CBC - Should it stay or go? - Page 5 - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

Azure · 06-09-2006, 08:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlackEleven

I think they would. You disagree? Do you think more Canadian would prefer the Fox News reporter to the CBC one?

Why do you say the American media? If the CBC doesn't have their own reporters on location (which they usually do, anyway), there are plently of other sources for information than the Americans. You think the only way the CBC can find out what is going on in Iraq is to ask the Americans? If that were true, CBC would be as bad as you infer it is.

The Americans have the major news sources throughout the world. If CBC doesn't have a reporter in Iraq, I would imagine they would get the news from the American media, seeing as how many reporters are embedded with the troops.

And we all know how biased that news can be.

Resolute 14 · 06-09-2006, 09:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

It's easy for people in the cities and towns, with satellite and cable, to want to get rid of the CBC. But there are still many Canadians who live in remote areas and have little income. The CBC is the only thing that keeps them connected to the country. Does it really bother people enough that they would want to take that away from them? For what, an extra couple of buck a year saved on taxes?

If you don't like the CBC, then don't listen or watch. It's a free country.

Except in this case, where I am required to pay whether I wish to support it or not. Frankly, it is not a free country in this case.

Vulcan · 06-09-2006, 09:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snakeeye

Except in this case, where I am required to pay whether I wish to support it or not. Frankly, it is not a free country in this case.

Freedom is a whole other discussion and is dependent on lots of factors. Whats freedom to me would not be freedom to you. We pay for CBC and we get certain benefits for it which most believe is for the common good. I like the benefits and think that it would be shortsighted to lose it.

FlamesAddiction · 06-09-2006, 09:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snakeeye

Except in this case, where I am required to pay whether I wish to support it or not. Frankly, it is not a free country in this case.

I could make the same case on a lot of government spending. It's not tied to freedom.

FlamesAddiction · 06-09-2006, 09:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by White Doors

CTV get's into remote areas too, usually with better reception.

That, I have a hard time believing. I've lived in remote areas on and off my whole life, and I've never had CTV come in better... if it even comes in at all. It certainly does not have the same kind of reach that the CBC has.

Resolute 14 · 06-09-2006, 09:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vulcan

Freedom is a whole other discussion and is dependent on lots of factors. Whats freedom to me would not be freedom to you. We pay for CBC and we get certain benefits for it which most believe is for the common good. I like the benefits and think that it would be shortsighted to lose it.

If most believe that what CBC offers is for the "common good", it will then be reflected in a private CBC's viewership, and therefore revenue. Privatizing the CBC only means losing it if it does not provide a service Canadians want.

And I really have no clue what your statements on freedom mean in the context of this discussion.

Resolute 14 · 06-09-2006, 10:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

I could make the same case on a lot of government spending. It's not tied to freedom.

Then why on earth did you bring "its a free country" into it when you knew full well it isnt?

FlamesAddiction · 06-09-2006, 10:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snakeeye

Then why on earth did you bring "its a free country" into it when you knew full well it isnt?

It's a free country, in that you have the freedom to not watch or listen to CBC if you choose.

Azure · 06-09-2006, 10:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

It's a free country, in that you have the freedom to not watch or listen to CBC if you choose.

Even though we have no choice but to pay for it.

FlamesAddiction · 06-09-2006, 10:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snakeeye

If most believe that what CBC offers is for the "common good", it will then be reflected in a private CBC's viewership, and therefore revenue. Privatizing the CBC only means losing it if it does not provide a service Canadians want.

And I really have no clue what your statements on freedom mean in the context of this discussion.

Not everything that is for the common good has to produce revenue. If it did, then we could say the military is not for the common good.

FlamesAddiction · 06-09-2006, 10:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Azure

Even though we have no choice but to pay for it.

If you are going to say that, then there really is no such thing as freedom anyway.

It would be like saying you are not free because you have no choice but to pay for roads and bridges.

Vulcan · 06-09-2006, 10:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

That, I have a hard time believing. I've lived in remote areas on and off my whole life, and I've never had CTV come in better... if it even comes in at all. It certainly does not have the same kind of reach that the CBC has.

I'll second that. I live about 110 Ks as the crow flies from Vancouver but I don't get any stations from there except on my Satellite. There is no CTV here but CBC has a repeater which I can pick up with an antenna. I can also pick up CBC radio, a local staton and one from the Island, so CBC is kinda important.

Vulcan · 06-09-2006, 10:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snakeeye

If most believe that what CBC offers is for the "common good", it will then be reflected in a private CBC's viewership, and therefore revenue. Privatizing the CBC only means losing it if it does not provide a service Canadians want.

And I really have no clue what your statements on freedom mean in the context of this discussion.

If you privatize the CBC, it would no longer be the CBC as we know it. It would be forced to emulate CTV and import cheap US programming. I think we get enough of that with Global, etc.

You brought up the freedom issue.

Azure · 06-09-2006, 10:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

If you are going to say that, then there really is no such thing as freedom anyway.

It would be like saying you are not free because you have no choice but to pay for roads and bridges.

Difference being that roads and bridges are pretty much a necessity. CBC isn't. Especially with their crap shows throughout the day.

Azure · 06-09-2006, 10:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vulcan

If you privatize the CBC, it would no longer be the CBC as we know it. It would be forced to emulate CTV and import cheap US programming. I think we get enough of that with Global, etc.

You brought up the freedom issue.

Again, why must you bring in "cheap US programming" into every single frickin conversation?

If the people of Canada want to see shows from the US, 24, CSI and such, then they should have every right to show them.

I wasn't aware that CBC was maxing out its viewer ratings with their "Canadian programmed" shows.

FlamesAddiction · 06-09-2006, 10:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Azure

Difference being that roads and bridges are pretty much a necessity. CBC isn't. Especially with their crap shows throughout the day.

Some roads and bridges are necessities, but not all. A great deal of them only exist because people wanted to move to nicer real estate away from cities, ie. the suburbs. It's a luxury. Most are roads and bridges that I will never use, and the majority will never use, but we all pay for them.

And I would also argue that it is a necessity in a country with so much space between some populations, to have universal access to information and media.

Gravitykillr · 06-09-2006, 10:32 PM

If they get rid of cbc which tv channel will then take over showing chilly beach? I say it stays just for that particular show..........

oh and yeah the hockey night in Canada

Bobblehead · 06-09-2006, 10:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snakeeye

If most believe that what CBC offers is for the "common good", it will then be reflected in a private CBC's viewership, and therefore revenue. Privatizing the CBC only means losing it if it does not provide a service Canadians want.

And I really have no clue what your statements on freedom mean in the context of this discussion.

But I view the CBC as a "Public Good". There are many communities who, on their own, will not be able to support the CBC. Global, CTV and Chum are free to target their offerings to the more densely populated regions. The CBC's mandate is, the the best of my knowledge, to provide coverage to as much of the country as possible. It will be difficult for the CBC to cover large regions and break even.
Privatizing the CBC would force them to cut service to remote areas, or go out of business; and in my mind, that would be a larger cost to the nation than what is being paid now.

Resolute 14 · 06-10-2006, 10:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

Not everything that is for the common good has to produce revenue. If it did, then we could say the military is not for the common good.

Allow me to reiterate, since you are jumping all over the place:

1. Government should be in the buisness of providing only essential public services.

2. A television network is not an essential public service.

3. The military is.

Strawman, and a weak one at that.

Resolute 14 · 06-10-2006, 10:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vulcan

If you privatize the CBC, it would no longer be the CBC as we know it. It would be forced to emulate CTV and import cheap US programming. I think we get enough of that with Global, etc.

Why?

Why could the CBC not continue to provide the same type and quality of programming as it does now?

Television is a reflection of what the viewers want to see. If your argument is that the CBC cannot retain its current nature as a private network, then you are also arguing that it is not offering what Canadians as a whole wish to see.

Quote:

You brought up the freedom issue.

Actually, I didn't, but thanks for trying.