2011 Canadian Election Thread

[Addick]

Originally Posted by Azure

Someone on the private side could easily supply exactly what CBC offers, and probably better.

Then why hasn't someone stepped up and done exactly this?

[TopChed]

Originally Posted by Addick

Then why hasn't someone stepped up and done exactly this?

Why would they? The CBC doesn't make money, otherwise it wouldn't require public funding.

[Calgaryborn]

Originally Posted by Addick

Then why hasn't someone stepped up and done exactly this?

They have with everything that is profitable like news and sports.

[Flamenspiel]

Originally Posted by Calgaryborn

I think Harper should force CBC to hire some conservative commentators. Appoint someone like an Ombudsman who would report on the balance of the reporting within CBC and if it doesn't change then cut funding.

Another option is the government could target the funding to CBC to support the native culture stuff and possibly Canadian content entertainment and let them compete with everyone else on the rest.

There is an http://www.cbc.ca/ombudsman/contact.html. I have complained about some some articles and they actually have acted upon them. That being said, because of the funding threat to the CBC its natural for them to be more left leaning, its a matter of survival. I've detected that in the BBC as well and other public broadcasters(US Public radio).

One thing I found humerus is that on election night, if switched back and forth between CTV and CBC, the leading and elected for the PC party was always less by a few seats.

That being said, Peter Mansbridge is an excellent anchor and some of there other people are very talented.

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by evman150

Ripping on a network for not calling the election result in an orderly manner?

Unreal. Ironically, it's called being "conservative" in their coverage. Nobody wants a repeat of the 2000 US election.

Neo-cons will complain about anything.

You lost. (not as an NDP supporter but as an anybody but CPC guy)

Badly.

Get over it.

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by Addick

Then why hasn't someone stepped up and done exactly this?

I am gonna guess its because each and EVERY year...they start ONE BILLION dollars behind?

Just a guess mind you.

[Vulcan]

The way I look at it is, you are not going to find many if any big business's looking to establish a left leaning broadcasting network or news channel. It's against their self interest, so we have the CBC which should try to give another side of any story.

Of course, we have MSNBC in the States but their large population allows bigger budgets with more advertising money, so leftist journalism becomes profitable.

[Cscutch]

I don't mind the CBC has a whole but they shouldn't have the Bold and Documentry Channels, they should sell those assets off or cancel them.

Keep CBC and Newsword, the 3 CBC Radio channels.

CBC should focus on Canadian content and primtime news, Newsword stay as the same format as well with the radio stations.

[Calgaryborn]

Originally Posted by Flamenspiel

There is an http://www.cbc.ca/ombudsman/contact.html. I have complained about some some articles and they actually have acted upon them. That being said, because of the funding threat to the CBC its natural for them to be more left leaning, its a matter of survival. I've detected that in the BBC as well and other public broadcasters(US Public radio).

One thing I found humerus is that on election night, if switched back and forth between CTV and CBC, the leading and elected for the PC party was always less by a few seats.

That being said, Peter Mansbridge is an excellent anchor and some of there other people are very talented.

Thanks for the link. One thing I can say about the BBC is that they have aknowledged their slant and see it as a problem. Some of their stuff is quite good too.

I guess personally I've been turned off more by CBC radio than their TV stuff.

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by Vulcan

The way I look at it is, you are not going to find many if any big business's looking to establish a left leaning broadcasting network or news channel. It's against their self interest, so we have the CBC which should try to give another side of any story.

Of course, we have MSNBC in the States but their large population allows bigger budgets with more advertising money, so leftist journalism becomes profitable.

If you dont appeal to the majority...you dont appeal to the majority. Doesnt mean if you dont appeal to enough people you can't make money, and i have two words to prove it.

Toronto Star.

Macleans magazine has long been "left leaning" IMO, but they are so good at what they do, it has no relevance to this discussion.

bottom line, whether or not the CBC is left leaning, in the middle, or whacko right....Canada is an advanced enough country that it doen't need ANY publically funded broadcaster. It simply is not up to the MP's to decide whether or not I need another "point of view" even if I agree with the original one.

the CBC served a valuable and important service....up til even 20 years ago. Its time has come and gone.... and gone again. Now it is nothing more than yet another tax on Canadian workers.

[Calgaryborn]

Originally Posted by Vulcan

The way I look at it is, you are not going to find many if any big business's looking to establish a left leaning broadcasting network or news channel. It's against their self interest, so we have the CBC which should try to give another side of any story.

Of course, we have MSNBC in the States but their large population allows bigger budgets with more advertising money, so leftist journalism becomes profitable.

CTV is also a little left of center. You would think a free market would give people anything they want. Sun network is gambling big time that there is enough Canadians who sit a little right of center and that they will tune in. That was a business decision; not a political decision.

Right now Bell is refusing to carry the Sun network. Sun news has filed a complaint against them. They claim that Bell is just trying to protect CTV which Bell owns from competition. Again a business decision.

[Vulcan]

Originally Posted by transplant99

If you dont appeal to the majority...you dont appeal to the majority. Doesnt mean if you dont appeal to enough people you can't make money, and i have two words to prove it.

Toronto Star.

Macleans magazine has long been "left leaning" IMO, but they are so good at what they do, it has no relevance to this discussion.

bottom line, whether or not the CBC is left leaning, in the middle, or whacko right....Canada is an advanced enough country that it doen't need ANY publically funded broadcaster. It simply is not up to the MP's to decide whether or not I need another "point of view" even if I agree with the original one.

the CBC served a valuable and important service....up til even 20 years ago. Its time has come and gone.... and gone again. Now it is nothing more than yet another tax on Canadian workers.

I believe they serve a useful purpose, you don't and don't seem to believe in any government subsidized business. I think we are so overrun with American culture, it's good to have a Canadian subset and I am willing to have my tax dollars go for it, even if they often have problems creating Canadian entertainment shows, I really like their documentaries and sports.

With you living in the States, I think you may lose track of this fact and aren't really in a position to comment with any authority.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by Calgaryborn

CTV is also a little left of center. You would think a free market would give people anything they want.

Based on popular votes from the past generation, it seems that the majority of Canadians are left of conservative, so even if both networks show favour away from the conservatives, it would seem that the free market is working as intended.

For the record though, I think CTV leans more right than left, but like the CBC, they are still more or less fair.

[Calgaryborn]

Originally Posted by Vulcan

I believe they serve a useful purpose, you don't and don't seem to believe in any government subsidized business. I think we are so overrun with American culture, it's good to have a Canadian subset and I am willing to have my tax dollars go for it, even if they often have problems creating Canadian entertainment shows, I really like their documentaries and sports.

With you living in the States, I think you may lose track of this fact and aren't really in a position to comment with any authority.

I live in Canada and I don't want tax dollars going to the CBC if they can't be more balanced in their coverage. Even if they can I do wonder if the money couldn't be better spent.

[metallicat]

I don't think Macleans is left leaning anymore at all. You can argue that they went that way a bit with Coyne endorsing the Liberals, but they've been fairly conservative/middle of the road for awhile now.

[Vulcan]

Originally Posted by Calgaryborn

CTV is also a little left of center. You would think a free market would give people anything they want. Sun network is gambling big time that there is enough Canadians who sit a little right of center and that they will tune in. That was a business decision; not a political decision.

Right now Bell is refusing to carry the Sun network. Sun news has filed a complaint against them. They claim that Bell is just trying to protect CTV which Bell owns from competition. Again a business decision.

That's one side of the argument, the other is that Sun is an OTA broadcaster and so can't charge for their services. Bell doesn't want to pay and seem to be legally right. According to BEll Sun removed it from Bell. Sun claims they are a specialty channel but I don't believe they have yet been approved by the CRTC to be re-classified. When and if they are you should be able to pay your money for it.

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by Vulcan

I believe they serve a useful purpose, you don't and don't seem to believe in any government subsidized business. I think we are so overrun with American culture, it's good to have a Canadian subset and I am willing to have my tax dollars go for it, even if they often have problems creating Canadian entertainment shows, I really like their documentaries and sports.

With you living in the States, I think you may lose track of this fact and aren't really in a position to comment with any authority.

How is that ivory tower anyhow? Taxpayer subsidized?

I have thought that the CBC was unnecessary for the last 20 years or so...but I bow to your "authority" because you live above an imaginery line on the map.

You rock!

Ohand BTW...I can watch the CBC at any moment, of any day i choose to...i got this cool little metal thing they call a satellite dish.

It's nifty.

[Calgaryborn]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

Based on popular votes from the past generation, it seems that the majority of Canadians are left of conservative, so even if both networks show favour away from the conservatives, it would seem that the free market is working as intended.

For the record though, I think CTV leans more right than left, but like the CBC, they are still more or less fair.

Perhaps if we end up with a 2 party system you could say that with some certainty. If you excluded Quebec The Conservatives gained over 50% of the vote. They did this even though there was more options on the left than the right.

Quebec probably will vote left of center normally but, who knows. In the next Federal election the NDP's platform will recieve a lot more attention. The other parties won't be able to protray the conservatives as an extreme right party who would destroy Canada anymore. The conservatives for good or bad will be known. One benefit Quebec has had with the conservative minority is a respect for Provincal rights and authority. That might be a little more attractive to them then the controlling ways of the left.

[Ark2]

Originally Posted by Calgaryborn

Perhaps if we end up with a 2 party system you could say that with some certainty. If you excluded Quebec The Conservatives gained over 50% of the vote. They did this even though there was more options on the left than the right.

Quebec probably will vote left of center normally but, who knows. In the next Federal election the NDP's platform will recieve a lot more attention. The other parties won't be able to protray the conservatives as an extreme right party who would destroy Canada anymore. The conservatives for good or bad will be known. One benefit Quebec has had with the conservative minority is a respect for Provincal rights and authority. That might be a little more attractive to them then the controlling ways of the left.

I don't think Quebec is necessarily left or right of centre. They vote for the party that bribes them the most. From a political party's perspective, they are like a high class whore. Throw some serious cash at them and they will be yours for one night and one night only. The other provinces are the kind that you have to build relationships with. You have to take them out, show that you are a decent guy, the kind that can support them and offer stability.

[Calgaryborn]

Originally Posted by Ark2

I don't think Quebec is necessarily left or right of centre. They vote for the party that bribes them the most. From a political party's perspective, they are like a high class whore. Throw some serious cash at them and they will be yours for one night and one night only. The other provinces are the kind that you have to build relationships with. You have to take them out, show that you are a decent guy, the kind that can support them and offer stability.

Did you just call French Canadians loose amoral people??