Demise of the CBC: HNIC, movies, Olympics

[ToronToto]

As much as I miss HNIC (Hockey Night in Canada), the CBC has been showing some great movies/films.

Tonight CBC showed In the Mood for Love (Wong Kar Wai), and their recent Saturday ratings from the "Star Wars" are comparable to HNIC.

CBC also lost the 2010 Winter Olympics, and there was a debate about them dropping out of many/most sports telecasts (by 2008).

Discuss.

 

[Esco!]

Yes, but we'll still have Anne of Green Gables!!

 

[zydeco]

If the CBC had to compete without government funding - it would have been gone long ago. Maybe the new George what's his name show will be the answer. Are they serious? Only in Canada!

 

[red]

I think the cbc does a great job. they are not merely worried about the bottom line.

 

[zydeco]

I understand about the CBC's mandate. Unfortunately, IMO there is no relationship between that mandate and quality programming.

 

[zydeco]

Winston, you and I obviously define "quality" differently. Your sensibilities are reasonably transparent. To each his own.

 

[lenharper]

How about Sex Traffic? Human Cargo? This Hour ... DaVinci's Inquest. The Newsroom. Many of these shows have a decent sized viewership and have won numerous international awards (yes often beating american productions)

Sure it isn't perfect there is not enough money in the system to support the number of failures it takes to get a sucess. Look at the radio of commissioned, shot and broadcast pilots in the US system and you'll see it takes a ton of change to come up with a respectable schedule.

Sure there is lots of stupid shit on the CBC but as someone who supports it I gotta say it's stupid to equate the CBC with "Anne of Green GAbles" -- that was over ten years ago. Contemporary adult programming on the CBC is a far cry from the old days -- and it is certainly not as heavily censored as the conventional american networks.

 

[banshie]

I understand about the CBC's mandate. Unfortunately, IMO there is no relationship between that mandate and quality programming.

As others have said, it depends on how you define quality. In the news and documentary arenas the CBC is second to none, IMO.

 

[banshie]

You may be surprised to find out that CAB wants the CBC to be fully government funded, and the CBC stay out of selling advertising.

You know what you get when you do that - The BBC! (That's a good thing, BTW)

 

[zydeco]

I would agree that most of the news programming at CBC is of a high "quality".

 

[xarir]

As far as I know (and I could be wrong) the BBC doesn't broadcast the Olympics. They do carry other high-end events though such as World Cup & European Cup which is analogous to the CBC carrying NHL.

So it's not impossible to bypass the Olympics and still carry very high quality programming. This might not be an entirely fair comparison though as I think the BBC gets more money from the British government than what te CBC gets.

 

[Hamilton Guy]

I'm a current two year CTV employee working in post sound so good for us.

If I had my way the CBC wouldn't even been on the air.

Its only a matter of time before we get hockey too. We have too much money (Bell Globemedia) and too much technology. CTV and TSN in HD and CBC still in standard def for the forseeable future. We have money because we put on shows that make us money and are profitable. Having a Canadian mandate doesn't mean you have to bash people over the head with it. We have the highest rated Canadian Shows (Degrassi, Corner Gas and Idol) because we don't make boring TV...We make shows people want to watch.

The CBC does two things. Sports and News and trust me on this one both divisions hate each other because they both think they are the sole reasons that the CBC is still on the air. Name one show that the average person watches on CBC. If they aren't over the age of 60 they'll say HNIC or The National. Both are institutions that cannot be replaced by the CBC, but they also are stale and unpromoted. Ratings stay the same and the execs are just happy to be employed.

Trust me if CTV (or to a lesser extent Global) had it we'd hype it and promote it like never before. Some purests may say its would 'ruin' it but to that I offer this...When the CBC broadcast the World Jr. Hockey Championships no one watched. TSN (Bell Globemedia) came in with almost no money to buy the bid in the early 90's and in the span of 5 years turned it into a Canadian tradition and one of the most watched sporting events in Canada. CBC as always didn't see its potential and by the time it did it was far too late to act on it because at that time they didn't have the capital to regain the event.

Finally people are saying 'Oh no, No Brian Williams.' Yeah right. He'll see the writing on the wall and jump ship before the CBC sinks. Plus he'll be in his 70's by the time 2010 comes around and who the hell wants to see that bag o bones talking and rambling on.

The CBC has no place in the modern television landscape... I shouldn't have to pay part of my taxes to support a competitor of mine who couldn't make a profit if Rick Mercer found it 'Talking to Americans'.

23 of the top 30 shows all CTV...To quote Dave Chapelle - 'Kiss the rings bitch'.

 

[ToronToto]

Hey Hamilton Guy, we all know that the CBC is outdated ... in many, many respects. We all know that CTV, CITY, Global, CHCH have had more mainstream programming for 30+ years.

CBC still has a niche market, whether it be Hockey Night in Canada, "Canadiana", etc. The point is, if CBC looses some of it's traditional broadcasting (what we think of it), such as HNIC, Olympics, national sports (skiing, curling, track/field) is it doomed?

 

[Hamilton Guy]

Yes, that is why I said without its staples (hockey and news) it is doomed because it can't build up its own programming. Never has been able to, never will. It may have its few political comedy shows but notice the successful ones all revolve around news...Red Green was originally a Global show so once again, not CBC.

Any doc's it plays, it buys from independants. Any movies it plays (movies of the week) are not produced in house. They are contracted out, etc, etc, etc.

Hockey is a money maker and within 5 years it will be gone. Mark my words.

Will it stay around? Sadly yes, because what governement agency doesn't love a money pit. If there's one thing the government is good at its wasting money....

Eventually, Joe Q. Public will realize that if a company can't compete it should die. Its like keeping a dying man on life support. If people are worried about 'Canadian content' that is why we have the CRTC.

The CBC was important in the days of traditional broadcast television from about the 1940's to the late 1970's.

In today's environment of cable, satellite, video on demand, etc. the CBC is a non-entity. It as a corporate entity is still living with the belief that Joe Blow in Churchill, Manitoba or Mr. John Doe in Whitehorse only has the CBC to tune in on the old antenna to get one of 2 channels.

Wrong, wrong, wrong. Everyone in Canada has access to over 300 channels if they so choose.

The paranoia over 'Canadian Content' is also retarded. We aren't going to implode culturally or be rolled over by the Americans. Its like arguing the differences between the UK and Australia. Canada and the US are pretty much the same. Accept it.

Sorry for the rant. I hate the CBC. (Can you tell?)

 

[Ref]

In today's environment of cable, satellite, video on demand, etc. the CBC is a non-entity. It as a corporate entity is still living with the belief that Joe Blow in Churchill, Manitoba or Mr. John Doe in Whitehorse only has the CBC to tune in on the old antenna to get one of 2 channels.

Wrong, wrong, wrong. Everyone in Canada has access to over 300 channels if they so choose.

The paranoia over 'Canadian Content' is also retarded. We aren't going to implode culturally or be rolled over by the Americans. Its like arguing the differences between the UK and Australia. Canada and the US are pretty much the same. Accept it.

Sorry for the rant. I hate the CBC. (Can you tell?)

I'm with Hamilton Guy.

Time to get rid of this waste of taxpayers money.

I learned to hate the CBC years ago when it kept pre-empting "The Bugs Bunny Road Runner Hour" for fucking curling!

 

[bobistheowl]

The CBC is still the number one network among rural Canadians over 65 who use rabbit ears to improve reception.

 

[WhOiSyOdAdDy?]

and they have that wonderful show that I cannot stand.. Coronation Street

 

[yychobbyist]

Nice to see all of you are so hip, happening and now that you no longer need the CBC. You guys just go watch your FoxNews, The Bachelor and Law and Order, and watch our culture head into the toilet even faster than it is now.