[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by John Doe

So, just make it a news channel? How would it then promote Canadian artists, etc.?

The CBC is the only reason that shows like SCTV, The Kids of Degrassi Street, The Kids in the Hall, etc. ever got to be successful. If it was left to the private sector, these show would not have the resources to develop into what they became. There are a number of quality (in my opinion) shows that were broadcast on CBC (Road to Avonlea, This is Wonderland, Becoming Erica, He Shoots, He Scores, etc.) that have had varying degrees of success, as well as a number of poor quality (again in my opinion) shows (Little Mosque on the Prairie, Air Farce Live, etc.) that were surprisingly somewhat successful. Most of these shows would not have been broadcast nationally without the CBC.

There are over 30 million people in this country. How many are really watching those shows and how many really benefit from it? Road to Avonlea could be the greatest show ever made but if only 2% of the population is watching it what's the benefit to taxpayers as a whole propping it up?