CBC Ombudsman to do Internal Investigation

[capricorn]

I like Rex Murphy's country check up on Sundays at 4 pm. It's the only time I listen to CBC radio plus there's nothing good anywhere else in in that time slot. All the other CBC radio programs sound like they're coming from another planet.

[jdobbin]

CBC-1 gets a whopping 8% of the Toronto market. It gets a larger 10% of the Winnipeg market and about 9% of the Vancouver market. It does better in Ottawa - around 16% or so on average. (All those civil servants... )

Come to think about it, the CBC-1's market share is not far from the NDP's popular vote in federal elections.

Bear in mind that CBC radio has no advertising and has resources that other stations can only dream of.

All taxpayers pay for the CBC but only 1 in 10 listens to it.

And yet the commercial radio market in Canada is very profitable and CBC seems to fit in well within that system with popular programming that makes it the top rated station in many markets. A good value for taxpayers, it seems.

What other resources does a large conglomerate need for running a radio network that allows them ownership of three stations per large market? They are immensely profitable and CBC doesn't compete against them for advertising dollars.

As for your 1 in 10 comment, do you have a citation for that? I only have BBMs for major markets. You know what the audience is across Canada as well?

[Canuck E Stan]

CBC-1 gets a whopping 8% of the Toronto market. It gets a larger 10% of the Winnipeg market and about 9% of the Vancouver market. It does better in Ottawa - around 16% or so on average. (All those civil servants... )

Come to think about it, the CBC-1's market share is not far from the NDP's popular vote in federal elections.

Bear in mind that CBC radio has no advertising and has resources that other stations can only dream of.

All taxpayers pay for the CBC but only 1 in 10 listens to it.

So CBC radio is in reality supported by at the most-10% of the public in Canada.

Therefore to be on equal footing with the stations that have more than 10% of the audience they should have to get their funds the same way as these stations,without government help.

Why should 100% of the public pay for an entertainment of which less than 10% listen?

Non-commercial radio should only be supported by those that listen to it and not by those that don't.

The Liberal Party should be paying their share of CBC.....which of course have to be 100% of the CBC budget,after all they are using the CBC reporters to do their work.

[jdobbin]

So CBC radio is in reality supported by at the most-10% of the public in Canada.

Therefore to be on equal footing with the stations that have more than 10% of the audience they should have to get their funds the same way as these stations,without government help.

Why should 100% of the public pay for an entertainment of which less than 10% listen?

Non-commercial radio should only be supported by those that listen to it and not by those that don't.

The Liberal Party should be paying their share of CBC.....which of course have to be 100% of the CBC budget,after all they are using the CBC reporters to do their work.

Please give the citation for the 1 in 10 remark. It seems to be pulled out of nowhere.

This is just the typical right wing attack on the CBC.

[Canuck E Stan]

Please give the citation for the 1 in 10 remark. It seems to be pulled out of nowhere.

This is just the typical right wing attack on the CBC.

Hey,you're the guy on with all the CBC market share stats earlier,I don't see any 25% or 50% market share in any of the cities you mentioned.

You tell me where the total in all of Canada the CBC has a massive share by the public.

August is right,mickey mouse numbers don't quality for 100% participation of tax dollars.

Let them earn their money like all the others stations in what ever way they want.

CBC is not required spending.

[August1991]

As for your 1 in 10 comment, do you have a citation for that? I only have BBMs for major markets. You know what the audience is across Canada as well?

It's based on your BBM link. As a very rough approximation (and generous at that), CBC Radio gets a market share of around 10% in English Canada's cities.

[jdobbin]

It's based on your BBM link. As a very rough approximation (and generous at that), CBC Radio gets a market share of around 10% in English Canada's cities.

I'm afraid the BBM link does not attempt to do any estimates on areas outside major urban settings which have more choices when it comes to audience. In many cases, the CBC is the only signal that is available in far north and isolated rural areas.

I know the right wing despises public broadcasting for idealogical reasons. I just wish they would be upfront about their intentions if they get a majority.

Edited December 16, 2007 by jdobbin

[Borg]

I'm afraid the BBM link does not attempt to do any estimates on areas outside major urban settings which have more choices when it comes to audience. In many cases, the CBC is the only signal that is available in far north and isolated rural areas.

I know the right wing despises public broadcasting for idealogical reasons. I just wish they would be upfront about their intentions if they get a majority.

While I am not sure what you mean by "intentions" - if the so-called right wing does achieve a majority, I would be the first to ask the CBC to become self funding and then sell it off.

So I suppose you could say I AM being upfront. Unlike the average person in management at CBC.

A worthless organization with their own leftie agenda sucking huge dollars from my wallet and every other canuck who pays taxes - with little return.

Take them off the government tit and make them survive on the free market. I suspect their tune would change as realities of the open market take hold.

Glad to see them being "looked" at - but nothing will come of it. Tempest in a tea pot.

Borg

[jdobbin]

While I am not sure what you mean by "intentions" - if the so-called right wing does achieve a majority, I would be the first to ask the CBC to become self funding and then sell it off.

So I suppose you could say I AM being upfront. Unlike the average person in management at CBC.

A worthless organization with their own leftie agenda sucking huge dollars from my wallet and every other canuck who pays taxes - with little return.

Take them off the government tit and make them survive on the free market. I suspect their tune would change as realities of the open market take hold.

Glad to see them being "looked" at - but nothing will come of it. Tempest in a tea pot.

You are upfront. The Tory party isn't. It is very likely that they will try and axe CBC with a majority.

There is no open market in Canada is broadcasting. It is all protected.

[BubberMiley]

It's nice to play games with statistics, isn't it? What you're doing is imputing ratings to the stations because of people scanning the dial listening to the news and sports during rush hour. However, while not bothering to look into other markets, I can tell you that the CBC radio station in Ottawa has about half the ratings share of Ottawa's talk radio CFRA overall, and most of that comes from rush hour drives. The rest of the time it's ratings are in the toilet.

It's even nicer to play games with unsubstantiated, off-the-cuff, subjective observations about what "you can tell us" than actual statistical facts. That way you can say anything you want and not have to back it up.

[Borg]

You are upfront. The Tory party isn't. It is very likely that they will try and axe CBC with a majority.

There is no open market in Canada is broadcasting. It is all protected.

Well, I am glad to see you support the CBC.

As for open market cannot actually call you on it - however I do not support the CRTC either.

Any time the feds get involved the mess gets bigger.

I actually think the Tories have said something to the tune of cutting funding or maybe even axing the outfit.

I figure it would be good for canada to lose this money waster.

Blubber:

Heard something the other day - and no I can not back it up. Argus is on the money with his comments about the Ottawa market.

Yeah, I think I heard it on the internet - an afternoon announcer was chatting with one of his political pundit guys / gals - she was on the air around 1600 hours and telling the world the CBC was vital to canada. Easy to see why she was an NDP type.

Borg

[jdobbin]

Well, I am glad to see you support the CBC.

As for open market cannot actually call you on it - however I do not support the CRTC either.

Any time the feds get involved the mess gets bigger.

I actually think the Tories have said something to the tune of cutting funding or maybe even axing the outfit.

I figure it would be good for canada to lose this money waster.

Blubber:

Heard something the other day - and no I can not back it up. Argus is on the money with his comments about the Ottawa market.

Yeah, I think I heard it on the internet - an afternoon announcer was chatting with one of his political pundit guys / gals - she was on the air around 1600 hours and telling the world the CBC was vital to canada. Easy to see why she was an NDP type.

I think the entire Canadian broadcasting market should be opened up. However, I think the implications of such a move ought to have a full airing via the Canadian public.

As for CBC Television, I think if it does remain, it should go the way of CBC Radio. It should be commercial-free (a $200 million gift to private broadcasters). It should get out of sports (another gift to private broadcasters). I debate whether it should get out of news.

Canadian content rules should be eliminated but then so should simulcasting of U.S. signals. Ownership restrictions should go. My only concern is monopolies in broadcasting and distribution. Once again, this should be discussed with the public. However, one thing is clear: the Canadian public is voting with their remotes. They watch gray market satellite and opt out of Canadian broadcasting altogether. Walk down any street in Canada and you see Dish Network and DirecTV dishes.

If Canada decides to support Canadian production, I'd like to see it go directly to the producers of content.

The debate that the right wing has to get rid of the CBC is one sided. It still leaves Canada with a crappy broadcasting and communications policy.

As for the contention that CBC ratings in Ottawa are poor. You have the link. It gives the ratings all year long in Ottawa. It is what the industry uses and it says CBC Radio One is number 1.

[Michael Bluth]

All taxpayers pay for the CBC but only 1 in 10 listens to it.

That's the problem with the CBC.

Those 1 in 10 feel they have the right to have their listening choice subsidized by the 90% of Canadians who don't listen to it. They also feel it is appropriate for the CBC civil servants to act unethically and feed questions to 'favourable' MPs in committee hearings.

[Argus]

It is funded by its supporters: the taxpayers. It leaves the commercial radio market to the private broadcasters.

Are you saying all taxpayers support the CBC? The majority of them never listen to it or look at it.

[Argus]

I'm afraid the BBM link does not attempt to do any estimates on areas outside major urban settings which have more choices when it comes to audience. In many cases, the CBC is the only signal that is available in far north and isolated rural areas.

I know the right wing despises public broadcasting for idealogical reasons. I just wish they would be upfront about their intentions if they get a majority.

No, conservatives despise public broadcasting in Canada because that public broadcasting is in the hands of left wing ideologues who use their bully pulpit to insult and deride conservatives - and who are, moreover, absurdly wasteful in terms of money, and absurdly lacking in creativity or talent.

[jdobbin]

Are you saying all taxpayers support the CBC? The majority of them never listen to it or look at it.

I have not seen one poll stating that a majority of Canadians want to get rid of the CBC. Perhaps the Tories could pose such a poll since they are running upwards of two polls a day anyways.

[jdobbin]

No, conservatives despise public broadcasting in Canada because that public broadcasting is in the hands of left wing ideologues who use their bully pulpit to insult and deride conservatives - and who are, moreover, absurdly wasteful in terms of money, and absurdly lacking in creativity or talent.

Let's see the Tories state upfront in the next election their intention to get rid of the CBC.

[Michael Bluth]

No, conservatives despise public broadcasting in Canada because that public broadcasting is in the hands of left wing ideologues who use their bully pulpit to insult and deride conservatives - and who are, moreover, absurdly wasteful in terms of money, and absurdly lacking in creativity or talent.

Well said Argus.

No reason for Conservatives to get rid of public broadcasting altogether. Just shrink it in size, relatively as small as PBS is in the US market would be perfect. No HNIC, no Little Mosque on the Prairie or other putrid 'original' 'entertainment' programming.

Hey, some on the left feel it is the role of Government to subsidize their lifestyle choices.

[jdobbin]

It seems that the internal investigation on who may or may not have fed questions to Rodriguez is not from the English arm of CBC Radio or Television.

The focus is now on the French arm of the CBC, specifically someone from the Parliamentary team: Geneviève Asselin, Daniel Lessard, Jean-Yves Michaud and Patrice Roy. However, no reporter will actually be named as per the collective agreement.

It seems much of the criticism here has been on the English division of the CBC. It seems that focus is misplaced. I don't know enough about the SRC and where their perceived partisanship leans to.

Edited December 16, 2007 by jdobbin

[Keepitsimple]

There have been a number of posts saying they can't see anything wrong with the CBC feeding questions to the Liberals. Keep in mind that the CBC Ombudsman is investigating the matter and it may reswult in disciplinary action. That means that the CBC acknowledges that if indeed this happened, it was unethical - to say the least. Once again, here's the lead-in to the story:

The CBC has begun an internal investigation and possible disciplinary action after one of its parliamentary reporters apparently suggested questions to a Liberal MP taking part in the high-profile Mulroney-Schreiber inquiry.

[BubberMiley]

No reason for Conservatives to get rid of public broadcasting altogether. Just shrink it in size, relatively as small as PBS is in the US market would be perfect. No HNIC, no Little Mosque on the Prairie or other putrid 'original' 'entertainment' programming.

Hey, some on the left feel it is the role of Government to subsidize their lifestyle choices.

If the CBC market is so small and the network so unpopular among the masses, I wonder why the conservatives would never have the balls to express in an election campaign their intention to get rid of it.

[Canuck E Stan]

If the CBC market is so small and the network so unpopular among the masses, I wonder why the conservatives would never have the balls to express in an election campaign their intention to get rid of it.

It's hockey season.

[August1991]

Keep in mind that the CBC Ombudsman is investigating the matter and it may reswult in disciplinary action. That means that the CBC acknowledges that if indeed this happened, it was unethical - to say the least.

Given the Conservatives' complaint, the Ombudsman had no choice but to open a file and start an investigation. This doesn't mean anything.

[Michael Bluth]

If the CBC market is so small and the network so unpopular among the masses, I wonder why the conservatives would never have the balls to express in an election campaign their intention to get rid of it.

No reason to get rid of it. Just make it a true public broadcaster and follow the PBS and NPR models in terms of relative funding within the market.

[jdobbin]

If the CBC market is so small and the network so unpopular among the masses, I wonder why the conservatives would never have the balls to express in an election campaign their intention to get rid of it.

It is called incremental Conservativism. It means you never say what you really want and nibble away at the edges on issues such as the CBC.