CBC

January 31, 2006 · Posted in Conservatism.ca

The CBC was established in 1936. In 1936, there was no e-mail, world wide web, or Internet. In 1936, there was no Trans-Canada Highway.

In 1936, there was no trans-Atlantic telephone service, and no 911 service.

In 1936, there were no other Canadian television networks. Heck, in 1936, a television looked like this:

It is the year 2006. CBC Radio and CBC Television are relics of another time.

Are we, in a free and democratic society, really in need of a publicly funded national broadcaster?

Would a PBS/NPR style system serve people better? Or does it make more sense to have a competitive private sector media mix that includes thousands of newspapers and magazines, television (3 private national television networks and numerous independents), radio, satellite radio, and a global Internet?

The best thing CBC ever did was launch Newsworld International. Unfortunately, it was only available in the U.S., and has since changed hands a number of times (now Al Gore runs it). Why didn’t they broadcast the same fine mix of International programming to Canadians? Was it because they think we can’t handle outside influences? We don’t know. They won’t say.

It’s time to rethink the CBC.

Tags: no tags

Comments

Paul Holmes

I have other things to do on Saturday nights, as opposed to watching the CBC.
James Kingsley

If by "re-think" you mean putting george and peter in charge of the whole she-bang, then yes: the cbc could use a rethink. I'd also rethink the fact that they let danny finkleman retire....saturday night's just aren't the same!
Paul Holmes

Why does "youth oriented" aways mean "dumbed down" and "hyped up". I think the media ( and Al Gore) underestimates the media-savvy youth of today.
Kathryn Anywhere

Al Gore did purchase Newsworld International and then yanked it off the airwaves in favour of his youth oriented "current" guerilla reporting. NWI has been off the air since July 31st, 2005.