why is CBC so bad.

[Samurai Joey]

I personally feel that the CBC news and documentary programming on radio is more than respectable (I am especially fond of As It Happens, Cross Country Checkup, and Ideas). I am also fond of the classical music programming on CBC Radio 2, which is an effective competitor to 96.3FM (the other classical music station).

I can't really comment on the quality of CBC television, as I have not watched anything on CBC in years -- my primary source for news on TV is BBC World News and the PBS Newshour, with occasional forays to The Agenda on TVOntario. I also seek my news from multiple sources on the Web (BBC, CBC, CNN, the Economist, PBS Newshour, NPR, the Globe and Mail, the Toronto Star, Al Jazeera English, etc.)

 

[Mervyn]

I think it's because they've never had to compete with anyone.

 

[Celticman]

CBC television is only partly publicly funded, that's why they have commrcials. And that's why it isn't as good as the BBC, they still have worry about pissing off advertisers.

I do not want to see it funded in any way from the public purse. Sink or swim on merit. And if the CBC can swim on merit, financially self sufficient, then by all means try telling the public what the CBC thinks is meritorious. I agree with some of the posts attesting to quality shows from CBC, but they should not be funded by taxpayers.

 

[bobistheowl]

The CBC prides itself on being the number one television network among rural pensioners who don't have cable, for the 65th consecutive year.

Honestly, only hockey turns a profit from their broadcasting schedule. Last year, they stopped airing Jeopardy! weeknights, because it was too expensive. Apparently it was within the budget of CHCH-11.

Too much of the budget goes into non creative; bureaucrats, appointees, bloated pre '80's levels of middle management. The television industry doesn't lend itself well to smug tenured positions.

They also have to be inclusive in their programming now. Once they would air quirky sitcoms like Twitch City and The Newsroom that had bigger artistic credibility than viewing numbers. Now they air sitcoms designed primarily to not offend anyone.

 

[alex52]

Alex, before you ask why CBC is so bad, why don't you tell us why you think it is bad? As you may guess, I'm a fan of CBC news, on TV and radio. I've read Rick Salutin's opinion piece linked to in this thread. While I accept some of his points (eg. coverage of celebrity news on the National), I completely disagree with others (eg. his suggestion that the panel discussions are a means to save money). He also ignores the excellent group of correspondents that work for CBC news.

But I'd like to hear what you have to say about it. Why do you think that CBC news is bad?

Look at the number of excellent BBC programs on wned PBS. I watch American PBS most of the time. The national on CBC has ten minutes of news then the rest is padding. Look at the news on BBC world which I subscribe to, they have correspondents in all of the major countries.

 

[Rockslinger]

Bunch of loony liberal lefties at the CBC.

 

[my2cents]

Let all broadcasters get off the public tit not just CBC. People always bash CBC funding from taxpayers but are silent about the multi millions of tax dollars given to other broadcasters film production companies. So why does everyone stop with just CBC? All broadcasters and film makers should have to make it on their own and get out of the publics pocket. The only thing is that other media outlets are silent about their tax breaks, tax credits, tax grants etc they all jump at. Yea let CBC go on its own, but also stop channel swapping on cable when a Canadian Broadcaster has the same show on then maybe we can see the American commercials during super bowl.
If the Canadian Broadcasters want a Canadian broadcast license let them produce Canadian programs on their own if they want to just re broadcast American programs then simply sell that broadcast license to any broadcaster in the world who will pay more. Oh yea thats right the Canadian broadcaster has the law on its side since foreign ownership of media outlets have to be predominantly Canadian owned. Not one of them scream about free enterprise when the laws protect them from foreign companies competing. In fact Sun media now wants people to complain to the CRTC to force cable companies to carry their channel. What happen to free enterprise that the Sun goes on about. Its very simple if people want the Sun Network cable will carry it.
Why is Sun Network now wanting the CRTC to impose Sun's Network will on the public. So much public money is given to media outlets that people are unaware about. I want all media outlets out of my pocket. I am tired of the one sided argument about public money going to CBC when that concept is pushed in their programs etc against CBC. However they will run to the public purse when it suits them also. So what is being said is dump CBC give the money to us. Forget it, end it all, no one gets public money in the media and open our licenses up to foreign ownership, wonder how many media outlets will wrap themselves in the flag and demand for the government to protect them then.

 

[staggerspool]

I like CBC radio a lot. I think the news is as well balanced as can be in an age when news must include celebrity gossip and business related propaganda. I don't see it as dominated by the left, I think it is simply not oriented solely around the needs of capitalism and consumerism, as so much of the private for-profit media is. I think we need media that doesn't have to sell its bottom line to advertisers who wish to have complete control over their public image. There are a lot of us who don't want to be involved in capitalist/consumerist bullshit all the time, we like to listen to thoughtful commentary and have different ideas and perspectives presented for our gainful consideration.

The present CBC is a shadow of what it was, and even less what it should be. This is because it has been starved, and now has to bow to the money lords and their puppets, the "consumer" ("I need more crap in my life!")and the "taxpayer" ("Don't ask me to pay up! I need my money to buy more crap!") A lot of real people (shall we call them "citizens"?) want media to help them understand their lives and what is happening in the world, and I know that they are happy to pay for the CBC because it contributes to that project. They are certainly happier to pay for it than they are to pay for business entertainment writeoffs, public subsidies to profitable businesses, etc. And of course these things cost a lot more than the CBC does.

 

[groggy]

Everyone defending the CBC is focused on the news. OK, so I agree, the CBC news programming is actually quite respectable. But I challenge you to sit through an episode of "Little Mosque on the Prairie" without wanting to shoot yourself.

The problem with the CBC is that it tries to get/set cultural norms using tax dollars taken from the pockets of Canadian taxpayers. It's not so much public television (funding is contributed) as it is state-run-television (funding is taken) which smacks of banana republics and former soviet-bloc countries.

Culture that cannot survive does not deserve to survive and the idea of the government using my tax dollars to explain my culture to me is just plain offensive. The despots in Quebec shouldn't be legislating language, and the CBC shouldn't be using my tax dollars to produce shit in the interests of promoting some asshole civil servant's vision of Canadian culture.

We're a very young country relative to most of our neighbours. I remember a long time ago I was talking to some lowest-common-denominator from the US who was making fun of the FLQ crisis. My response was "well when your country was roughly the age of this country you were in a full-scale civil war. Relatively speaking we're doing quite well at this stage"

We're Canadian, give is time and we'll figure it out - without the CBC picking our pockets to tell us what's Canadian.

That's what is wrong with the CBC.

I don't know the show, but I do know that its been sold around the world.
Its done fairly well for the network, even if you don't like it.
There are lots of shows I hate that are popular, but they are still popular.

 

[michael_to29]

I was travelling in Europe and in one country the only non-news English Channel I had was BBC2. It was definitely a lot worse than CBC.

 

[wigglee]

Then why do the private Canadian networks produce almost no original drama, current affairs (beyond the day's headlines) or comedy? Oh...did I forget ET Canada??? Where is the barfing icon? At least CBC tries and some of it is pretty good despite being gutted by Harper. The fact is, without funding Canadians will just recycle American shows and we lose the cultural identity and unity that shows like Fifth Estate, Republic of Doyle, Heartland, 22 Minutes and Marketplace deliver. Does Mansbridge strike you as a radical leftist?

 

[splooge]

I think they do what they can with what they got. But, with public funding comes a lack of regard for accountability. sell the CBC private and productivity will emerge.

 

[wigglee]

I think they do what they can with what they got. But, with public funding comes a lack of regard for accountability. sell the CBC private and productivity will emerge.

Bullshit.....what has emerged lately from CTV or Global besides recycled American crap?

 

[my2cents]

I think they do what they can with what they got. But, with public funding comes a lack of regard for accountability. sell the CBC private and productivity will emerge.

I want to go one step further sell off all media licenses or production companies that gets one cent from Canadian Taxpayers. All media outlets are a business like any other taxpayer funds a broadcast license and protective Canadian laws should not be their business plan. However I am sure we would hear from even the most conservative broadcaster if selling CBC also meant a true stop to all media funding for Canadian taxpayers. "Privates" want their cake and eat it to, get rid of CBC as competition but still give us the Canadian tax dollars and Canadian broadcast license we have been used to. Drop all funding out of my pocket to these media companies, allow true foreign competition like every company has to deal with and watch the crying would begin from them.

 

[Boss Nass]

bullshit.....what has emerged lately from ctv or global besides recycled american crap?

^^ this!

 

[Boss Nass]

I do not want to see it funded in any way from the public purse. Sink or swim on merit. And if the CBC can swim on merit, financially self sufficient, then by all means try telling the public what the CBC thinks is meritorious. I agree with some of the posts attesting to quality shows from CBC, but they should not be funded by taxpayers.

The reason the BBC is better (in fact, the best on the planet) is precisely because it is fully funded. From the BBC you get people like David Attenborough, from American commercial television you get people like Honey Boo Boo. Commercial television has to pander both to advertisers and the lowest common denominator.

 

[ogibowt]

Then why do the private Canadian networks produce almost no original drama, current affairs (beyond the day's headlines) or comedy? Oh...did I forget ET Canada??? Where is the barfing icon? At least CBC tries and some of it is pretty good despite being gutted by Harper. The fact is, without funding Canadians will just recycle American shows and we lose the cultural identity and unity that shows like Fifth Estate, Republic of Doyle, Heartland, 22 Minutes and Marketplace deliver. Does Mansbridge strike you as a radical leftist?

amen

 

[jimmylikes]

Fifth estate and Marketplace are cool....but the drama and other "shows" absolutely stink.....

amen

 

[Art Mann]

Q with Jian Ghomeshi

Best radio on the air

(CBC, Sirius satellite, etc)

 

[train]

Then why do the private Canadian networks produce almost no original drama, current affairs (beyond the day's headlines) or comedy? Oh...did I forget ET Canada??? Where is the barfing icon? At least CBC tries and some of it is pretty good despite being gutted by Harper. The fact is, without funding Canadians will just recycle American shows and we lose the cultural identity and unity that shows like Fifth Estate, Republic of Doyle, Heartland, 22 Minutes and Marketplace deliver. Does Mansbridge strike you as a radical leftist?

It tries and fails miserably. Without hockey CBC went months without having a single show in the top 30 ratings in this country. Not a single show!

Do you know what their top rated show is ? Coronation Street a British import.

The public has spoken pretty clearly on the CBC over a number of years. They just don't appreciate what the CBC produces. Is there a worse show on television than 22 Minutes ? It was decent 10 years ago but it's just sad now.