courtesy BroadcasterMagazine.com 2016-03-23
The Canadian Media Guild applauds the federal government’s decision to restore CBC/Radio-Canada funding that was severely cut by the previous government.
The budget fix is consistent with the Liberal election platform recognizing the CBC as “the anchor of Canada’s cultural and creative industries” and as a “vital national institution that brings Canadians together.”
“We hope the addition of $75 million this fiscal year and $150 million a year until 2021, will allow the CBC to stop the cuts that have crippled its ability to provide quality local news and original programming,” said Marc-Philippe Laurin (above), president of the CBC Branch at the CMG.
“CBC President Hubert Lacroix has said he was shackled by Conservative budget cuts – now the shackles are off. The CMG calls on Lacroix to freeze further planned job cuts and the sale of CBC buildings and assets until a new plan – and a new vision – are in place,” he said.
For CMG National President Carmel Smyth, “With the new funding, the focus needs to be on ensuring CBC’s continues to produce quality original programming for all platforms – radio, television, and digital – instead of purchasing outside content.”
“The concern that the CBC will no longer be able to create Canadian programs is one of the reasons the CBC’s two largest unions are calling for an independently appointed leadership that would be focused on ensuring the public broadcaster is run as a public trust for the public good,” she said
The CMG urges the federal government to move quickly to change the process for appointing the CBC president and board by adopting a “merit-based” process instead of the current partisan approach.
How much of the CBC radio & TV is left-wing Liberal? Is it ever politically neutral?
money not well spent.
Does this mean more Heartland now?
And try and find out what pay Mansbridge makes with OUR money!!!!!!!
Sorry guys, I am with the government on this one. The private “over the air” broadcasters have created their own mess.
The CBC really does produce quality programming, but not enough of it because of constant budget cuts. The private broadcasters just skate by and do the absolute minimum that they have to in order to keep their licenses.
And then these private broadcasters try to eliminate the one competitor that actually does what it is supposed to by issuing dire press releases calling for cable companies to pay them to carry their channels.
I am sick and tired of paying for US channels that I cannot watch because the private broadcasters are showing the same programs at the same time so they can block the US signal.
If the Canadian broadcasters had invested in quality programming years ago, they would now have a loyal audience instead of one that doesn’t care if they go out of business – we will still be able to watch the same US programs on the US channels!
But if the CBC disappears, there really will be a loss that will never be filled by any private broadcaster. The private broadcasters have proven that many times – over the past 30 years.
Like you are sick of paying for US channels that you cannot watch, I too am sick of paying for a CBC that I do not watch or listen. You want it, you pay for it. I should be able to opt out.