Topic: CBC Political Bias

[Thucydides]

And better yet is having friends on your payroll:

http://chasingapplepie.blogspot.com/2012/02/friends-of-cbc-on-cbc-payroll.html

Friends of CBC on the CBC Payroll

Did you know that three members of Friends of CBC are on the CBC payroll?  Yup! That's what Canadian Taxpayers Federation found out  through Access to Information.

Amongst the many Access to Information (ATI) enquiries we make each year was this tidbit relating to the CBC. Our National Research Director, Derek Fildebrandt got to thinking about the leadership of the Friends of Canadian Broadcasting, the group that advocates for more funding for the CBC.

“What if these people are actually on the CBC’s payroll?” thought Derek.
If it were true, it would go a long way to explaining their passion for public broadcasting. And it would be very, very funny.

We finally got our answer, after a long wait. As it turns out, the situation is actually pretty funny. ATI documents show that three members of the ‘Friends’ Steering Committee actually were on the CBC payroll.

Aritha van Herk was paid to write poems and was paid $6,322. David Tars was paid to be a “reader” and was paid $277, while Stephen Kimber was paid $675 as a “freelance[r].”

These are quite small sums of money – especially in the latter two cases – however this is by no means the whole picture.  Some of the individuals refused to disclose their financial arrangements with the CBC, resulting in about 85 pages of the ATI documents being blanked out.
Those refusing to disclose their financial dealings with the CBC include the ‘Friends’ spokesperson Ian Morrison, Chairperson Noreen Golfman and members Anna-Marie Dekker, Maggie Siggins and R.H. Thomson. Somewhere in the 85 blanked out pages, at least one of these names is sure to be found.

It sort of makes you think – if your goal is to demonstrate public support for the CBC, wouldn’t you put members of the public on your board, rather than CBC contractors?

What do you think of that? More and more everyday CBC is proving unworthy of taxpayers money.  I say how about we stop subsidizing the State Broadcaster.  That way they can spend their money anyway they want just not with my money.

[Thucydides]

Friends and enemies:

http://bcblue.wordpress.com/2012/02/13/cbc-claims-copyright-only-against-its-enemies/

CBC claims copyright only against its enemies
February 13, 2012 — BC Blue

When you are a friend of the CBC like Jamie Watt is, they apparently don’t have a problem at all with a communication company’s website like his Navigator looking like a CBC affiliate but if you are a critic, they send in the copyright police.

This video was posted on YouTube by blogger Blazing Cat Fur: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dAw0muE2NxQ&feature=player_embedded

To see what the CBC got their panties in a bunch about, Sun News still has it available here.

Since *we* own the CBC, I wonder if we can sue to get *our* copyright material back? That would be an interesting question for legal minds to ponder.

[Bruce Monkhouse]

I'm curious if this will actually mean anything to her career?? 


http://www.torontosun.com/2012/02/17/radio-canada-ombudsman-calls-own-journalist-biased

OTTAWA - In a stinging rebuke, Radio-Canada ombudsman Pierre Tourangeau said journalist Ginette Lamarche was biased, used unverified facts and was inaccurate in her recent reporting on Israel.
Tourangeau overturned a finding by the state broadcaster's complaints department that had largely dismissed complaints from Honest Reporting Canada over five reports on Mideast issues aired last December. Tourangeau found the reports failed to show balance, impartiality, and accuracy as required by Radio-Canada's own journalistic standards.

In a December 19 radio report, Lamarche claimed "many Palestinians spend a good part of their youth in jail for participating in a demonstration or throwing stones," without citing a reliable source for this claim. According to Honest Reporting Canada, convicted stone throwers in fact spend an average of seven months behind bars.
"I am very happy with the decision obtained by Honest Reporting," said David Ouellette, associate director of Quebec public affairs with the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, which regularly collaborates with Honest Reporting Canada.

Ouellette added they'd received many similar decisions about this journalist since 2008.
Representatives from the state broadcaster assured Ouellette last September that they took complaints related to Mideast affairs seriously.

"However," said Ouellette, "we do not notice any improvement."


brigitte.pellerin@sunmedia.ca

[milnews.ca]

On the one hand, the CBC's 2012-13 Main Estimates (attached) show no net increase/decrease.

On the other hand, if you believe unattributed sections from this Calgary Herald piece:

.... The CBC meantime, which has an annual budget of $1.1 billion, faces a cut of at least $110 million and possibly more. Some Conservatives are pushing for even deeper cuts to the national broadcaster, based on the argument that, though the radio news service is clearly a must-have in the Far North and more generally in rural areas, CBC television is not as essential. On the immediate chopping block is a $60-million programming "top-up" that the broadcaster has received annually since 2001 ....

We'll have to see what the Budget holds in store for the Mother Corp....

[Good2Golf]

On the one hand, the CBC's 2012-13 Main Estimates (attached) show no net increase/decrease.

On the other hand, if you believe unattributed sections from this Calgary Herald piece:We'll have to see what the Budget holds in store for the Mother Corp....

Looks like there was a $340M transfer from radio (arguably the more valuable element of CBC/SRC) to TV/digital video, but otherwise $1,074M ($1.1B) is the same, as you noted, Milnew.ca.

Regards
G2G

[milnews.ca]

Looks like there was a $340M transfer from radio (arguably the more valuable element of CBC/SRC) to TV/digital video, but otherwise $1,074M ($1.1B) is the same, as you noted, Milnew.ca.

Regards
G2G

I saw that, too, but I noticed a similar (but not identical) increase in the "Television, Radio and Digital Services" line, so I'm guessing it's a shuffle of "radio only" $ into a newly-consolidated "radio, too" unit that also does radio.  Ah, the magic of "convergence" ....

[milnews.ca]

How the CBC is planning to cut $115M:

As announced in the 2012 federal budget, through its Deficit Reduction Action Plan (DRAP), the government has chosen to reduce CBC/Radio-Canada’s appropriation by $115 million over three years. CBC/Radio-Canada today outlined the plan it will implement to account for this decrease.

“When we add up the reduction to our appropriation, unavoidable cost increases, and the investments that CBC/Radio-Canada needs to make to ensure its continued transformation into a modern public broadcaster, we actually face financial pressures amounting to $200 million over the next three years,” says Hubert T. Lacroix, President and CEO. “We expect to be able to offset that with $50 million in new revenues, which leaves us with about $150 million to account for by way of reductions and operating improvements. Obviously, this will have a significant impact on our services, organization and staff; we expect that upwards of 650 positions will be eliminated over three years, including about 475 this fiscal year.”

The Corporation’s plan to address these financial pressures is comprised of five components, the details of which are available at http://cbc.radio-canada.ca/site/budget/en.

As a starting point, the Corporation will increase its self-generated revenues as a way to minimize the need for reductions. In addition to better leveraging existing television adverting assets, it will aggressively pursue additional digital revenue. CBC/Radio-Canada has also applied to the CRTC to add advertising and sponsorships to its two national music radio networks. “This measure will allow us to ensure that we can continue, through both CBC Radio 2 and Espace musique, to be a point of discovery for Canadian music fans. Both services will remain deeply committed to supporting and showcasing the best in Canadian music across a broad range of genres,” explains Lacroix. The Corporation will also raise resources by leasing existing real estate and divesting of assets that are not core.

Next, the Corporation has examined the effect that the evolution of technology has had on the services it currently provides. As a result, CBC/Radio-Canada intends to accelerate the shutdown of analogue television transmitters. “We had to take a hard look at those services that technology has for the most part rendered obsolete, and that not many Canadians are using,” Lacroix says, adding, “Broadcasters around the world are moving away from analogue. In Canada, only 1.7 per cent of the population still receives our television signals via an analogue, over-the-air transmitter.  Given these circumstances, we’ve decided to accelerate our exit from this technology.”

Radio Canada International (RCI) will undergo a transformation that will see the service move away from shortwave and satellite transmission in order to focus its efforts on the web. The service will also end the production of news bulletins and close its Russian and Brazilian departments in order to concentrate on the five languages most spoken by its audiences: French, English, Spanish, Arabic, and Mandarin. “RCI will continue, on the web, to pursue its mission of disseminating Canadian democratic values abroad,” says Lacroix. 

Several further measures then relate to the Corporation’s ability to reduce costs and do things differently. “We continue to eliminate things that do not move us closer to achieving the goals we set out in our five-year strategy, 2015: Everyone, Every way,” says Lacroix. “We’ll also implement more streamlined work and production methods, reduce costs of production, combine activities where possible, and reduce our overall real estate footprint.”

Finally, while CBC/Radio-Canada’s plan was designed specifically to protect Strategy 2015, the Corporation will also need to scale back its ambitions in a number of areas, including local service extensions, digital TV services, the number and/or budget of signature events it produces, as well as cross-cultural programming projects.

“Clearly, in light of this reduction, we won’t be able to move as far or as fast on certain elements of our 2015 plan as we might have liked,” says Lacroix. “We are, however, still very focused on our goals of becoming more distinctly Canadian, more regional, and more digital, which remain vital to the fulfillment of our role as Canada’s public broadcaster in a rapidly changing environment.”

“Our job is to keep CBC/Radio-Canada whole and to continue to deliver on our mandate, and that’s what these measures will ensure,” concludes Lacroix. “Despite the magnitude of the reductions we’re facing, CBC/Radio-Canada will continue to bring you news and entertainment programming of the highest quality – you have the right to expect that from your public broadcaster.”

More details can be found at http://cbc.radio-canada.ca/site/budget/en, and CBC/Radio-Canada will ensure that over the next three years Canadians are provided with new information and details about specific measures as progress is made in implementing them.

[recceguy]

CBC/Radio-Canada will continue to bring you news and entertainment programming of the highest quality

They can't 'continue' anything, until they have a start point.

'news and entertainment programming of the highest quality' my Aunt Fanny's two axe handle sized ***

[milnews.ca]

They can't 'continue' anything, until they have a start point.

'news and entertainment programming of the highest quality' my Aunt Fanny's two axe handle sized ***

We keep telling you - you've just gotta come out of your shell and tell us what you really think

[Crantor]

They can't 'continue' anything, until they have a start point.

'news and entertainment programming of the highest quality' my Aunt Fanny's two axe handle sized ***

I'm not going to lie.  I really like their radio programming.  Especially on Saturdays and Sundays.  The Vinyl Cafe, the Debaters, Day 6 etc.  Great stuff to listen to at the cottage.

As far as TV goes some of it is good too.  RMR, 22 minutes, heck I even like the Dragon's Den.  And I'm sure people here like Hockey Night in Canada.

And didn't they make A People's History?  I thought that was a pretty good production.

Not all of it is bad.

[recceguy]

I'm not going to lie.  I really like their radio programming.  Especially on Saturdays and Sundays.  The Vinyl Cafe, the Debaters, Day 6 etc.  Great stuff to listen to at the cottage.

As far as TV goes some of it is good too.  RMR, 22 minutes, heck I even like the Dragon's Den.  And I'm sure people here like Hockey Night in Canada.

And didn't they make A People's History?  I thought that was a pretty good production.

Not all of it is bad.

I don't have a cottage anymore and there is lots better stuff out there. You just have to look.

Dragon's Den I can get without CBC, if I thought it was worth watching, stopped watching 22 Minutes when their Grade 2, political rhetoric got moronic and repetitive (same as that chicken cannon bunch) and if Mercer started getting his facts before he ranted, it might not ruin the rest of his show.

But, to each, their own. I really haven't got that much time for either radio or TV anymore. If people want CBC and Radio Canada, they can pay for it. I don't want it, I shouldn't have to pay for it.

[Crantor]

Agreed.  Cut funding.  Remove the Canadian Content rules they have and let them compete like everyone else.  No issues with that.

[Infanteer]

Meh, if I don't use the internet, I watch my hockey on Rodgers (either sportsnet or TSN) and my news on CTV.  CBC radio wasn't bad when travelling, but my new vehicle has Sirius satellite radio and there are far more interesting radio stations to listen to in the places in between.

Bottom line - all this stuff is funded out of my pocket at the front end (I pay for it because I like it and use it) and not taken from my tax dollars which could be better spent elsewhere (or not collected in the first place).

Cut it.

[jollyjacktar]

I'm not going to lie.  I really like their radio programming.  Especially on Saturdays and Sundays.  The Vinyl Cafe, the Debaters, Day 6 etc.
Not all of it is bad.

Agreed.  I too admit to listening to those shows as well, including the "Irrelevant show", "As it Happens" and enjoying them all.  CBC TV can take a long hard suck on my nether regions, they have earned my scorn thanks to such as Ralph Benmurgi during the Oka times and early 90's.  But what I enjoy on Radio 1, I'd miss if it was gone.

[CDN Aviator]

Hows that for a biased headline !!

http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/story/2012/04/09/killer-whale-military-investigation.html

Dead killer whale possibly linked to Canadian war games

Followed, in smaller print, by :

However, researchers may never figure out how the orca died

[ModlrMike]

I read that article this morning. Full of innuendo and supposition, short on fact.

[Scott]

Full of innuendo and supposition, short on fact. crap.

 

I almost wet myself when I heard that the cuts are starting for them. Chuckled all day after the budget when they were devoting time to it on the radio.

[GAP]

Ever since the budget they have been wailing about the brutal cuts hurting the "Canadian People", and that the world is going to come to an end, at about the same time global warming heats things up enough to kill all the polar bears, the penquins will all fall into the water, the seals will seal, etc. etc. ...

[Thucydides]

Insanity is doing the same thing again and expecting a different result. This blogger tries the "new" CBC poll for the Alberta election and discovers (surprise) you just can't be a Wildrose supporter. You'd think after the Federal election poll fiasco they might consider hiring a different group to make a real poll...

http://climbingoutofthedark.blogspot.ca/2012/04/cbc-never-learns-biased-compass-poll.html

CBC Never Learns! Biased Compass Poll.

    Vote Compass is an educational tool developed by political scientists. Answer a short series of questions to discover how you fit in the Alberta political landscape.

 They are obviously NOT statisticians. This is as bogus as the last CBC Compass for the federal election. First problem, you can not move the leaders to the positions you think they belong, it appears that they show up from what the last person entered. The second time I took the poll, I was able to move them to where I wanted them.

Second problem, they change your answers so that you appear to NOT agree with the party you actually support. HA! As if I would ever answer the way they said I did!

 Here is my real response to that question, as you can see, I am in agreement with the Wildrose position:


It again appears that they take the answers from a previous pollster, because the second time I took it, they got my answers right.

The CBC, using taxpayers money to screw up another election by using biased and inaccurate polling, AGAIN. Didn't they learn anything last time?

[Scott]

And now they are canonizing Wiebo Ludwig.

Wow. Just wow.

[recceguy]

And now they are canonizing Wiebo Ludwig.

Wow. Just wow.

Because he was against Big Oil.

Big Oil is the West.

The West is responsible for Harper.

Harper is an evil tyrant, removing funding and holding CBC accountable.

An enemy of my enemy is my friend

[exabedtech]

Hows that for a biased headline !!

http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/story/2012/04/09/killer-whale-military-investigation.html

Followed, in smaller print, by :

That is just a fantastic piece of 'News".  Not a single link between the military 'war games' and this dead orca and yet the article goes on and on about a supposed link.
It would be funny if I weren't funding it.  I'd say it did make sense to have a CBC back when there were limited means of getting some news, but even back as far as 1994 when I was in Gjoa Haven they had internet.
Ditch the CBC funding in its entirety.  If they are so awesome and have so much public support, they should have no problem funding themselves.... just like I do.

[Jim Seggie]

Because he was against Big Oil.

Big Oil is the West.

The West is responsible for Harper.

The west....you mean Hamilton is responsible for Harper??    Its just west of Toronto!!

[Journeyman]

No, Hamilton is responsible for Sheila Copps' theft of HMCS Haida; now it's on display where no one will ever see it. 

[Rifleman62]

recceguy:

Harper is an evil tyrant, removing funding and holding CBC accountable[/b].

Am I missing something? Reduced the CBC budget a tiny bit; holding CBC accountable??