CBC asks: Tell us what the CBC means to you

[Rockie]

Since everybody is lined up left of you on the political spectrum you're probably the worst judge on what constitutes the centre. You have no perspective.

[mcrit]

Since everybody is lined up left of you on the political spectrum you're probably the worst judge on what constitutes the centre. You have no perspective.

Nice try dude. I know that I lean right in my thinking (not nearly as right as some people), which means I know where I am. I also know where centre sits relative to me. The fact that you think you are on the centre tells me that you haven't really put your noodle into gear and looked at your belief's in a dispassionate manner. I'll give you a hit about your position; it's on the left. Now, go shoot a resection.

[. ._]

CBC is the only radio I listen to around the house or in the car.

It ROCKS!

[Rockie]

Quirks and Quarks

[Siddley Hawker]

Quirks and Quarks

So-so. In no particular order...

Quebec AM, Breakaway, Vinyl Cafe, Vinyl Tap, Age Of Persuasion, Writers And Company and Cross Country Checkup and that's about it apart from the odd special. The rest is basically background noise. Radio hosts like Vickie Gabareau, Peter Gzowski, Bill Richardson and Don Harron left big shoes to fill and they remain empty. Apart from Stuart McLean no one is left from that era and it shows. I don't watch much tv and CBC-TV would not be at the top of the list if I did.

[bandaid]

I have tried to like CBC, really I have. I guess I am just not old enough to appreciate it.

[kevind]

I miss Peter Gzowski.

[Beefitarian]

I have tried to like CBC, really I have. I guess I am just not old enough to appreciate it.

Sometimes I have enjoyed CBC Radio for over an hour at a time myself.

[Icebound]

We do keep forgetting that "democracy" means the inclusion of everybody and not just "majority rules" as many of you would wish.

That means that, even if ratings don't match Dancing With the Stars, or whatever, there is still room for programming that reaches a minority of listeners/viewers. Having the "entire country".... that means you... support it, is one of the costs of having a pleasant country to live in.

The suggestion that we adopt American-style "money-raising" efforts to fund it, is somewhat peculiar if it is money-saving that we want.... Money-raising efforts eat up as much as 80% of many charities' resources... Not only does it reduce the resources available for production, but it reduces the end-user's entertainment and informational experience.

Speaking of Dancing with the Stars, (or any other "reality" show").... CBC's Dragon's Den was way more educational and entertaining, but who watches it? Yet.... in spite of our protestation that "nobody" watches CBC, it is difficult to go very far in day-to-day life, before finding someone who does.... at least some of the time.

[robertsailor1]

Good point you'd think for a billion dollars someone would be watching or listening, the lefty's must think money is grown on trees. We have public health care that needs money, social services and you want to put it into the CBC..good choice!

[JakeYYZ]

Should tax payers be forced to subsidize "artists" who can't get a decent job elsewhere? If their art is so precious, how come so few care to watch it? Really, you think the Republic of Doyle is a symbol of Canadian culture that tax payers should be forced to pay for even if they don't watch the show? It's pretty clear that Canadians aren't buying what the CBC is telling them they should be - indicated by their ratings. There's NO good reason CBC should be getting a dime of taxpayer money. It should make it on its own merits or become extinct like the dinosaur it is.

[Rockie]

Promoting and protecting Canadian culture is something every Canadian government does in ways you probably aren't even aware of. The CBC is just the most visible. All of Canada including you benefits from it in ways you aren't aware of as well.

You might scoff at the arts, but without them Canada would be a pretty sterile place. As a country we would resemble Pearson airport instead of Vancouver's. That to me is worth the money spent, and I think if a poll were done most Canadians would agree. Otherwise under Harper the CBC would have lost all their funding years ago.

[Icebound]

Good point you'd think for a billion dollars someone would be watching or listening, the lefty's must think money is grown on trees. We have public health care that needs money, social services and you want to put it into the CBC..good choice!

Actually.... a lot of money comes out of thin air..... But that's for another thread.

I do commend you for at least suggesting the money be moved to other social services.... many of the posters here, would rather just send it off to the Cayman Islands...

But the CBC IS a good choice.... if you consider Canada as an important entity worthy of holding together. It is the one non-political entity in the Country that both hires and serves French and English, Northern and Southern, Indigenous and Immigrant, rural and urban, artsy and macho.

ALL Canadians can find something for or about themselves on the CBC. ...and without having to endure endless repetitive rants.

Rush and Bill and Ezra are Soapbox pretending to be News.

Any media which tries to actually tell the story....well, that's "leftist"...

I am pretty confident that Canadians will see through the soapbox crowd in the long run. My generation was complacent and let them get away with it, but Jack has re-energized a new young crowd. Its going to get interesting.



....

[Rockie]

The CBC is at it's best and actually serving its function with news, arts, documentaries and other information type programming. The funding it gets is under pressure just like anything else the public pays for which is only right, which means it has to get smarter about what it spends public money on. I have to agree that we could probably do with less republic of Doyle type programming when money is tight. There is no reason pure entertainment type programming like that shouldn't earn it's keep and save public funds for meatier stuff that would never see the light of day in a private network.

You right wingnuts will probably fall off your chair when you read this.

[The Old Fogducker]

You right wingnuts will probably fall off your chair when you read this.

No Rockie ... no loss of balance on my part, but your ignorance of the broadcast media is showing as brightly as a "Night Sun" light installed.

The Old (Radioguy) Fogducker

[Rockie]

Easy there foggy. Your hatred of all things Rockie is going to eventually give you a stroke if you're not careful.

[mcrit]

Promoting and protecting Canadian culture is something every Canadian government does in ways you probably aren't even aware of. The CBC is just the most visible.

The CBC is a tool used to attempt to shape Canadian Culture into a form that has been dictated by a small segment of the population.

You might scoff at the arts, but without them Canada would be a pretty sterile place.

Agreed. But he wasn't scoffing at the arts. He was scoffing at the idea that this particular dancer was worth government subsidies. To suggest that art would disappear without government funding is asinine in the extreme.

[Rockie]

To suggest that art would disappear without government funding is asinine in the extreme.

It's a good thing I didn't suggest that then isn't it?

You know we would probably disagree less if I knew how to write in a language you understood, but unfortunately I only know english.

[Sheila]

It means to me, a channel I can watch and I know it will be Canadian like 22 minutes and Coronation street. When I want to see local news and weather that's where I go. If I want culture I go to the gas bar and get lotto tickets. This past weekend I was in Thompson and there was a full serve gas bar, and the gas jockey put oil in my car for me. Isn't that from the old days when there were nothing but full serve gas stations? I think I'll join the Co-op so I can have full serve like so many canadians, or is it just in Manitoba, that company? blah blah blah.

[grimey]

It means to me, a channel I can watch and I know it will be Canadian like 22 minutes and Coronation street.

Get Netflix Sheila. There are literally thousands of Coronation Street episodes on there, going back 8-10 years.

And Coronation Street isn't Canadian, it's British.

[Indanao]

It means to me, a channel I can watch and I know it will be Canadian like 22 minutes and Coronation street. When I want to see local news and weather that's where I go. If I want culture I go to the gas bar and get lotto tickets. This past weekend I was in Thompson and there was a full serve gas bar, and the gas jockey put oil in my car for me. Isn't that from the old days when there were nothing but full serve gas stations? I think I'll join the Co-op so I can have full serve like so many canadians, or is it just in Manitoba, that company? blah blah blah.

In our little town, Richmond, B.C., there is a bylaw saying they must have pump jockeys. It's make work for the needy. I don't like it.

But, the CBC..? What CBC radio means to me, having worked in 7 Provinces, NWT, and the High Arctic - I found it the same all across the country. Peter Gzowski, Sheila Rogers etc. etc., sort of makes me feel at home where ever I am and that's pretty darn nice when you can only tune in one station most of the time.

[mcrit]

]

mcrit wrote:

To suggest that art would disappear without government funding is asinine in the extreme.

It's a good thing I didn't suggest that then isn't it?

Hmmmm.....Jake makes a comment to the effect that government funding of the arts is not the best use of money and you respond with:

Promoting and protecting Canadian culture is something every Canadian government does ......

.......You might scoff at the arts, but without them Canada would be a pretty sterile place.

Jake says we shouldn't fund the arts, and you respond by talking about a Canada without the arts. Seems like a pretty clear suggestion to me.

[Rockie]

Seems like a pretty clear suggestion to me.

To you maybe, but you have a well established record of misinterpreting most everything I say.

Think about this for a couple of seconds mcrit. I know you think I'm pretty stupid, but do you believe I'm stupid enough to think that if the CBC disappears then all art in Canada would disappear? Is anybody that stupid? I mean come on man, put a little thought into these things so you don't embarrass yourself.

[JakeYYZ]

Here are the top 30 programs (August 08-14, 2011). Show me the “Canadian culture” contribution the CBC adds.
http://www.bbm.ca/_documents/top_30_tv_ ... 082011.pdf
It’s a 1 page PDF.

[Rockie]

Sad isn't it? Not a documentary or arts program on there. Does this mean we should only show "big brother" and "So you think you can dance Canada" full time, all the time on TV? You know, make it as stupid and brainless as we can.

Is that what you're advocating here Jake?