CBC vs Quebecor

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by Daradon

If you want corporation run news, ask the US how that is going.

argumentum ad nauseam

You keep pretending that dumping the CBC will result in US-style news, as if repeating it over and over and over will make it true.

Tell me, is CTV News "US-Style"? What about Global? If you answer yes, explain why. And, given you are so worldly, please show examples from across the country to support your position.

[CaptainCrunch]

This is the thing, right now, I watch CTV Newsnet on channel 50. They do a great job of reporting the news, they've been very balanced on their specialty shows like Power Play where they make sure that they give the major parties equal time.

They are far far superior to the CBC coverage, and they don't cost me tax dollars.

You can't tell me that there si some corporate shill bias with CTV, it doesn't exist. Meanwhile CBC will pick their enemies and grind them down ala Quebecor and Rob Ford, and use their considerable resources to attadk them to make their point, see spending their money to bring in that unfunny thing Mary Walsh to camp out on the mayor of Toronto's lawn and rush him.

I don't see Global's so called corporate bias when I do watch them.

It seems like the supporters of the CBC keep leaning on the whole AHHHHHHH we'll have a bunch of fox news stations up here without the bastian of Canadian RealPolitic the CBC here to shield our delicate sensibilities.

Yet the defenders of the CBC really fail to either realize or ignore that the CBC is its own corporate shill and is doing nearly exactly what Fox for example does in the states, not to the same extreme, but CBC has their own agenda and they proudly promote it and call it news.

So I would have to say that if people were honest with themselves, CBC has lost its objectivity and lost their mandate.

They tried to arrogantly block Sun-TV (I don't watch it but whatever) based on the concept of defending Canada from the right, well who the hell appointed them as guardians. Then they went to war with Quebecor over it and opened up the budget can and arrogantly stated that the way that they spend our money is none of our business, then they blatently lied and misled on their website about Quebecor funding and actually called it investigative journalism.

During the elections you could openly see that they were upset that the Conservatives beat their Liberals.

On top of that George Strompawhatever, decides to throw a massively expensive celebrity party, not to get footage or document, but because he wanted to feel like a rockstar and Canadian's got 0 value out of it.

On top of it, they have a competitive advantage in terms of bidding for events because they're subsidized, they produce incredibly terrible and low rated shows that in the scheme of things are creative failures that should probably die and be replaced (because thats how things work in the real world).

And they suck up tax dollars like a vacuum, they get 1.6 billion dollars and continue to cry poor because they're badly managed.

I keep hearing from posters that if we let it die we'll end up like the states with a bunch of right wing stations handling the news for the corporations. Give me a break.

That alone is not worth saving 90% of what the CBC is doing now.

Gut it down to a news service, fire everyone in the executive offices. open up the books, and if you want the extra stuff then do what PBS does in the states and ask for donations to prop up terrible programming in the name of Con Can.

And no, the give it all this money because we believe the alternative is worse is no excuse for spending that kind of money.

[Rathji]

I am greatly concerned that if support for CBC is removed that my grandparents will have to choose Global or CTV to watch the news.

[CaptainCrunch]

You could put an aqurium in front of most old people and they wouldn't know the difference.

[East Coast Flame]

How much do the rights to HNIC cost? I would imagine that is a sizeable portion of their budget right there.

I definitely see a need for the CBC in this country, but it is hard to argue that what the CBC has become is providing any value to this country at all.

Slash the budget, make it transparent, let TSN take HNIC (they would do it better anyway) and have an entire focus on news and radio.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by East Coast Flame

How much do the rights to HNIC cost? I would imagine that is a sizeable portion of their budget right there.

About $100 million a year, and profitable. That $1.6 billion is completely to subsidize crap nobody cares about, like George Strombolopobolololus' ego.

[Devils'Advocate]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

This is the thing, right now, I watch CTV Newsnet on channel 50. They do a great job of reporting the news, they've been very balanced on their specialty shows like Power Play where they make sure that they give the major parties equal time.

Of course, someone with a bend to the right might think that CTV is "balanced" and "doing a great job". Most FOX news followers say the same thing about their favorite news source.

[CaptainCrunch]

I would call it more balanced then CBC.

Its just that simple.

and if they're so unbalanced why do they give equal time to all parties on Powerplay, why did they give equal time to all of the candidates during the election, in fact let me take that back, CTV news net gave more time to Jack Layton during that election then they did any other party leader.

And comparing CTV to Fox, you've fallen far Advocate.

[VladtheImpaler]

Just rename it 3CP1 and then we can enjoy such wonderful programming as "What Fits Into Mother Russia?" and "Tibor's Tractor". I think it would an improvement over the current fare...

[CaptainCrunch]

See I would watch that.

[Cowboy89]

A couple comments:

1. I actually listen to CBC radio, a lot more than I ever previously thought I would. I find that they do in fact fill a void in programming when it comes to news and current affairs issues. No one else does hour long programs devoted to subject matters that aren't front page urgent news. Sure they have their slant (As everybody does consciously or not), but I typically don't take it right at face value and I still find it beneficial.

2. We don't need our tax dollars bidding up the price of hockey coverage or Olympic coverage for other businesses in Canada (Ie. It is completely unfair for taxpaying entities like TSN or sportsnet to have to compete for bidding on Olympic rights or NHL rights with a subsidized government entitiy). I also don't think there is really an arguement that there is a gap in the marketplace for Olympic programming or NHL hockey coverage that the government needs to fill.

3. Despite me enjoying listening to CBC radio and the odd TV program I certainly do not believe it's worth the ~200 bucks a year I implicitly pay for it (Seriously, would you pay $200 a year for any collection of 3 radio stations and 2 TV channels)

[troutman]

I wonder if CBC could operate like PBS. Perhaps we don't have the population base to fund a public network like that.

[CaptainCrunch]

They probably could, but there would be no more rockstar parties, and more of a Canadian Version of MAsterpiece theatre.

[Stranger]

I remember watching CBC when the conservatives got their majority. The whole election panel looked like someone ran over their dog.

[Stranger]

Originally Posted by troutman

I wonder if CBC could operate like PBS. Perhaps we don't have the population base to fund a public network like that.

That would be a good model. Give a little government support and let the viewers pitch in the rest.

[YYC in LAX]

CBC vs Quebecor = Poo vs Diarrhea

[CaptainCrunch]

Pretty much, but it is a war that CBC will eventually end up losing.

[THE SCUD]

Glad to have the CBC, hopefully they increase their funding to get more Canadian content on the air.

[YYC in LAX]

Originally Posted by THE SCUD

Glad to have the CBC, hopefully they increase their funding to get more Canadian content on the air.

Yeah I agree. We need more Little Mosque on the Prairies, Emily of New Moons, Battle of Blades, and Coronation Streets

[THE SCUD]

Originally Posted by YYC in LAX

Yeah I agree. We need more Little Mosque on the Prairies, Emily of New Moons, Battle of Blades, and Coronation Streets

I agree, otherwise we'll just be the 51st state in the union. We've got to pay up to keep our heritage alive, and what better way then beaming the quality types of programs you mentioned to all Canadians, free of charge?