of such builders' registries as the Homeowners' Protection Office which advertises with the Greater Vancouver Homebuilders Association about 'restoring confidence' to promote the sales of homes and create a false sense of security about homeownership protection? Who will explore relevant issues if the media's operating budget relies upon toeing the company line of its advertisers?
For many years, I have appreciated the variety of perspectives and educational content of top-rate CBC documentaries. The CBC has no equal.
I am a bit surprised at the many people supporting more funding for the CBC. You can like the CBC and still think they need to tighten their belt in a time of serious economic difficulty. I think fewer dollars would cause a deep "rethink" which could quite possibly result in a better, more focused and relevant service.
The CBC is just a left/lib propaganda machine. It needs to be reformed to become more credible. Right now it just caters to the left-wing fringe and ignored by everyone else.
What programmes are you talking about Shawn? That could mean anything.
The CBC gets just over a billion bucks a year-- that is a drop in the healthcare bucket as far as funding goes, so it's good value for money, if you aren't opposed to the concept of having a public broadcaster.
Public-owned media is not necessary; AND far too expensive to boot! That money could be reverted to health, for one.
They should absolutely NOT get any more money. And we should continue to speak out against their programming. I think everybody knows the programmes I'm talking about!
Shawn