CBC, A Taxpayer Bloodsucker!

Remember how all the lefties got their shorts in a knot about SUN News getting a CRTC license? They even got Americans and their money involved in the protest against a Conservative news station....yes, it seems lefties only hate Americans when Republicans are in charge. Even though SUN News was not asking for ANY taxpayer money, the lefties yelled, screamed and signed petitions against a station that might dare to express a different opinion on events that the lefties supported, like the huge money grabbing scam called "global warming". This was the end of Canada as we knew it, even though SUN News had not even been on air for one second. Your typical tolerant lefty, protest against anything that even hints at being Conservative. What are they scared of? Do they deep down in their guts understand that socialism is doomed to fail, so they don't want any opposition to their Robin Hood myth? 

Well, SUN News is on air for some of us, and you can watch it on the internet. The world is still rotating and the lefties are still spinning, except now they are getting dizzy from all their circular thinking. SUN News is actually beating out CTV in the ratings after only a few months, and they are raining down on the CBC so hard that CBC is starting to smell like the sewer that rain water runs into.

Brian Lilley has been writing about the CBC and their failure to respect the Canadian taxpayers who fund them by bringing to light the fact that the CBC refuses to answer freedom of information requests. They are in court about it, and taxpayers are paying for their court costs, how sick is that?

Brian has a really good segment about the CBC and how they are up for renewal of their license. I know that Conservatives are not much for protesting on Parliament Hill or at universities, but if you have a computer, you can protest by emailing MP's, setting up facebook groups, or commenting on sites to get your position known. Here is a perfect opportunity to let the CRTC know how you think the CBC can be improved. 

• 

  Joeblow 

  There is absolutely no way the CBC can be relevant or meaningful to the Canadian Public.  It is run with over 1 billion dollars yearly of taxpayers money, and feels it does not have to be accountable to anybody, therefore, does exactly whatever it wants.  This view was apparent again, during the CBC coverage of the Federal election with their reporting and obvious Liberal favoritism.  They just have too much federal money to be accountable and will fight, i.e. freedom of information in the court with our money.

  
  That is only one comment out of so many that are calling for accountability on the part of CBC.
  
  You can spend all day Sunday commenting on all these topics:
  
  

  

  We know that the Conservative government is not going to privatize the CBC, so, it is up to us to help the CRTC move the CBC into what they really should be, a company that supports Canadian artists and our culture. Enough of CBC news and sports, sell the rights to HNIC to TSN and stop CBC from reporting the news. Make CBC into a Canadian cultural channel. Let them do documentaries on our Aboriginal people, and our history as an immigrant nation. Let them showcase our national ballet company, our great symphony orchestras, and our painters and artists. Isn't their mandate to do just that? They have no business competing against our private news companies when they get 1.1 BILLION of taxpayers money, that is not fair to those companies that have no funding. So, we either give them no taxpayer money or we persuade the CRTC to make CBC abide by their mandate, serving all Canadians by promoting our culture and diversity! That should keep them busy and out of the business of being political advocates for lefties. No news coverage, no power to shape the political structure of Canada.
  
  It's time for Conservatives to protest, from their keyboards. Comment at the CRTC site, they are asking for feedback, let's give it to them! Don't just go there and say CBC should be shut down, go there and make valid points about CBC's mandate:
  
  

  ...the programming provided by the Corporation should:
  

  1. be predominantly and distinctively Canadian, reflect Canada and its regions to national and regional audiences, while serving the special needs of those regions,
  2. actively contribute to the flow and exchange of cultural expression,
  3. be in English and in French, reflecting the different needs and circumstances of each official language community, including the particular needs and circumstances of English and French linguistic minorities,
  4. strive to be of equivalent quality in English and French,
  5. contribute to shared national consciousness and identity,
  6. be made available throughout Canada by the most appropriate and efficient means and as resources become available for the purpose, and
  7. reflect the multicultural and multiracial nature of Canada."¹

  
  Nowhere does it say that they should have to be a tv station nor does it say that they have to report the news, that is not part of their mandate, let the CRTC know we want the TV station to become more like the History channel, and only show Canadian produced shows that highlight our cultural expression, like the CBC's mandate states. That will keep CBC alive, but kill their power to interfere politically, which is also not part of their mandate. Hold them to their mandate, make them into a toothless public station and reduce their taxpayers funding.
  
  Don't complain about the CBC if you don't do anything about their lack of respect for Canadian taxpayers. Comment to the CRTC about the taxpayer bloodsucker, CBC.

• Anonymous
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• Oliver
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• irius123
  The CBC needs to be more politically neutral and less political editorializing for the left wing. The audience is heavily dominated by the left wing so this should be a measure of how they are doing.
  
• Aguilla1
  The CBC is very relevant, fairly detailing many issues which I feel are important.
  
• Anonymous
  State television, in this day and age, is an aberration. If the CBC wants to become relevent to today’s Canadians, it need to be sold off and privatized. If they can’t stand on their own, without the taxpayer carrying them, they should close up shop and quit wasting our hard earned money.
  
• Ljhockley
  Privatize CBC. I’m tired of paying for this biased left wing station I never listen to or watch!
  
• Chad
  I believe the CBC can play a meaningful roll in Canada. What bothers me is that in their news programming, they focus on the big cities only instead of the smaller areas.  The best example is the Vancouver CBC station.  Instead of focusing on all areas, they just focus on the major cities.  CBC Television should take a look at CBC Radio One on how to cover the region.
  
• Anonymous
  The CBC, far from being irrelevant, is more necessary than ever in a time when news and information sources are either dying off, or becoming even more constrained by the profit motive.  We reduce their resources at our own peril.
  
• http://twitter.com/maggiehik margo hickman
  The CBC should make themselves accountable financially to their public  (Access to Information) -it is our money after all – and stop proselytizing for the left.  It can never be relevant to a large percentage of the population as their news and discussion programs are blatently biased to the left.  For me therefore it is unwatchable. I no longer watch.  Unconscionable that a public broadcaster should take a political position – should be neutral.
  
• Rfpoulin
  CBC may seem irrelavent to some in the urban areas where there is plenty of choice but in most of the country alternatives are much more limited.  I find little of value on private radio stations to listen to.  CBC radio in particular is a valuable service for canadians in the hinterland.  CBC TV is still much better than CTV.   CBC has excellent news coverage and great comedy programing but too many canadiana dramas and documentaries.  I think in order to remain relevant CBC should focus on being a transmisson carrier and open up to content from many sources including non CBC online content.   I think the CRTC should loosen up on the canadian content rules.  The CBC should open up to independent and alternative media content.
  
• Alberta_resident
  Privatize it or sell it to a private broadcaster.
  This state-funded, politically biased organization has no place in today’s marketplace.
  The purpose for which it was formed an eternity ago no longer applies and it serves no purpose today that is not available in a variety of other ways.
  
• Spinkorama
  CBC does an excellent job on news reporting but they seem very urban focused. They need to keep their focus on Canadian life of all sorts. I would like to see more good documentaries and shows that feature Canadians and their ways of life. Keep Canadian content on CBC.
  
• Eric
  I enjoy the CBC, but with the Digital Transition approaching, the CBC is the only broadcaster in London, ON no plans to convert while all privately owned broadcasters, along with TVO, are. The CRTC should ask why the CBC receives subsidies when the CBC picks and chooses where they broadcast. This violates their mandate as stipulated in the 1991 Broadcasting act.
  
• http://www.facebook.com/rick.honeyford Rick Honeyford
  The CBC can become meaningful and relevant by either becoming a lot more like TVO, or by firing everyone, privatizing and starting as a private network from scratch. At the moment they are the most Biased and useless network on television. The argument that they service remote areas that otherwise wouldnt get local news no longer holds water as people living in these areas have other options like the internet to get local news.
  
• Sguillemaud
  Just shut down nobody wants you around in less 10 percent of the people count
  
• Lmarchesano
  I think the best thing to do is probably start over, or privatize it and just sell it to someone, these days TV is becomming less and less relevant with mixed media online.
  
• Anonymous
  Report the news truthfully and fully.  Tha means stop lieing or omitting to make things seem interesting.
  Stay neutral politically.  You get to report on politics not try to shape it or influence the outsomes of elections.  Otherwise become a private entity.
  Comply with FOI requests when ordered or become a private entity.
  
• Hoss
  I do watch some of their programs however their news programming is too biased.  Being publicly funded they should stick to the facts of the topic.  They should also be transparent with how their funding is spent….as a rule.
  
• Time for change
  - Start making your programming interesting. That is probably the most
  important  issue that the CBC struggles with. The youth does not watch the CBC and I would suggest that the elders of our community are shutting out as well. It means that you have ceased to be relevant to our society.
  - Hockey Night in Canada may be the only show worth its weight on CBC. Don Cherry and Ron Maclean are your best reporters hands down – and I say this half serious – because no one watches the rest of the programming.
  - The CBC should do more programs like the BBC where they tell a human story that is relevant to our world.
  - Stop being so Left leaning biased. Its pretty revolting that anything that is reported is not researched properly or takes the slant of the reporter.
  - Be more responsible with the finances.
  
• Anonymous
  Stop the left-leaning bias. They are widely perceived as the media wing of the Liberal party.
  
• Leon LeBlanc
  I find CBC to be more neutral in their reporting than anyone else. Perhaps if they appointed/hired someone at the top who could make it run like a business, there would be no problem. If CBC did not exist there are still a good number of places in Canada that would not get newsworthy items; be they conveyed by RADIO or TELEVISION.
  As to the 1.1 billion, there are a lot of other expenses which dwarf this amount, and produce exactly NOTHING. I say keep it in place, but let it run like a business. In a few years, they may not need any funding.
  
• My Address
  It was difficult to watch and listen to CBC – their bias is blatantly obvious and I’m sorry to say, the reason it was disgusting to watch.  We have not watched CBC at all since the birth of Sun TV – the news people and commentators appear to be more small c conservative than liberal however they do not shy away from reporting negative information about the Conservative government, and it is so refreshing to have balanced reporting as well as really be informed of ALL the news and issues rather than the cherry picking that the CBC does.   So either privatize CBC or be gone with, it is not right that the Canadian public’s hard earned money should be supporting this totally unreliable one view broadcaster.
  
• Anonymous
  It cannot.
  
• Sean
  The CBC is bias in their reporting and only serves an elite minority. For the money spent , it needs to be mainstream and needs to compete with other media outlets. Perhaps they need to go the way of PBS in the USA. One billion a year is not money well spent on the CBC for a few who like their programing.
  
• Marie Kernaghan
  I believe the c.b.c. television network should be sold and Canadian citizens
  would do well to get rid of it, it is too costly and those running it are far too
  well paid, they take an attitude that is unbeleivable when it comes to access
  to information, simply advising all who might be interested in their internal
  workings that they are above the rules and won’t provide the info. as the
  law dictates that they should.
  
• Cynthia Bredfeldt
  I stopped watching CBC after the unbalanced coverage of Stockwell Day twelve years ago.  My husband still watches it and I can’t say that I’ve ever been impressed or proud of the content I have inadvertently watched.  If Sun News can provide balanced broadcasting without relying on taxpayers dollars so should the CBC.  The CBC can be relevant and meaningful in the future by providing honest coverage.  To report that there were five thousand people at the March for Life was a gross underestimation revealing an extreme bias.  The report was disappointing to read, especially.
  
• Doctorjones
  Most of the real Canadian Content that CBC lacks is available on the internet FREE!!!
  Most of it is created and posted for free on sites such as youtube. As a film maker/ animator in the industry for 12 years, it is sad that the only way an artist can get exposure, is if they make their work available for free. Why doesn’t CBC create more of an outlet for Canadian artists and film makers. I would gladly make my work available to them instead of Youtube who just collects money from the advertising. Money I will never see the slightest bit of.
  If CBC could find a way to compensate an artist per “piece of work” or depending on how many people view it, then they’d have a winner, and a wide assortment of Canadian Content available to them, at very little cost.
  There’s no need to invent the wheel here.
  Canadians WANT Canadian content, but the only place they get the great stuff is on American Networks.
  Bring our industry back home where it belongs. For the sake of all artists and creative people alike.
  
• Anonymous
  It cannot be either. I wish it would go play in traffic…figuratively speaking of course.
  
• Rob
  Sorry… in short, I’d like to say, CBC needs to be here.
  Even though there are complaints about it’s problems… those problems need fixing. Without CBC, Canadians are going to have to depend on the US for it’s programing. -And seeing as our programming is already 89 percent US programming, I’d say that would make CBC invaluable.  Please save the cbc someone!!!  It just needs an overhaul. It needs reiventing.
  
• Craig Smith
  Change the mandate of the CBC to exclude political commentary. There is no greater threat to Canadian democracy than having a $1.1 billion dollar taxpayer funded Liberal mouthpiece influencing Canadians political views through biased online tools and “journalists”.
  
• Andy/ VE4PER
  The CBC business model should be changed to make it an ISP in
  areas where private concerns’ shareholders and execs don’t want
  private companies to provide internet services.
  They should be given preferred access to and favorable licensing fees
  for white space generated by DTV implementation. They should be provided
  this withour having to bid through auctions and have said licenses for
  as long as they provide said ISP services. This would treat ALL Canadians
  as equals as far as reasonable higher speed and economical access is concerned, while generating more revenue to help make it less dependent on political funding increases.
  The funding model should be changed such that theirs is a guaranteed vote more along the lines of what supports the B & B empire, so that they are less affected by partisan political decisions and therefore more inclined to be more objective in reporting.
  The private concerns all show strong biases towards Conservative and business points of view and do absolutely the bare minimum when it comes to reporting on opposing opinions; case in point is the DTV conversion ads, both private networks are more threatening and confusing to viewers and instead tell viewers to phone toll free numbers so they can arm-twist them into
  signing satellite or cable contracts as a solution; either that or send them to specific partner stores to obtain converter boxes.
  The CBC on the other hand simply states the facts and allows the viewers’ collective intelligence to make their own choices without coercion or bias.
  Most production opportunities are advertised on private inhouse subscription service specialty channels so local entrepreneurs in the production field miss these ads unless they are paying through the nose for subscription services; the CBC on the other hand is publicly open to all, FAIRLY regardless of
  economic status of the freelancers.
  The CBC presents the Canadian identity in sports broadcasts to ALL Canadians , not just the ones who are well off or living in large urban areas will cheap cable services. The private networks on the other hand do nothing except in the case of someone who pays through the nose for a specialty sports
  channel; case in point, CTV Televiosn network carried an NFL regular season game on their OTA non-subscription sevrice while the Grey Cup Game, a Canadian Iconic Identity event, was restricted to nly those privileged
  enough to have the specialty channel… at least when CBC uses broadcasts on specialty channels like that, for something like the Syanley Cup or Grey Cup, they would port it through both a specialty channel as well as the non-subscription OTA network…..  Olympic coverage was widespread, however, it is not an event that one associates with the Canadian Cultural Identity.
  
• Reedq999
  +
  The CBC is bias; I stopped watching it in 2007 and so did thousands of other Canadians.
  
  The next time Israel attacks children with white phosphorous please don’t try to cover it up by not mentioning it and making it seem like they are justified in murdering women and children inside the makeshift gigantic prison which is Gaza.
  
  I am not even Palestinian but it was shortly after watching CBC news during the time of the Israeli war crimes in 2007 that the CBC lost all credibility with me.
  
  Please don’t be intimidated by the elite minority in the USA who would like to see this world go to hell with their evil wars. Repeating the word “terrorism” 1000 times a day to scare the hell out of us has gotten old.
  
  Give us an independent investigation into 9-11 we owe it to our brave military who are overseas losing their lives for a lie. If not then there are plenty of other media outlets out there speaking the truth and they are growing in number.
  
  The people will not be silenced; please go back to being humane and independent.
  
• Sargeant
  Sun TV can hardly be called unbiased. Unless you think Fox in the US is unbiased. I think sometimes the CBC does suffer from being some what left wing but I believe that has more to do with the creative people employed  there than some sort of leftest pinko agenda.  It’s important to have someone not controlled by big business giving us information. Sun media is a giant machine.  We’re talking about this because they want you to. I think as Canadians we need to think about what we are and what we don’t want to become. Getting rid of the CBC is the first step down a road of artless, cultureless doom.
  
• Sargeant
  Hey Chad at one point the CBC did cover all sorts of “little” Canada. In fact a bunch of the small tv stations that have been sold off or closed by the giant media companies in recent years started out as CBC stations years ago. I think if CBC could find a way to merge this TV and computer driven media thing. Then small town Canada could reemerge and the cost of production could drop.
  
• Nik
  You cannot. Just stop government funding completely and take your direction from the market.
  
• Pinewoodsgolf
  refuse government funding
  
• Anonymous
  If the CBC stays as it is. It will never be relevant.
  
• Creige Caimbeul
  Much less funding from the taxpayer.
  
• Spdy_irish
  The CBC is a relevant and needed public broadcaster.  Its tv news channel and radio spectrum provide an unbiased reporting of events and often highlight issues and subjects, that although important or thought provoking, don’t get carried by the mainstream media.  CBC’s entertainment and drama programming suffer from a lack of funding to generate a full season of programming.  How can the CBC generate viewers when its “season” is 6-8 shows against US networks whose season’s are twice as long or better.  With regard to CBC news network the specialty shows such as Power and Politics, Lang and O’Leary and Connect have diversified the channels offerings and provide relevant prgramming and content.
  
• DDH
  The CBC offers some unique programming but, to stay relevant they must ‘grow up’ and stop depending on government for funding.  They must be forced to survive (or not) on their own.  A government owned ‘news’ organization is bad, period.  As for their other programming the government could fund the actors and artists directly instead of funneling it through the CBC.  That way good programs could be picked up by an broadcaster.
  
• Paul M
  The CBC was created to offer news services to all canadians..It should get back to basics.I see it as the best news network in Canada.It should be reporting news..not creating them. I don’t see how irrelevant cheap programming like cartoons, comedy and weekly serials contribute to the social fabric of this country
  
• Lloyd Johnston
  u can stop recieving tax dollars from us ….u can survive on your own if able!!!!
  
• Mochyn du
  If tax money is accepted, stop political comment. It’s dangerous to have a government funded organization commenting on such a subject.
  Better still stop the tax funding. Allow the CBC to make it (or not) on their own
  
• Dlahey
  Frankly I see no way that the CBC can be relevant and meaningful. Decades ago it played a cultural role in Canada – but with the advances (satellite tv., internet etc.) it has become a “fat cat” organization that uses some of our 1.1 billion in taxpayers’ money to pay high-priced legal firms to deny access to its spending practices. I suspect it would make interesting reading to find out how CBC executives are enjoying their jobs!!  (Why else would they fight it so hard!!)   It has become a political organization – one that should have change its name from CBC to “Liberal (left-leaning) Publicity Corporation!! It has become a joke during my lifetime – sadly!!
  
• John M
  The CBC is a joke.  What a total waste of tax dollars.  I do not mind paying taxes but I object to paying for someone to watch television.  If you want to watch it you pay for it.  Just that simple.  If it is deemed to be a national requirement then let it be governed and adminstered like any other government program.  Zero base budget and then substatiate every tax dollar being spent.
  How many people listen to the junk broadcast on the CBC radio.  I am usre that if they did a poll there would be very few.
  Folks can’t get to see a doctor yet we have money to produce junk like Little Mosque on the Prarie so we can suck up to the immigrants.  This is nothing more than government brain washing.
  This is one Canadian who says the sooner we get rid of the CBC the better.
  High priced salaries and fat expense accounts are the norm for the CBC and nobody is doing a thing about it.
  And don’t even get me started about the unequal arrangement the French enjoy/
  
• http://www.facebook.com/thora.dorn Thora Dorn
  More equal reporting across Canada, and less left-wing bias.  More programming from across Canada and not just Ontario and Quebec.
  
• rrandjay
  You must work for the CBC. That is so much BS.
  
• rrandjay
  The other Canadian networks provide relevant news, and Canadian content. It’s very disappointing to watch the CBC use takpayers money to stonewall requests for information about the way they spend taxpayers money. Reduce the funding by 1.1 million over a 10 year period until they stand on they own without any government handouts.
  
• Kathryn
  Focus on providing programming that is created in Canada and that features Canadian issues or world issues from a national perspective. I enjoyed some of the BBC shows but I can watch them on BBC if I choose. It is my tax dollars that fund this network, and I support it in spite of its weaknesses, but more Canadian shows would maintain that support.   
  
• Anonymous
  The agenda of social engineering is so engrained in the CBC that is it no longer possible for it to be relevant nor meaningful.  The only solution is to stop all government funding and privatize the organization.  It can then be free to offer its biased opinions without support from the taxpayer.
  
• Marc LeChasseur
  No matter if the CBC is public or private, being relevant & meaningful is a decision left to the CBC managament. Therefore, because of the yearly $1.1 billion of citizen’s money funding the CBC, it should be privatized. The pervasive attitude of present-day gov’ts in the modern nanny-state is overwelming. If we had the same gov’t mentality 100 years ago, we would still be riding around in the horse & buggy, because the blacksmiths, livery stables, and manure carters would continue to be subsidized against the threat of evolution and new technology.
  
• Anonymous
  All government funding must be removed from the CBC.  It should become a broadcaster dependent only on donations or advertising revenue.
  
• John
  The CBC is still on the air???
  
• machiavelli
  MASSIVE CUTS TO REDUNDANT STATE BROADCASTER MUST BE INCLUDED IN DEFICIT REDUCTION    
  
  If Canada had elected a legitimate, small-c fiscal conservative Prime Minister, and a Heritage minister who didn’t consistently succumb to the far left, they would eradicate the state broadcaster, rather than increase CBC’s funding by $60 million in the 2010/11 budget. The $1.3 billion a year grant (that could have improved health care) is an embarrassment and humiliation, since in reality, the state broadcaster is nothing less than the NDP’s “Ministry of Popular Enlightenment and Propaganda”.
  
  If this far-left, bias, lap dog for the far-left didn’t have $1.3 of tax dollars to squander it wouldn’t even have its current pathetically low ratings. For the unaccountable state broadcaster, informing the public pursuant to both sides of a story means giving a hyped-up version of the NDP’s talking points. CBC frequently gives the impression of publishing NDP news releases verbatim, but seems to apportion a great deal of time to scrutinize, research, censure, and criticize Conservative statements.     
  
  Now that Canada has numerous television and radio networks, satellite networks, and the internet, there is no longer any necessity for a state broadcaster; especially one scripted by left-wing affirmative action bimbos/minorities, and watched to mostly by the far-left, but paid for my people who actually work for a living and pay taxes. One of the numerous rationales for the exceptionally low quality of the state broadcaster’s regularly error overflowing “news” is its policy of sacrificing excellence in order to promote its moronic left NDP agenda, plus its perceptible quota system of hiring recent immigrants even with their habitually sub- substandard journalistic credentials. The vastly overpaid state bureaucrats employed by the state broadcaster consistently delude the public, some times by intent and other times because they hire these semi-qualified, affirmative action so-called “journalists”.        As opposed to producing quality, informative, balanced, unbiased journalism that Canadian tax payers are over paying for, the state broadcaster has an immense creditability gap, is guilty of oversimplification and “dumping down” news, neglects to distinguish between opinion and comments, favors form over content, uncompromisingly encourages anti-Americanism, and has no public trust with anyone not on the radical left!
  
  If Harper was a genuine small-c conservative he would immediately begin to eradicate the deficit/debt by morphing this embarrassment to a private pay for view station, sell the complete far-left bias Khadr hugging state broadcaster, or simply shut down this radical left bimbo/minority ran degradation to humanity.
  
• Leo Wehrstedt
  No commercial programming on tv. Private networks, cable and satellite channels presently provide free alternatives to international news, sitcoms, etc.
  Keep programming to local and national Canadian issues, news and public events.
  No need for International News teams.
  Actually, we could exist comfortably if CBC was disbanded.
  
• Kootenay Fredr
  Eliminate commercials. Go for substance, not form. Provide depth  and background to issues, not just here and now hype. Track issues over time with continuity. Add value to what is available on the Internet.
  
• GwK
  Get their English head office out of Toronto so that they can become a national service as opposed to a GTA service.  Suggest Winnipeg or Halifax/Moncton.
  Also have the Feds stop funding them & let them swim or sink on their own merits.
  
• Karen
  This question assumes the CBC is presently “relevant” and “meaningful”. A free country has no need of a state broadcaster.
  
• http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=821940060 Mike Murphy
  The CBC, as a taxpayer supported State Broadcaster is irrelevant in the 21st century. People in the far reaches of all points in Canada can receive TV and Radio via satellite carriers. It should be privatized and those who wish to receive it can subscribe and support the advertisers wishing to risk their money on it.
  
• Sandy Wright
  It is irrelevant and no longer needed. Shut it down.
  
• Taxpayer
  Seems to only be relevant to a very small and select slice of the population!
  
• MD Kotyk
  The CBC as it now stands bears no resembelence to the common perception of what a public broadcaster should be. What Canadians desire is an American style PBS, not what is currently being delivered. It would not have to mirror PBS, but would be a Canadian version. For example, keep the sports division, as not only is it one of the few things CBC does well, it is a good source of revenue as certain types of programming would have commercials while as a rule it would be commercial free. I have seen reports that border PBS stations, during their pledge drives report that donations from Canadian viewers can be as high as twenty percent, evidence that Canadians are looking elsewhere. 
  
• Cocerned Canadian
  I suspect that the majority of Canadians look to a broadcaster for entertainment. The most popular entertainment is supplied by private broadcasters which makes publicly funded entertainment a waste of taxpayers money. There are to be sure some CBC programmes that are relevant to the public but they could be carried by the private companies. This secrecy bound bureaucratic boondoggle should be wound down.
  
• John
  It once was a reflexion of the majority of Canadians but now it has lost touch with the average person in our country. I simply can not listen or watch CBC / Radio-Canada without being profoundly insulted by the left agenda that is being fed to us daily. Sorry I can only hope it gets privatized and let the left audience support it financially and not the tax payers.
  
• Anonymous
  The CBC is no longer relevant in the 500 channel universe. People can get TV and Internet content everywhere in the country via satellite and other methods. Privatize it. Fund Canadian content productions if that is really needed (I don’t believe it is though), and sell those to private networks.
  
• Syph
  Regain the trust of true Canadians by ending the constant left-wing agenda and bias. Either reflect typical Canadian values and not minority socialist ideals or be privatized and cease to be a waste of taxpayer money.
  
• Mcdempstry
  If CBC is to continue to be a publically funded station they need to set themselves apart from any other station. That’s not likely possible – and retain a viewership/listeners. People do not seek an insular view. It’s doubtful that in this day and age of satelite and internet news (worldwide, various perspectives) and entertainment (radio and TV) there’s any need at all for the government to pay for its station. It’s actually silly and naive to believe there’s a need for a Canadian public station. The content of the CBC generally has so very little to do with Canadian interest stories. If there was a station that only broadcast “Canadian content” the viewership and listener would likely be so minimal. It’s more interesting and informative to listen to world views.. including world views of Canada. The CBC has been irrelevant for a number of years. Far too costly with no justification for being subsidized into the future. The personnel are quite stale and living in an unrealistic bubble. Their arrogance has become distructive. Everything the CBC offers can be found elsewhere without taxpayer’s money. This money could be spent more effectively on other government initiatives. I agree that any programs that may have some interest that are broadcast by the CBC could certainly be justified and carried by private companies. 
  
• Rachel
  By refusing a handout.  That would make them relevant to me.  Give us our money back – how’s that for meaningful?
  
• Joebeans2002
  Frankly, find their programming to be sub-standard for the most part.  Whenever i tune in (rarely), I tune out again.  They are just not very good and anything worthy can be picked up by some other network.  as far as the rationale that they reflect Canada and it’s culture, bogus claim.  They have not reflected my vision or values in a very long time.
  
• Doharned
  State run media should not be allowed to compete with its own citizens
  
• Phil
  The CBC should be privatized.The billion dollars could be better spent on the deficit or health care.
  
• Phil
  The CBC should be privatized.The billion dollars could be better spent on the deficit or health care.
  
• Phil
  The CBC should be privatized.The billion dollars could be better spent on the deficit or health care.
  
• Phil
  The CBC should be privatized.The billion dollars could be better spent on the deficit or health care.
  
• Chris
  “How can the CBC be relevant and meaningful in the future?”
  Make it a public company. List it on the TSX and stop wasting our money on it.
  
• proudcanadian
  unbiased?  How can you possibly be watching the same channel?
  
• Mike
  CBC needs to become a public company, no more of my money should go to  support them. I do not and will not watch their biased news or reporters
  
• Rusherman2000
  They should be made or sold into the private industry. Only with some honest competition do they have any chance of digging out of the insulated hole they now live and hide in.
  
• Denis
  I believe the CBC – radio, television, and web-site – is more relevant than at any time in its history.  We live in an age where information is freely and widely available.  The problem is sorting it and finding a news source that offers information, as opposed to opinion.  It is nearly impossible for the average reader/viewer to absorb such volumes of information, so a reliable source is essential to understanding.  CBC’s radio and television programming offer the only truly Canadian content on our networks.  The private sector broadcasters simply pay for rights to re-broadcast American television programs and provide one half hour of local news at supper time.  I listen to CBC Radio for both news and entertainment and have done so for forty years. I have a sense of community about Canada that no other station can provide.  The same is true of television:  There is almost no Canadian content on private sector networks.
  Think of what Canadian content rules have provided us with:  a healthy music industry and a viable television industry.
  The CBC’s budget of $1.1 billion is a lot of money, but it works out to about $30 per capita. I consider this a small price to pay for a service that encourages and develops information and entertainment with a decidedly Canadian balance.
  
• Anonymous
  CBC has not reflected the values of Canadians in years. If we are to have a state run broadcaster, it should be operated like PBS. In its current status, it should be privatized. One point one billion dollars is a complete waste.
  
• Freight
  The Deloitte and Touche report indicated that the CBC actually created a return.  This than means the CBC does not need any more funding.  Let them survive on Ad revenue as with everyone else which will show how relevant and meaningful the corporation really is.
  
• proudcanadian
  Ad money?  Where do you think ad money comes from?  By competing with its own citizens.
  
• proudcanadian
  because?
  
• Andrew
  I would be ok with the cbc if my tax dollars were not paying for it. I can’t understand in this day & age how spending over 1 billion dollars of tax payer money on the cbc can be justified.
  
• proudcanadian
  I’ll take the risk.
  
• Mcdempstry
  Why not? The “market” only survives if it meets the needs and expectations of the society its serving. Is that a bad thing? This government funding of the CBC has no strings attached…so no accountability, no measurement of success…no checks and balances…The money is just there regardless. Is that healthy or realistic?
  
• Joeblow
  There is absolutely no way the CBC can be relevant or meaningful to the Canadian Public.  It is run with over 1 billion dollars yearly of taxpayers money, and feels it does not have to be accountable to anybody, therefore, does exactly whatever it wants.  This view was apparent again, during the CBC coverage of the Federal election with their reporting and obvious Liberal favoritism.  They just have too much federal money to be accountable and will fight, i.e. freedom of information in the court with our money.      
  
• Red_Hot_Chilli_Pampers
  There are several serious issues that a lot of Canadians have identified with the CBC:
  1. The lack of transparency and accountability;
  2. The huge costs required to operate it;
  3. Political bias;
  4. Unfair competition to private broadcasters.
  I won’t get into details, we all know them!
  
• G. Hallonquist
  Just because CBC has always been funded by taxpayers, doesn’t mean it should continue to be.  It is blatantly politically slanted, secretive, and has a feeling of entitlement it doesn’t deserve.  Everything it offers can be available elsewhere by outlets that support themselves.  Either do away with CBC completely or privatize it so that is self-supported.  They can look for sponsors just like all the others.
  G
  
• JoeBlow
  Really!!!,  you sound very much like a CEO of the CBC.  Are you worried about the gravy train, coming to an end???
  
• Dlo46
  Should be privatized  – blatantly left wing
  
• Dlo46
  WE don’t need it at any price
  
• dsaar
  Become private or just shut CBC down.
  It is an unnecessary expenditure that serves no-one in the end.
  It is blatantly socialist which makes sense seeing as it is a socialist organisation itself being spoon fed taxpayer dollars while working against the free market.
  It fails to investigate issues which is why for a decade they spread the lie of CO2 induced warming, they rail against Canada like we are the polluters in the world, they attack our oil industry even though we are the cleanest oil producer on the planet, they hide the wrong doings of socialist politicians while attacking Conservative ones to the point of creating scandal from whole cloth( Air Bus) (The wafer incident) and on and on.
  They are the enemy of a free Canada, they are propagandists and why should we pay for that?
  
• Brckrk
  the cbc has long ago forgone any relevance or had any meaningful impact in Canada. As to the future, like with any other stagnant instiution, the only option is to completely dismantle the bloated and ineffective organization.
  
• Dsuffco
  What are you smoking?CBC is not a station that I find good to watch only for Don Cherry and that is not value for tax payers money.Sun tv gives me more info for what I want in a news station that good Peter M.
  
• Maureen55
  They need to start from scratch and focus on NEWS but news that is delivered in an impartial way.  No more interpreting what they think the news means to Canadians – Canadians are well educated and can figure it out for themselves.
  All the ‘programming’ that they create can be done by other broadcasters.
  They need to get rid of their their misc. channels which just repeat the same programs over and over again – I get CBC newsworld and CBC regular channel – I would think that about 60% of the programming is the SAME, but I suspect that they have completely different staff to run the channels.  How many other channels do they ‘operate’ with different sets of staff – that is just a wast of money
  
• J Kerr
  The CBC should have to prove itself like every other network. If it’s relevant people will watch, if it isn’t, they won’t. If it’s shut down, to put our tax money to much better use, programming like Hockey Night in Canada will be picked up by one of the other networks, so no one will care. The Liberals are defunct, so their broadcasting mouthpiece should be as well.
  Shut it down now.
  
• Red_Hot_Chili_Pampers
  Defund the CBC! Why am I paying to see comrade Terry Milewski call the PM “creepy”?
  
• What?
  But they are accountable – you’re participating in that accountability right now.  I found their election coverage way too biased in favour of the Conservatives.  Do you propose we license more Faux News North (I’m sorry, Fox News North) as we just have with the Sun outlet?  I don’t consider Americans to be well informed by their news media, and nor do citizens of other countries.  You should be careful what you wish for.
  
• Jim
  Make the CBC work for a living. It will be meaningful and relevant if it provides programming that people want to watch. Let them compete instead of giving them a $1B edge over the other companies.
  
• Fritzzi
  The CBC’s attitude that it should not be accountable to its owners i.e. the taxpayers of Canada, as to where/how money is being used is arrogant and wrong. There is much in Canada to provide programming besides NHL hockey which takes up too much prime time. Many of our best dance groups, symphony orchestras, and other performing arts groups could do with some ‘plumping up’ financially, and CBC should be providing access to these performances, instead of requiring these groups to depend on federal grants to survive; or leaving this type of programming to ‘learning channels’, as is the case now. This is a form of double dipping, the funded CBC is not doing its job properly to provide access to Canadian artists. The CBC is also totally liberally biased in its reporting, as seen in the slurs cast on the Prime Minister during the last election campaign. All parties need media respect whether CBC agrees with their political stance or not, and that definitely did not happen and the bias has worsened over the past number of years. CBC simply forgets who funds it.
  
• A. M.
  I tune out of CBC Radio far more than I tune into it, as I find the quality of the programming to be lower than my primary alternative – NPR Radio. Since I live closer to the US border, I have the pleasure of listening to NPR radio throughout the day and I’ve donated to them yearly, as they cover their topics with a professionalism and neutrality not found on CBC Radio.
  I do not support my tax money funding the CBC. They represent the ideological views of the people they know are listening, regardless of the ideological views of all Canadians, rather than representing the news in general. While they don’t have the same level of advertising that other Canadian broadcasters have, the people involved seem to purport an overarching bias that goes beyond covering the news and saying, “here it is, make your own decisions.”
  The only way I would support the CBC is if they completely revamped their system, to cover political events, issues of public attention and the general news without suggesting how we should feel about these events, issues or political figureheads. I would support interviews where questions were asked without the dripping sardonic tone some interviewers use, where the interviewers viewpoint was not the forced viewpoint you’re expected to have.
  If you want an example of the ideal public radio host, refer to NPR Radio hosts and listen to someone like Neil Cohen, whose primary job seems to be to ask *all* questions pertaining to a situation, and not simply the questions he wants answered that match his viewpoint. I’ve never, ever heard him echo a bias
  If anyone suggests the CBC does not have bias, my retort would be that the station matches their ideological viewpoint or they’re not as objective as they feel they are. The station is not professional, as far as news coverage goes.
  
• Content
  Are you suggesting the private networks, which simply rebroadcast American content, reflect Canadian values?
  
• Bob in Ottawa
  I don’t think they can anymore – they’ve strayed so far from what they were that they are no longer relevent to me.  I was a heavy CBC Radio/TV listener in the 80′s-90′s and now find that there coverage, choice of stories, and new coverage definately has a flavour or agenda.  I want to know about my country – not what each special interest group is concerned/offended with.  It almost feels like manufactured news.  I also see nothing in their television line up that speaks to me – I guess I miss the Beachcombers…
  
• Jim
  Drop the word “How” at the beginning of this question and the answer is “No.” Sorry … there’s no way to make the CBC relevant and meaningful.
  
• A. M.
  Ohhh, that’s a good one. I hadn’t even considered that. If they provided the news, provincially, federally and internationally better than anyone else, there’d be no argument from me; but their quality in the news department is lacking and your point is very relevant.
  
• Denis
  Every major institution in Canada has been a public endeavour.  Name it – schools, universities, roads, communications, health care, old age security…  In an age when we’re constantly reminded that information is power, you suggest we dismantle what other media world wide consider to be among the best in the business (along with the BBC, the Guardian, and the Economist)?  You suggest we turn these services over to corporations whose priority is profit and pandering to the lowest common denominator?
  
• Fritzzi
  Privatize it totally. Make it earn its own keep. Get some broadcast staff that are not liberally biased. The programming department seems to know all the disinteresting issues to deal with – mostly the far out leftist crap.
  
• Privatize_the_CBC
  On its current path – it will not be relevant. ever. Cut off taxpayer funding and let them swim or sink.
  
• Davidelder
  The only way the cbc could be relevent and meaningful to me is they stand on their own two feet .
  
• Privatize_the_CBC
  Care to provide specific examples and facts?  Just to show us you’re not “simply re-broadcasting” CBC, or other elitist opinions as fact….
  
• iheartcanada
  Right now other networks have to bid against state run media for NHL rights and that is not right
  
• Jean-François Bérubé
  What’s the difference between what I am reading in the posts here and the American culture? Shut the CBC down and we will become the 51st state of the union. Pathetic! Why shut down the only viable alternative to dumb private broadcasting?
  
• iheartcanada
  Too funny; now I have to go clean coffee off of my screen.
  
• Dpurq
  Canadians are very much influenced by American style TV, the only seeming exception being programs involving Canadian sports. Since US programming is available and so popular it is curious that the CBC tries to emulate US programming commercially while maintaining the guise of being a public broadcaster.  
  PBS the BBC and to an extent TVO and SCN seem to be the only models suggesting what (relatively) commercial-free programming might strive for. The BBC’s heavy funding allows it and the industry linked to it to produce quality programming rarely matched in North America (except for CBC radio) and with much less onerous commercial intrusion. The BBC produces a pretty good dollop of pop culture too but with a certain amount of intelligence.
  
  As it is, quality programming in North America relies increasingly on material produced in the UK.  Canada is too small a country to support or emulate the ambitious goals of the BBC. Besides, the BBC has had it’s own problems and suffered not a few scandals. Moreover, it is questionable whether a sufficient number of Canadians would appreciate the level of programming provided by the BBC – or its mix of programming. 
  Curiously, CBC beauraucracy (if measured by the size of it’s high rise office towers) seems to outweigh its meager output. What do all those executives do?
  In any event, the internet revolution is fast overtaking TV. The current audience shift away from TV to the internat with programs available on demand suggests where the future lies.  If TV programming doesn’t become obsolete it may well end up at the level of commercial AM radio in the US. One only needs to scan the AM radio dial to appreciate how low that has become. 
  With respect to the internet, the CRTC seems hopelessly mired in support of monpolistic providers (Bell, Rogers, etc.) much against the interests of Canadians. The question today is not what to do with the CBC so much as what to do with Canada’s backward internet service policies re competition, coverage and pricing. Much of the country has yet to enjoy access to the internet anywhere near that of say Viet Nam or Korea. It seems our current providers enjoy a cosy and unhealthy elationship with the CRTC.
  So what has all this to do with the CBC?
  Does the government have a role to play in the information/entertainment age? Perhaps not in terms of creating content unless it it is beneficial to most Canadians. Perhaps it has a role supporting the arts, but to what extent are Canadians interested in the arts? If the governament is to have an agenda, what should it be?
  My feeling is the government’s only obligation is to make sure Canada has the infrastructure in place (public or private) at least comparable in quality of service to other countries – and by which information and entertainment can be accessed to the same degree as other countries at a cost competeiive with that of their publics.         
  
• Gar3mar3
  Their reporting is biased and self serving as illustrated in the coverage of the last election. If an other example is needed;  their reaction to the potential existence of another competitor i.e. the Sun news channel before it even went on the air was disgusting. This from an organization that would prtend to support a free press and democracy. To make matters worse the charge was led by one of it’s leading corresspondents. Take away their subsidy.
  
• Anonymous
  Sell this tax money pit.  If they can compete in the free market they may become relevant.  At present they are little more than the Liberal party propaganda wing.
  
• Ralph
  The CBC will only become relevant when it becomes accountable. The only way it can be accountable is by raising revenues based on ratings. In the age of satellite television and wide spread internet access there is no real need for the CBC and therefore it should be eliminated.
  
• Richard
  The CBC cannot be relevant as long as it remains the propaganda wing of the Liberal Party of Canada. The lefty bias, at taxpayer expense leaves me cold.
  
• Jv99922
  The CBC should be able to sustain it self without any Govt.i.e. Taxpayers help. Also it should report without any political bias.
  
• Ron
  The CBC has become to Canada what Pravda was to the USSR – a propaganda tool for lefty politicians. The CBC can do what it wants on it’s own dime and that of it’s viewers but why the $Billion dollar taxpayer subsidy !?
  For 20 years I always made a point of watching The National  but I and those around me gradually realized the CBC’s “news reporting” was biased and agenda driven big time! I have not watched The National for 10 years and I know I am much better informed now.
  Mark Kelly – I was withing 20 feet of him as he “put together” his “news” report on the Kelowna forest fires of 2009. Even though it was dead calm (and forcast to remain calm for days, which it did) he torqued up his gig to instill a degree of great  fear in his viewers. He intentially threw a handful of dust in the air and said (paraphrase)”as you can see the winds here are picking up and this will make the fires situation even more dire”.
  After the taping was completed, I told Mark and his producer their conduct was despicable. And how did they react ? – move along mere citizen we have a “job” to do.
  And then there is the CBC’s ‘global warming’ coverage. Is there not a law against false advertizing? Using taxpayer $s to push a known fraud is ok? Ok because it makes Canadians fearful and more compliant and willing to hand over their “green” taxes? 
  And to think I was an avid fan of The Nature Of Things – until I realized it was just fanatic-driven-drivel  that was not based on science at all.
  I could go on and on but there is probably some kind of space limitation here.
  STOP !! THE CBC $BILLION SUBSIDY IMMEDIATELY
  
• iheartcanada
    As my favourite blogger has said and I quote:
  “the dreadful CBC  –  owns nearly half of Sirius Satellite Radio in Canada.  What kind of a government competes against its own citizens in business for profits?  Do try to answer that.” J.J.
  
• http://www.facebook.com/people/Brenda-Lynn/679392076 Brenda Lynn
  I’m a 59 year old woman, married, two grown children. I NEVER watch the CBC channel…just realized I hadn’t watched it for years…guess it’s not relevant anymore.
  
• Free
  IT cant.
  
• Chris
  I think the national public broadcaster should cease all television and internet communications/programs unless they are self-sustaining.  I think the only relevant place for CBC to receive any funds is in the area of radio broadcasting, especially as it reaches a vast number of people who otherwise would not have some information.
  So… CBC radio – that’s all we could use.
  
• Anonymous
  Whenever (infrequently) I listen or watch, I find myself shouting “You don’t speak for me”.  The disconnect between the CBC and the majority of Canadians is so profound, I am not sure that it can be fixed without a complete culture change at the broadcaster.
  
• Anonymous
  Tell us where all the free money we’re giving you is being spent!
  
• Vic Joy
  It’ absolutely incredulous to imagine that the cbc can continue to flagrantly spend tax paying dollars without any form of detailed accounting. This indiscreet judgement seems to be a carry over from previous Liberal govt behaviour. Perhaps that’s why Peter Mansbridge and his news crew have become the liberal lackies they now are.
  
• Free
  How much is the cbc paying you for your diatribe?
  
• Anonymous
  There is an easy way to decide this.  NO government funding.  The people will judge, as they do with every other broadcaster, by whether or not they tune in.  And I tend to listen to CBC radio, because I enjoy classical music.  So I’m not basically hostile, but I believe strongly in small government.
  
• Andi
  Reporting news instead of providing personal opinions would be the best start.
  Hiring people with no agenda.
  
• Free
  I have LOCKED OUT cbc from my TV, it has been that way for years.
  I want it locked out of my wallet as well.
  Even my child knows not to waste his time listening to these extreme commies.
  
• http://pulse.yahoo.com/_SRQIJCMSYK6W3JUNO7HV3EC5AI Arnold Gosnell
  The CBC can get more money from the Canadian citizens, when they disclose where all the money goes.
  
• Anonymous
  CBC can best be relevant and meaningful in the future is by competing with other broadcasters for our viewing.  This can only be done if we stop funding them with our taxes and they depend on their survival by producing  or providing shows we want to watch or hear on the radio.
  
• kjh
  The CBC could make a good start by reporting the news in a balanced way, rather than favouring the left side of the political spectrum, which they’ve been doing for as long as I’ve been monitoring them, which would be for almost 35 years. Their idea of a balanced debate is a panel with someone slightly left of centre, someone more left of centre, and someone totally in left field.
  They also tend to have journalists on their panels who agree with their left-lib orientation. Studies have been done, by Ryerson professors, which verify the CBC’s leftward list:
  
  Ryerson
  University professors Marsha Barber and Ann Rauhala explored the
  demographic and political leanings of Canada’s television news
  directors. The results of their survey were published in 2005 in the
  Canadian Journal of Communication. The researchers found that the
  news directors, whom they describe as the people “with the most
  direct responsibility for programming the news on any given day,”
  were more politically and socially liberal than the rest of the
  Canadian population. Broken down by network, those working for the
  CBC were the most left-leaning. …
  When
  the researchers turned their attention to television news alone they
  found that coverage
  by the CBC was most harsh against conservative positions.
  Journalists,
  particularly
  those working for CBC TV, used omission, exaggeration or
  misrepresentation of information to present evangelicals and the
  positions they held in the worst possible light.
  Point made.
  Obviously, in order to be more relevant in the future, seeing as CBC television captures only about 6% of the Canadian television market share, they need to be more representative of the Canadian population, many of whom self-identify as “conservative.” CBC TV tends to be Toronto-centric, which has made them less and less relevant and meaningful to a large swath of Canadians.
  CBC also needs to be less negative about the Judeo-Christian faith, especially when it comes to Evangelicals and Catholics. There tends to be a knee-jerk negativity when reporting on faith issues — and a dearth of actual knowledge of religion in Canada.
  
• Anonymous
  One point one billion dollars to be too told how to think by a taxpayer funded crown corp. does not cut the mustard. CBC refuses to be held accountable on how they spend our money. Those are not Canadian values. By the way what’s with CBC owning a portion of Sirius Radio?
  
• Anonymous
  The CBC lost its credibility years ago. The only way I could imagine the CBC regaining its former position is on its own merit – i.e. delivering content people actually want – attainable only via privatization. Please stop telling Canada “what Canadians want” and listen for a change. People can vote with their remote controls. Leave CBC radio alone, but cut 100% of funding to CBC television. It’s not like they don’t have commercials already.
  
• Mike in Peterborough
  CBC should stand on it’s own with no public subsidy. If people like it they will listen. If it continues its heavily leftist bias they won’t.
  
• Anonymous
  Privatize the CBC – no government funding.  It should have to stand, and succeed or fail, on its own merits – this is the only way it will be relevant.
  
• http://www.facebook.com/people/Tom-Forsythe/1060566480 Tom Forsythe
  The power structure at the CBC is so infused with a particular and very extreme worldview that it can never be redeemed.
  The cancer has metastatized. Time to put the dog down.
  
• http://www.facebook.com/people/Tom-Forsythe/1060566480 Tom Forsythe
  A lot of commenters are suggesting simply cutting off public subsidies. I don’t think that goes far enough.
  The CBC still carries the prestige of being the official state broadcaster, even though they clearly serve the agenda of a tiny elite who are accountable to nobody but themselves.
  It has to be completely shut down.
  
• Dan
  The CBC can only become relevant and meaningful by being of interest to the majority of Canadians. With the government providing so much of thier funding, the CBC can be free to tell Canadians what is relevant and meaningful. If the CBC was more reliant on private investment or possibly public donations then the Canadian people would fianlly be able to determine what is relevant and meaningful to them by tuning in or tuning out. Programs that are relevant and meaningful would be popular, and would generate income allowing the brodcaster to survive. On the other hand, if the CBC produced unpopular material there would be no audience and no advertising revenues, and so it would ultimately fail. The CBC needs to succeed or to fail on its own without any more tax subsidies.
  
• http://profiles.google.com/hemzer Dung Beetle™ Ebe
  tom, the CBC has much higher and broad quality of programming than many radio & TV. You got it wrong ad exactly the opposite.
  
• http://profiles.google.com/dyollmecurb Bruce M. Lloyd
  The CBC is irrelevant. I gave up listening to CBC R1 a very long time ago when all that was discussed were books by ancient, dried-up authors, and music that has nothing to do with Canada (i.e., Latin, South American, African). The hosts of these programmes try desperately to be relevant, entertaining or in touch with Canada; their artificial Canadian pollyanna attitude is sickening. Weekend programming for the “youth set” makes me violent. The only saving grace on the CBC is Sunday Edition with Michael Enright because it is relevant and topical. I have never listened to CBC R2 or R3 (on the internet) and refuse to. It simply has no relevance to my life. CBC television is moderately less irritating, but in the past I’ve turned my television off as quickly as I could when George Stronboulopoulous’ highly exasperating television programme appears.  When the CBC decided not to pay for their Hockey Night in Canada theme and simply gave it away, then had a contest to find an awful replacement, I gave up on their sports broadcasts. Its time to shut the CBC down. Local news radio and television provides a far better job at bringing me relevant news programming, give the CBC marked tax dollars to these struggling broadcasters and let the CBC whither and die.
  Shut them down and stop the embarrassment.
  
• Sharon
  Relevant?  CBC?  Their original programming looks like it was all made in the 1950′s.  Their newscasters use language that is totally biased to the point I won’t watch them anymore.  The staff is huge and overpaid compared to private broadcasters.  And they use our tax dollars to fight in court rather than hand over their financial reports to our government!  Just who do they think they are??  Privatize them NOW!  The money would be better spent on medical care, our failing infrastructure (roads and bridges), and senior citizens who haven’t had a cost of living raise to pensions in three years.  I want my tax money back!
  
• http://profiles.google.com/dyollmecurb Bruce M. Lloyd
  No, no it doesn’t. It is completely out of touch with Canadians.
  
• http://profiles.google.com/dyollmecurb Bruce M. Lloyd
  If the CBC is the only thing keeping us from being Americans then we’re all in VERY serious trouble. There is the 49th parallel, the French language, our jobs, industry, government, our presence on the world stage, our common values and most significantly, OUR FLAG, with 32 million other reasons why we are never going to be Americans. Don’t dilute yourself.
  
• COLIN JAMES
  THE CBC HAS BECOME A POLITICAL  LIABILITY AND NOW HAS NO PLACE
  IN THE CANADIAN MEDIA. SHUT IT DOWN.
  
• Mark H
  CBC is a poor use of taxpayer dollars
  
• Jmyro
  Open up the books and show us how our money is spent
  
• Gus Schmidt
  CBC does not provide any meaningful content that could not otherwise be provided by private broadcasters.
  
• http://www.facebook.com/zahayna Brodie Hay
  The CBC, being our state broadcaster, has done a great disservice to Canadians with their obvious and venomous leftist bias.  For instance, in the last election, they had a ‘service’ on their site which would help you pick your political party.  If you answered ‘not sure’ to every question, it invariably said you were a liberal.  All of the programming deals with left issues like ‘social justice’, which is not justice at all, how evil Israel is (when Israel is the victim, not the bully), leftist environmentalism driven by panic and fear instead of sound science, and on and on.
  Personally, if I have to pay taxes that fund such projects, I believe that this broadcaster should be forced to at least admit their leftist bias.  If you listen to a Christian radio station, the bias is openly admitted.  And they aren’t required, being privately funded.  Also, as a taxpayer, and among the majority of Canadians on the right (see last federal election), I think the CBC should be required to air equal-time, opposition based programming.  Tax dollars should not be spent on indoctrinating listeners, but instead be given both sides of the story, and leave it to Canadians to decide.  It is only fair.
  
• http://www.facebook.com/zahayna Brodie Hay
  The CBC, being our state broadcaster, has done a great disservice to Canadians with their obvious and venomous leftist bias.  For instance, in the last election, they had a ‘service’ on their site which would help you pick your political party.  If you answered ‘not sure’ to every question, it invariably said you were a liberal.  All of the programming deals with left issues like ‘social justice’, which is not justice at all, how evil Israel is (when Israel is the victim, not the bully), leftist environmentalism driven by panic and fear instead of sound science, and on and on.
  Personally, if I have to pay taxes that fund such projects, I believe that this broadcaster should be forced to at least admit their leftist bias.  If you listen to a Christian radio station, the bias is openly admitted.  And they aren’t required, being privately funded.  Also, as a taxpayer, and among the majority of Canadians on the right (see last federal election), I think the CBC should be required to air equal-time, opposition based programming.  Tax dollars should not be spent on indoctrinating listeners, but instead be given both sides of the story, and leave it to Canadians to decide.  It is only fair.
  
• Ernie
  I strongly support the elimination of all taxpayer funding to the CBC. It is idiotic to maintain a government funded media organization that competes with private broadcasters.
  
• Anonymous
  It should be sold off and try to make it as a PBS style subscription station. If their management had to respond to market forces like any other station they would not produce and support such mediocrity.
  
• Patti Blute
  Programming could be improved, especially overnight..I understand that they are going to shorten the Link,That is distressing In the middle of the night I do not need to hear loud, jangling music. Topical discussions are wonderful & informative from countries around the world. If this happens I will have to get an internet radio and listen to PBC from New York etc.
  Please do not let this happen.
  
• Collin
  How can the CBC be relevant and meaningful in the future? Who cares, let them figure that out on there own, but stop funding an organization that does not respect its viewers, the tax payer, the goverment we elected. They feel they only need to answer to unelected judges, well lets send them a message and cut the funding. I have had my fill of bureaucratic waste, on my dollar, I work to hard for my money to watch it go towards a broadcaster that doesn’t have a clue what is relevant to canadians. Privatize it, and let the cbc decide what is relevant and meaningful, and if canadians agree they will do just fine.
  
• Phillip G Shaw
  Having spent 40 years in Broadcasting, including all three networks in Canada and 2 networks in the USA. I find that CBC has become an embarrassment. Not worth viewing The only coverage they do well is Sports, and sports does not require public funding…CBC is obsolete as a Programmer or Program Distributor..The CRTC needs a new Mandate
  
• Anonymous
  the cbc doesn’t need to be relevant. It needs to be competitive. Programs should not be broadcast based on principle or ideology. If they cannot draw the viewers and sponsors, drop them.
  
• Seanjscully
  They should fire Peter Mansbridge for one thing. If it were privatized it would be forced into relevancy. Why does CBC broadcast in Punjabi? If there was a market for Punjabi hockey broadcasts, a private company would pick it up. CBC can’t be relevant so long as it a public company.
  
• Privatizethecbc
  Making them pay their own way would force them to become relevant.
  
• canadian
  if government keep spending money on CBC then harper will loose my vote in the ELECTION.  no more money for stupid cbc
  
• S.Mcgill
  Privatize! Taxpayers have spoken again and again.
  
• Ernie
  All the questions being posed in this consultation process focus on how best to maintain the CBC in its current form as a government funded operation. The question that is not being asked is whether it should be maintained with taxpayer funding and I think the consensus answer to that is a resounding no, which makes all the other questions pretty irrelevant.
  
• Katien1765
  It should continue to seek out and engage younger , fresher faces –Jian Ghomachi( spelling-? ) as an example – He is good  while still beinfg very young
  
• Bchamplin
  Not one cent of taxes should be used to support any part of the CBC. How can you possibly think you are relevant if you confiscate the funds you need to operate? If you were relevant you’d be popular. If you were popular you might raise money through voluntary donations like TV Ontario or you might sell advertising time. Believe in democracy do you? Let the democracy of voluntary donations determine your future.
  
• Chryjade
  Get rid of the CBC. That 1.1 billion dollar sink hole with no accountability!
  
• Katien1765
  Absolutely – It should continue to take on the moral sense of the consumer
  
• Waste of money
  After the election slanted Liberal bias. The CBC choose their side and I think the canadian voters showed that the CBC and the Liberal party are both dead
  
• Anonymous
  Remove the taxpayer funded subsidy & let the CBC compete in the marketplace of free ideas & ideology.
  
• Murphy
  CBC is a waste of Honest Tax payers money and should be privatized.
  
• Chris
  The CBC is irrelevant in today’s media environment, get rid of it.
  
• Anonymous
  Yep, this whole “consultation” is a farce. Check out the FAQ on the main page, which explains that this consultation is ostensibly a review on whether the CRTC should renew the CBC’s broadcast license.
  As if there is any doubt. This consultation is just another slap in the face. Elections don’t matter when you have job-for-life bureaucrats calling the shots.
  
• Jfindley
  CBC is a tax wasting, left wing political machine.  I’ve stopped watching CBC News for a few years now because they have no credibility with anyone who just wants to see fair, unbiased reporting.  Just the facts with no spin and I might come back.  After all, it’s my money that keeps it running.
  
• Redneck49
  spoken (or written) like a true socialist/liberal!
  
• Jjure
  CBC may have been useful decades ago. It has long outlived that usefulness. Now, CBC is is a giant useless parasite on our society. Everything CBC can do, at great expense, is done, and better, by private broadcasters. Time to retire.
  
• Jfindley
  40 years ago, I was proud of the CBC.  Now I won’t even watch it.  Thank god Shaw has Sun News available.  And CBC Radio is no better!
  
• greig
   The CBC has outlived any usefullness it may once have had and no longer serves the purpose it had been created to provide. Technology has evolved and our choices of multi-media have expanded while institutions like the CBC continue to lower the bar and promote only their narrow Socialist agenda under the guise of Canadian Culture and Content. Until the CBC is defunded of all taxpayer funds and made to stand on their own merits they will never be relevant or meaningful.
  
• Judy A
  The CBC needs to follow
  its own protocols, re fairness and balance. It assuredly does not–I finally stopped
  contacting the CBC Ombudsman, a CBC EMPLOYEE, for heaven’s sake!: despite
  EVIDENCE provided to the contrary, the CBC simply asserts that it does follow
  its fairness rules. Duplicity reigns supreme at the pro-Liberal, all left, all
  the time CBC.
  
• Wiebe de haas
  I think the word you want, Bruce, is delude, not dilute. Which brings up the issue brought forward by practically everyone in this blog, an anti-CBC bent. For a nation to be unified, and view itself as a people, it requires commonality. The CBC/Radio Canada is the voice and image of Canada, not just to ourselves but also to the rest of the world. Without it Canada is not a nation, just a ‘market’ of people that consume product. The CBC is a living symbol we are a distinct nation within the North American ‘market’. Bruce, every other example you give can just as easily be erased, and we would no longer be an independent nation.
  
• The West
  There’s no way CBC can be relevant if it relies on the majority of its funds coming from Taxpayers.  They take a slanted left wing view, utilizing the Tax dollars of people who don’t support their mantra.  I, for one,  want my Tax Dollar removed from the CBC Kitty… Let the Marketplace determine their place within the Media World.
  
• Jerry Atc
  cbc is a waste of taxpayers money that refuses to disclose how they spend our money and should be privatized. They compete with private broadcasters using public money and should be held accountable. In todays media world they are a leftist propoganda that is irrelevant. Give me a choice on the dish and you would have to pay me to have them on it.
  
• L.S. Roberts
  This sixty year old has watched the steady decline of CBC.  Unless you’re a PC progressive lib or an eco-nut, CBC no longer speaks for the people.  Shame.
  
• Cindy
  I am fed up with my taxes going towards an organization that is short-sighted, too much of a bureaucracy and operated by a bunch of artsy-fartsy people who have no idea what the ordinary Canadian wants to see or hear.  They can’t be relevant until they accept that Canada is more than Ontario, and that comedy doesn’t have to be the same old people over and over again with the same stupid routines.
  
• Wiebe de haas
  The CBC/Radio Canada is relevant and meaningful today, and will continue into the future. The many negative replies posted here are aimed at giving a false negative impression of the value to Canada the CBC adds. The underlying arguments seem to be cost to the public purse, a perceived bias in reporting and a perceived lack of relevance. Cost to the public is a tangible argument, one that can dismissed, as this cost is low, even from a business perspective.
  The perception of bias is in the eye/ear of the beholder. If one believes there is bias one needs only turn off the radio or TV; but better yet, respond to the ‘offending’ item. What surprises me here is the venomous attacks to something so many claim to not even pay attention to. That is intolerance.
  As to relevance, having a Canadian perspective of global events is priceless.
  
• ETAB
  Stop the leftist anti-CPC, anti-Harper bias. Get rid of the old political hacks who have only one agenda; to get the Liberal Party in power.
  Indeed, the best thing would be to get rid the CBC, remove the taxpayer from funding its biases.
  
• ETAB
  No, bias is not simply a subjective perception; it is an objective and readily substantiated factual conclusion. The fact that most of the political comments are hostile to the CPC and Harper, are anti-American, are accepting of AGW – all without debate or evidence or facticity – shows that the reality of bias in the CBC is not a perception but a reality.
  Furthermore, the solution is not to turn off the radio/TV. We, the taxpayer, are subsidizing this prejudicial commentary – and therefore, cannot, with any sense of justice or integrity, ignore their use of our money.
  
• Billandnorma
  Over the years I have found the C.B.C. to be very Liberal party biased, especially just before an election. They have this stuffed shirt attitude of thinking that they are Canada,s  natural broadcasters and they can do no wrong. C.T.V  does a better job and at least is not dependent on us taxpayers for its existence. I say get rid of it or at least let them stand on their own two feet and generate and not come to the government for funding
  
• ETAB
  What art and culture does the CBC provide? Nothing. Just left wing bigotry. Anti-American, socialit, sophist. Is that the definition of Canada?
  
• Sean
  I think most canadians will move permanently to SUN TV unless CBC gets its act together. The only time I Watch CBC is HNIC. That’s it. Or the olympics.  Very left leaning bias and leftist ideology.  I find the CBC has a pro trudeau agenda. I also don’t understand content like little house on the prairie. Totally inappropriate.
  
• William
  What does this even mean???
  
• Lynne
  Continue doing what they are doing – no problems here……
  
• David Janzen
  The CBC should provide the programming asked of them.  This portion only should be paid by the govenment.  The CBC should  be able to provide whatever programming they feel the public wants – but at their expense.  If there is a need for it, advertising revenue would be forthcoming.
  
• Anonymous
   “The CBC/Radio Canada is the voice and image of Canada, not just to ourselves but also to the rest of the world.” God help us all if that was the case. What is very clear, Canadians do not want to subsidize the CBC. They speak for very few Canadians.
  
  
• Phillip G Shaw
  You must be watching a different CBC,, I see a CBC that is actually
  anti-Canadian.. More of an EU/UN Broadcasting Network… It is what they don’t/won’t cover that bothers me, if it was only Canadian political bias that would be normal… Yes Canada needs strong Canadian Broadcasters, but it’s sure not CBC
  Those that think CBC make them proud to be Canadian..Raise you hand!  
  
• Robert Walker
  The CBC should be disbanded or sold! They are so outdated and so very
  Eastern biased that they have no use whatsoever in a modern Western Canada.
  The exhorbident money spent on useless garbage programming especially
  French in Western Canada is a giant waste of taxpayers dollars.
  Get rid of the CBC forever!
  
• Binker
  Since $1 billion of the taxpayers $ is going to it, the CBC should be highly transparent on its’ spending. At present it thinks it is answerable to no one, with its’ constant refusal to reveal what it does with our money. This is very, very wrong. Future funding should be cut  until they become accountable. Public opinions towards their operations are very low. They come across as evil and wasteful, as they continue to cover up and reject our right for access of information. – From: Very Concerned.
  
• Anonymous
  “If one believes there is bias one needs only turn off the radio or TV; but better yet, respond to the ‘offending’ item.”
  I’m responding by saying that I don’t want to be forced to pay for leftist propaganda anymore. I can turn off the radio but apparently I’m not allowed to keep my money. If their cost is so low then the CBC should have no problems funding themselves through advertising and supporting patrons such as yourself.
  You call opposing viewpoints venomous attacks while advocating for government confiscation of funds. Support for and opposition to the CBC follows political lines  – this alone is enough evidence to show its bias.
  
• Denis
  So you want to watch Canada’s private news providers who pick up feeds from American reporters?  How many foreign journalists does CTV have?  How many does Global have?  If I want an American take on issues, I’ll tune in to PBS.  American news analysis is an oxymoron.
  
• IheartCanada
  Why does CBC have HNIC?  Because it competed against its own citizens and they outbid their competition with our money.  What kind of country competes against its own citizens … are you listening Harper?  I know it has been deeply entrenched with Liberals way before you took office but can you PALEASE do something about it?
  “State-owned or state-run media should be banned in this country, and that notion enshrined in our constitution. J.J.”
  
• iheartCanada
  Well put Julivola!
  
• iheartCanada
  eco-nut = David Suzuki fan
  
• iheartCanada
  It depends on who you watch, read, listen to in the US.  They have their share of lame stream media.
  
• iheartCanada
  who or how can it be stopped?
  
• iheartCanada
  I wish Telus Optik had Sun News
  
• Denis
  So why don’t they?
  
• Denis
  That would be Sun News, or Faux News North?  You can’t be serious.  If I want opinion, I’ll read the op/ed pages of respectable sources on line.  I want news readers, not ‘personalities’ to present the news and I want the facts presented plainly and without opinion.  That leaves me free to make up my own mind.  Where is your desire to inform yourself?  It appears you want others to tell you what to think.
  
• iheartCanada
  Could you imagine the Telethons?  There would be 24-7 telethons selling Anne Murray records, David Suzuki documentaries and The Beachcombers.
  
• http://pulse.yahoo.com/_YUAWX2RNM6GLUCQTHZRRKQSDRM yaakov
  i dont watch cbc i dont like it and i wonder why i should have to bankroll what they want to do, especially when they are very biased against the montreal canadiens
  
• iheartCanada
  Bruce,  it is clean that Dung Beetle TradeMark Ebe is drinking the Kool Aid.  Can you pass me some beer and popcorn!!!
  
• Wjmack
  stop taking tax payers money and become a private company!
  
• iheartCanada
  yup, what kind of country does that, aww nevermind. /sigh
  
• iheartCanada
  I get the impression you see US programming as what? Evil?
  
• iheartCanada
  LOL; it would not be able to exist.  Great idea!
  
• iheartCanada
  The
  
• iheartCanada
  spoken!
  
• iheartCanada
  have
  
• iheartCanada
  people
  

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