This week, the Canadian government issued severe budget cuts for the CBC. In response, the CBC has planned austerity measures, including the end of shortwave broadcasts, closedown of its analogue television transmitters (including CBEFT in Windsor), and the introduction of commercials on Radio Two:

http://www.cbc.radio-canada.ca/speeches/20120404.shtml

Interesting! I've noticed Radio Two's programming during drive time -- both AM and PM -- has become increasingly mainstream during the past year. (Sounds awful with CBE-FM's super light processing designed for Classical music. Someone needs to turn some dials; it could probably be corrected instantly.)

CBC's programming philosophy for Radio Two seems silly to me, though. The multi-genre approach makes sense for sparsely populated rural areas. However, it makes virtually no sense for southern Ontario, Vancouver, Calgary, etc.

I think the CBC needs to adopt one programming strategy for the major metro areas and a separate programming strategy for the remote areas.

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Dave & Chuck are two no-talent hacks.

They really do. People in rural areas simply can't relate!

Here's a list of shows that are being axed and saved on the CBC -- while chestnuts such as "22 Minutes", 'marketplace" and Rick Mercer are on the fall schedule, other series, such as "Little Mosque", are being cancelled:

http://tvguide.ca/TVNews/Articles/12041 ... lations_MH

I suppose not a total loss (at least 22 minutes will long on quite a bit).

Would the CBC fare better if it were privately run rather than the government running it?

I honestly think it would. Apparently they think everyone has cable or satellite.

The RCI cuts come in two areas: (1) Elimination of short-wave. (2) Elimination of various foreign language services.

Arguably, Internet audio (streaming and podcasts) is a more effective way to reach people today. Yes, Internet radio can be blocked but short-wave can be jammed. But international short-wave broadcasting, like domestic medium wave broadcasting, is going away. This isn't 1940.

The other issue is does RCI (or VOA for that matter) really need propaganda broadcasts in Chinese, Pakistani, Urdu .... ? What do the taxpayers get from that?

Radio One is basically CPR (Canadian Public Radio). Unlike US public radio, they don't have kind of bloated and over-paid "member station" managements and staffs devouring pledge dollars. Ever notice how much public radio station managers pay themselves, how they often can afford fancy facilities and state of the art equipment beyond the reach of commercial broadcasters, and still have money left over for bonuses and to start up for-profit businesses. In the US, the public radio tail wags the public radio dog (stations control NPR). In Canada, CBC has some regional broadcast "centres" to produce local and regional "programmes" but without the same kind of local bureaucracies. Radio One seems to be a far more efficiently-run operation. And they seem effectively to have insulated themselves from government interference - more effectively than NPR which caves in regularly to sponsor pressures (i.e., corporate underwriters) and threats to cut CPB funding.

Considering how badly commercial broadcasters have done in recent decades, I wouldn't assume they can do anything better than CBC's management.

little mosque is fairly popular In East Dearborn (High Arab And Muslim Pop)

If they close the whole Sackville site thats a very stupid idea because it leases time to other broadcasters. It also serves most of North America.

What with the way it is these days, it's a shame it has came down to that. Not much in the way of getting anything freely as a public service anymore.


I still think of those who can't get net access at all. Not all the world lives in 2012.


We'll never know. Some people like to think they're winning.


Well it's paid for by the government anyway.


That would be pretty dumb.