CBC Montreal

CBC Montreal, a photo by susanvg on Flickr.

I am an avid radio listener and almost always have my radio tuned to CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation). The quality of the journalism is excellent and there is quite a variety of shows. Not all are my taste, but they are trying to appeal to a variety of  audiences. No matter where you go in Canada, you can tune in to the CBC. It lets you hear viewpoints from different parts of the country; it supports musicians through the recording of live concerts; it ties the country together. As a public broadcaster, it does not have to kowtow to the whims of advertisers and so can allow for a large diversity of opinions as well as present stories without being censored by the fear of losing advertising. CBC was a major supporter of Canadian culture.

That was then... Our current government, led by Steven Harper, does not like the CBC. They have slashed funding considerably. Many job cuts are imminent; recording of concerts will be greatly curtailed. This trickles down to less funding for musicians and the arts in general, less investigative journalism, less regional news etc. For television, this means fewer made in Canada shows, more reruns and, of course, less work for actors and anyone involved in the broadcast industry.

Private networks, beholden to advertisers cannot offer the same level of commitment to Canadian culture, nor do they attempt to cater to a variety of audiences. Money, the bottom line, is what counts and that does not lead to support of the arts. Rather it caters to the lowest common denominator.

to learn more about the cuts

Day 91: CBC delivers

Day 91: CBC delivers, originally uploaded by susanvg.

Leonard Cohen is a favourite of mine and although I watch little television, I made a point of watching tonight's show. Cohen did not disappoint. CBC is our public broadcaster and as such is where made in Canada culture is featured.

Our current government is doing all it can to dismantle the CBC. What a mistake! Sometimes the bottom line just can't be what it is about. If all media is owned by the private sector, the groups with money get to control what all hear as the news. Fortunately, with the Internet, we have other choices, but as a small country (with a lot of land) it is important to have a national network so we can learn about and understand the regional differences, needs and issues. It is part of what fosters our national identity. I love to listen to radio and have always found CBC informative. However, with a series of budget cuts, much of what I have prized has slowly evaporated.

What a treat to have an hour with Leonard Cohen. We need to ensure that Canadian artists of the future will also have the opportunity to be featured on a national network.