If You Thought They’ve Been Tough On Harper…
I can’t wait to see Peter Mansbridge’s face when he reads this story…
Feds say no more money coming for CBC
Heritage Minister James Moore says the public broadcaster already receives roughly $1.1 billion in taxpayer funds a year and should not expect more.
CBC president Hubert Lacroix has said that federal help is necessary to stave off potential cuts to staff and programming.
He said that a drop in advertising revenue will force drastic measures in the upcoming fiscal year and called on Ottawa to provide early access to upcoming funds.
But Moore says the CBC will have to cope with the slumping economy as best it can.
Tough luck CBC. Sorry you have to now accept the new (pampered) reality. Too bad you haven’t produced anything Canadians want to watch, or advertisers will pay for.
Maybe sell off a couple of titles to raise the cash? Rick Mercer and Hockey Night In Canada could pay a few bills.
Surprising… even the Globe and Pail isn’t sympathetic.
There’s the crux – in this economy, it is vital that the CBC figure out what it is, and what service it provides. Now I know that any mention of the CBC in this newspaper inevitably brings an avalanche of anti-CBC comments, which amount to a call for the CBC to be sold off and the taxpayers spared some $1-billion annually. That’s not going to happen. The complaint is knee-jerk nonsense. For that $1-billion CBC provides, among other things, an amazing level of service in French. And, as you and I know, that service is not going to disappear. Ever.
I say let the Quebec Government pay for their French language programming. English Canada is doing quite well with Global and CTV.
photo credit: reinvented
March 10th, 2009 at 9:20 am
So what makes CBC so “special” that Mothercorp doesn’t need to adjust their expenses like the rest of the world? Lots of businesses (and yes they are a business as they are in competition with other news & entertainment providers), are rewriting budgets, putting projects on hold, selling surplus property (CBC bldg downtown Toronto), staff layoffs, salaries and perks downsized or frozen. How many more suggestions do they need. Can’t see the forest for the trees – special doesn’t cut it anymore – they are not indispensable. They do not speak for all Canadians (I don’t seem my voice and views in their programming). The sun will come up in the morning and set at nite – just not with a rosy CBC glow.