CBC Wastes $1 million on Mulroney: The Opera

[Shady]

You might not like how CBC spends their money, but the last thing I want is the federal government involved in deciding what projects, programming and media they're allowed to fund and we're allowed to see. Too much of a risk for state propaganda and slant, which is already a bit of a risk given that they're funded by the state. They need to maintain their independence over these decisions, as much as we may not like some of them.

Which is the inherent flaw of state media.

[M.Dancer]

CBC dropped 'jPod' a comedy series about 20-somethings working in the gaming industry in Vancouver based upon the book by a well known pop-culture novelist, the gay Douglas Coupland. Meanwhile the wholesome 'Heartland' out of Alberta makes the cut.

Liberal-ish BC versus Ultra-ish Conservative Alberta

If that isn't political influence, then nothing is...

ummmmm....cancwlling a show because of low ratings?

please, gosthacked might believe you

[GostHacked]

You should apologize especially to me because you are full of shit and a bald face liar to boot.

No please be so kind as to site you scurrilous claim.

I do not feel the need to aplogize to you, based on your reply history to my posts.

[Shwa]

ummmmm....cancwlling a show because of low ratings?

Plenty of ratings info for 'Heartland' usually half a million. But try and find ratings for jPod. You won't, because it was the excuse AFTER they moved the show around.

Another one is Dragon's Den. Ultraconservative. The CPC get into government in Jan. 2006 and Dragon's Den starts up in October of the same year. Coincidence? I think not...

[Evening Star]

I don't even really get how this is a waste. The opera is being shown in theatres, right? Besides, networks spend money on projects that don't ultimately make it to broadcast (or last) all the time. Didn't anyone see the last 30 Rock?

[M.Dancer]

Plenty of ratings info for 'Heartland' usually half a million. But try and find ratings for jPod. You won't, because it was the excuse AFTER they moved the show around.

Another one is Dragon's Den. Ultraconservative. The CPC get into government in Jan. 2006 and Dragon's Den starts up in October of the same year. Coincidence? I think not...

I do....it's a licensed format, cheap to produce and it gets good ratings.

Not sure how you can call it "ultra conservative"...? It's a venture cap reality show

[Evening Star]

(Ha, I actually liked jPod, although I always got the sense that I was in the minority. It's an interesting case if you're attributing politics to it, considering that Coupland is a libertarian. But yeah, the regional thing. I never honestly thought those factors were involved in the programming choices though.)

[M.Dancer]

I do not feel the need to aplogize to you, based on your reply history to my posts.

Well that and your complete lack of credibility on any given subject and intelligence to know when you are wrong...which is surprising given how often you are wrong, you should be an expert by now.

[Tilter]

Because they're a business in a market with other corporations that do not make their program development costs public. While they're publically funded, they need to remain competitive. A business does not give away what projects its working on ahead of time, nor do they inform their competitors of their expenses.

I'm completely in support of benchmarking $x for CBC to do with as it chooses. If the public doesn't feel they're getting value for their money, then we can have a serious discussion about how much money we're throwing at it. I do not, however, believe we should be involved in the decision-making process because that necessarily involves the government deciding what will be funded and shown on television. I'm not cool with that.

Yes, those 16 people across Canada who watch the CBNC should not be deprived of their slanted viewing. It appears to some of you hat they seem a little biased towards the Liberals but that is totally wrong---- they are a LOT biased towards them. Having said that, I actually did see one (1) program that was slanted towards the CPC but it was so rare that I recorded it & sent it to Ripley's Believe it or Not and, as it was such an anomaly they didn't believe it had actually the CBC that had produced the program :lol:

[cybercoma]

How does that have anything to do with what I said? Or was it just convenient for you to hit reply on some random post?

[Tilter]

How does that have anything to do with what I said? Or was it just convenient for you to hit reply on some random post?

Sorry about that, while I was posting I sort of got lost in the inanity of the existence of the CBC at all.

Because they're a business in a market with other corporations that do not make their program development costs public. A business does not give away what projects its working on ahead of time, nor do they inform their competitors of their expenses.

They are NOT a business--- any business that loses money every year they are in existence is a charity and this one happens to be in existence because of our tax money.

While they're publically funded, they need to remain competitive

The CBC has never been and never will be competitive. Their productions wouldn't sell or be shown anywhere except on their stations and becose of the public funding they laugh at competition. hink for a minute---- if they had to produce programs that would actually be watched, how many more millions would it cost us every year Edited April 19, 2011 by Tilter

[M.Dancer]

Okay. I gave it another hour...a little more than that actually and I will say this for them, they have managed to do what no other network in Canada has ever done....they made CBC seem balanced and bias free.

[August1991]

I don't even really get how this is a waste. The opera is being shown in theatres, right? Besides, networks spend money on projects that don't ultimately make it to broadcast (or last) all the time. Didn't anyone see the last 30 Rock?

CBC approved this project, spent a million on it, and then pulled the plug. Then, they denied/refused to give details about all of this.

God knows how many other projects were dealt with in a similar way. In a private organization, there is some kind of accountability. Ultimately, lenders will refuse to hand over more cash. In the case of the CBC, they can always go back for more.

CBC should be left to do what they are funded to do.

So we should just write Hubert Lacroix a blank cheque and trust him?

All businesses make errors because they have to take risks. Some of those risks take off and do well while others flop.

BFD.

BFD? There's a difference when you have access to a limitless supply of OPM.

... Which is the inherent flaw of state media.

And that is ultimately the problem here.

Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?

[August1991]

Okay. I gave it another hour...a little more than that actually and I will say this for them, they have managed to do what no other network in Canada has ever done....they made CBC seem balanced and bias free.

All of this, I assume, is in your own humble opinion.

Morris, you quaintly think that you are left of some, right of others. You may see yourself as a centrist; I see you rather as smug.

-----

Anyway, if you don't like Sun TV, don't watch it. But how would you feel if you were forced to pay for Sun TV?

[M.Dancer]

Morris, you quaintly think that you are left of some, right of others. You may see yourself as a centrist; I see you rather as smug.

-----

Which is neither here nor there, my perceived smugness has no bearing on my political leanings. I do not see myself as a centrist, but rather I am very conservative on some things and quite left on others..the two polar positions do not equal out as a centre.

I am also emotionally cold, insensitive and condescending but that doesn't make me a liberal or a conservative either...

[msj]

So we should just write Hubert Lacroix a blank cheque and trust him?

Nope.

But we shouldn't micromanage every failure either.

Let them take risks and let them learn from failures.

Put a structure in place (which I'm pretty sure is already in place) so that if there are too many failures then the appropriate people are replaced.

That is: let the CBC be run like that business should be run even though it's not quite the same thing as a CTV.

I can only imagine what kind of crap would be produced if we let risk averse idiots like you at the wheel: pap, pablum, and sitcoms for everyone, I'm sure.

Edited April 20, 2011 by msj

[August1991]

Put a structure in place (which I'm pretty sure is already in place) so that if there are too many failures then the appropriate people are replaced.

That is: let the CBC be run like that business should be run even though it's not quite the same thing as a CTV.

What planet do you live on, msj? Planet Naive? You are asking for the impossible.

I love that expression: "... put a structure in place... " You sound like an Ottawa bureaucrat, circa 1978.

Believe me, the bureaucrats nowadays are well beyond such phrases.

I can only imagine what kind of crap would be produced if we let risk averse idiots like you at the wheel: pap, pablum, and sitcoms for everyone, I'm sure.

I agree. Unfortunately, as an ex-bureaucrat, I fear that it is precisely people like me who work in the CBC bureaucracy.

Which is neither here nor there, my perceived smugness has no bearing on my political leanings. I do not see myself as a centrist, but rather I am very conservative on some things and quite left on others..the two polar positions do not equal out as a centre.

I am also emotionally cold, insensitive and condescending but that doesn't make me a liberal or a conservative either...

No cold, insensitive, hard feelings. But you do post:

"RIGHT of SOME, LEFT of OTHERS

If it is a choice between them and us, I choose us"

on every post.

As I read through this thread quickly, it seemed to me that you were on a high horse, Morris. Usually, you make a good, short point and move on. Left? Right? Centre? To me, you're just Morris.

----

Sorry for the the personal comments about another poster. It's against the rules.

Edited April 20, 2011 by August1991

[mikedavid00]

It must be nice to be able to literally burn a million dollars of tax money and not have to answer for it.

The CBC does this on a daily basis and is why tax contributors shouldn't fund the CBC.

(Notice I didn't say 'canadians' as most of them are not tax contributors who fund our 'system')

[Shwa]

Sorry about that, while I was posting I sort of got lost in the inanity of the existence of the CBC at all.

Right. It's the CBC's fault you are mistaken.

They are NOT a business--- any business that loses money every year they are in existence is a charity and this one happens to be in existence because of our tax money.

Of course, no other "business" gets any sort of subsidy from "our tax money." LOFL!

The CBC has never been and never will be competitive. Their productions wouldn't sell or be shown anywhere except on their stations and becose of the public funding they laugh at competition.

Little Mosque on the Prairie - International Syndication

hink for a minute---- if they had to produce programs that would actually be watched, how many more millions would it cost us every year

BMM Ratings for Jan 11-16 - two CBC shows, Dragon's Den and Hockey Night in Canada in the top ten for the week.

[M.Dancer]

No cold, insensitive, hard feelings. But you do post:

"RIGHT of SOME, LEFT of OTHERS

If it is a choice between them and us, I choose us"

on every post.

As I read through this thread quickly, it seemed to me that you were on a high horse, Morris. Usually, you make a good, short point and move on. Left? Right? Centre? To me, you're just Morris.

Was it your horse I was on?

[msj]

What planet do you live on, msj? Planet Naive? You are asking for the impossible.

I love that expression: "... put a structure in place... " You sound like an Ottawa bureaucrat, circa 1978.

Believe me, the bureaucrats nowadays are well beyond such phrases.

I agree. Unfortunately, as an ex-bureaucrat, I fear that it is precisely people like me who work in the CBC bureaucracy.

Thanks to Harper, I may as well be a bureaucrat. But 1978? I was about 5 ish years old so don't have much memory of the lingo back then (is that the right word? "lingo?").

As I prepare yet another simple tax return which, in the good old days could have been prepared by the taxpayer himself, I am merely an extension of the state.

So my client can get back his $75 of fitness credit, I get paid to prepare a simple tax return.

In fact, millions of dollars per year are being spent to pay people like me to do simple tax returns because people "need" us.

On top of that, we are paying CRA agents millions more to contact me so that I can send them the receipt

to show them that the expense is eligible and the tax credit should be allowed.

But people like my client, and you, will focus on the CBC taking a risk and failing while the system churns through hundreds of millions of dollars per year on boutique tax cuts.

Something about forest, trees, and other such stuff comes to mind....