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Post by CentreHice on Mar 9, 2009 15:09:54 GMT -5
$1.1 billion per year is enough, they say. CBC talking layoffs, cutbacks, etc. ArticleIs it essential to have a national media flagship funded in part by the federal government? Discuss..... |
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Post by franko on Mar 9, 2009 15:23:32 GMT -5
Gently, he wades into the discussion, knowing a good friend of his is in the upper management of the upper echelon of MotherCorp, and quietly says . . .
NO WAY -- ARE YOU NUTS?
CBC has a mandate and is given money to fulfill it. Radio 1/2/3 and RadioCanada? Perhaps.
CBC-TV? Excess! Buying syndicated episodes of Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune is not part of what CBC should be.
I'd even go further: if CBC TV is going to take advertising revenue from the private broadcasters then it should sink or swim on its own.
Initial take.
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Post by roke on Mar 9, 2009 15:26:38 GMT -5
Let me preface what I'm about to say with the following. I despise CBC, and it's entirely due to how they handle the first half of Hockey Night In Canada. At this point in time, I refuse to have anything to do with their networks, be they internet, TV or radio and I will not be watching, listening, or reading any of their networks until significant changes are made to CBC sports. Those that I know think it's petty that I refuse to watch a network based entirely around a sport, but I'll leave them and others to make judgments.
That being said, if significant changes were to come about to CBC Sports and they decided to exclusively air Canadian-made content (or at least not American content, which we can get on all our other channels). I would not be against a TV-license scheme similar to the television licensing fee the UK has for for the BBC to fund content and distribution costs. I would be concerned over the CBC bureaucracy not spending the funds wisely though, significant changes would have to come first with strong oversight.
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Post by Disgruntled70sHab on Mar 9, 2009 15:31:15 GMT -5
Haven't read the article yet, CH. But, if they were serious about cutting back I think they could start with Don Cherry and Ron McLean's salaries and work down from there. I really don't know the monetary figures but CBC must revere them as the Canadian version of Al Michaels and John Madden.
Yet, if they do that they'll lose them to another network as they lost the HNIC theme song.
But, they'll probably lay off the low-end, middle-management first.
Cheers.
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Post by CentreHice on Mar 9, 2009 15:31:20 GMT -5
Cubacks will result in new shows:
1. Anne of No Green
2. Extremely Little Mosque on the Prairie
3. The Half-Hour with George Strom
4. Coach's Broom Closet
Add your own......
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Post by franko on Mar 9, 2009 15:38:37 GMT -5
if they were serious about cutting back I think they could start with Don Cherry and Ron McLean's salaries and work down from there. I really don't know the monetary figures but CBC must revere them as the Canadian version of Al Michaels and John Madden. Thing is, Dis, Cherry brings in money. HNIC is one of the few money makers on CBC. iirc, last contract Don signed was for 750K a year . . . easily covered by advertising revenue. there was talk that Don would be dumped but he is an economic boon. |
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Post by franko on Mar 9, 2009 15:41:58 GMT -5
More new shows:
The Local . . . oops, already cut
This Hour has a Minute and a Half
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Post by The New Guy on Mar 9, 2009 16:07:34 GMT -5
I'm a big fan of what the CBC should be, but not what they have become. Which is a pity, because I think the cutbacks are going to hurt really good shows that should be on there - Little Mosque, This Hour et al are quality shows that I'm sure must be making more money in ad revenue than they are spending (okay - maybe not... but they're good Canadian shows).
However too often the CBC tries to break out of its niche and posture itself as a competitor in the marketplace. The recent acquisitions of the broadcast rights for Jeopardy and Wheel for example, are moves made to put the CBC directly in competition with private broadcasters (namely CTV and Global). This is not a marketplace they are geared to - or frankly should be - trying to survive within.
Would I increase the funding of the CBC if I thought ithad Canadians best interests at heart? Boy howdy. However from where I stand the CBC is nothing more than a poorly run media company that is both wasteful and unnecessary.
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Post by Disgruntled70sHab on Mar 9, 2009 16:26:17 GMT -5
if they were serious about cutting back I think they could start with Don Cherry and Ron McLean's salaries and work down from there. I really don't know the monetary figures but CBC must revere them as the Canadian version of Al Michaels and John Madden. Thing is, Dis, Cherry brings in money. HNIC is one of the few money makers on CBC. iirc, last contract Don signed was for 750K a year . . . easily covered by advertising revenue. there was talk that Don would be dumped but he is an economic boon. You're right, Franko ... I may also add that Cherry knows this as well. I think McLean also makes around $600,000-odd, no? Could be wrong. Cheers. |
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Post by CrocRob on Mar 9, 2009 17:18:14 GMT -5
Maclean at least works for his money. He hosts everything on that station, and even works all night on HNIC, as opposed to Cherry whose cumulative appearances throughout the season can't possibly amount to 100 hours.
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Post by franko on Mar 9, 2009 18:23:36 GMT -5
Don: "Why is the camera on him? It's me they tune to watch."
That's when he began to take a nosedive in my eyes.
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Post by Cranky on Mar 9, 2009 18:28:36 GMT -5
Carbo fired AND ethe CBC not getting more money? Should I buy lottery tickets?
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Post by CentreHice on Mar 9, 2009 21:20:17 GMT -5
I'm a big fan of what the CBC should be, but not what they have become. Which is a pity, because I think the cutbacks are going to hurt really good shows that should be on there - Little Mosque, This Hour et al are quality shows that I'm sure must be making more money in ad revenue than they are spending (okay - maybe not... but they're good Canadian shows). However too often the CBC tries to break out of its niche and posture itself as a competitor in the marketplace. The recent acquisitions of the broadcast rights for Jeopardy and Wheel for example, are moves made to put the CBC directly in competition with private broadcasters (namely CTV and Global). This is not a marketplace they are geared to - or frankly should be - trying to survive within. Would I increase the funding of the CBC if I thought ithad Canadians best interests at heart? Boy howdy. However from where I stand the CBC is nothing more than a poorly run media company that is both wasteful and unnecessary. What would you say are "Canadians' best interests"? I'm not being argumentative at all....just curious. In terms of quality shows, we simply don't have the audience and therefore advertising revenue to generate the budgets needed to compete with the U.S. juggernauts. I'm in the business, and I applaud all the talented people who decide to stay in this country. But how many of our shows hit the jackpot with Seinfeldian syndication? How many of our shows are picked up by U.S. networks, as we pick up ER, CSI, etc.? The Red Green Show enjoys time on PBS stations, SCTV was picked up by NBC years ago, and I'm sure the Avonlea series have enjoyed export....but most of our stuff stays domestic. Canadians' interests seem to be the higher gloss U.S. shows....and can't say as I can fault that. The comment I often hear about Canadian productions is, "It looks so CANADIAN."  And a lot of our show biz talent heads south. It's a vicious cycle. And we're not the only country facing it. Piggybacking successful talent search shows such as "Idol" and "So You Think You Can Dance" certainly serve Canadian interests....but even "Idol" has taken this last segment off.....poor ratings (or we just got tired of looking at Ben Mulroney). And neither of these shows are on CBC. And so my question: Are enough Canadians happy with CBC domestic products to warrant their taxes going toward it? The CBC may very well have to become a PBS.....or a private network a la Global and CTV...meeting the minimum Canadian content regulations. |
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Post by franko on Mar 9, 2009 21:51:19 GMT -5
I think that we need to divide the TV and the radio arms.
The TV entity is just competition for rebroadcasting US shows, so it fulfills no purpose. And we've become too cosmopolitan for quaint Canadiana so Canadian shows [which cost too much to produce] aren't produced or appreciated.
Radio? Not sure. I like the Vinyl Cafe and Randy Bachman, ignore Radio 2 [and I guess a lot of former listeners do now too] and don't know about Radio 3.
I just underwent a review, and the main questions were [1]what is your purpose/mandate, and [2]are you fulfilling it?
CBC should have to undergo the same.
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Post by Cranky on Mar 10, 2009 0:02:26 GMT -5
I just underwent a review, and the main questions were [1]what is your purpose/mandate, and [2]are you fulfilling it? . Wife put me on one too. Failed miserably..... |
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Post by Disgruntled70sHab on Mar 10, 2009 5:22:38 GMT -5
I just underwent a review, and the main questions were [1]what is your purpose/mandate, and [2]are you fulfilling it? . Wife put me on one too. Failed miserably..... Yeah ... they do that every once in a while ... but we're still here. Cheers. |
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Post by Polarice on Mar 10, 2009 7:10:21 GMT -5
If they want more money, perhaps they should just go after Ontario's Provincial Government. That's seems to be were they focus all their programming towards.
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Post by BadCompany on Mar 10, 2009 9:35:31 GMT -5
From what I understand they aren't even cutting the CBC's budget... they're just not giving them more.
That seems reasonable to me what with the economy and all.
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Post by franko on Mar 10, 2009 10:21:54 GMT -5
funny that the CBC is at the trough for bailout money, isn't it?
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Post by Cranky on Mar 10, 2009 10:58:49 GMT -5
funny that the CBC is at the trough for bailout money, isn't it? Why not? It's free money and nobody really has to pay it off. Didn't you know that? Man oh man, I wouldn't last two minutes as a lier bullsh!ter politician. |
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Post by Cranky on Mar 10, 2009 11:05:29 GMT -5
From what I understand they aren't even cutting the CBC's budget... they're just not giving them more.That seems reasonable to me what with the economy and all. Reasonable? REASONABLE? You know, when I take over the world, I'm gonna need some help. I need henceman so smarten up and turn to the right way. (Memo: TNG, work on BC. He might be usefull.) |
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Post by franko on Mar 10, 2009 11:46:29 GMT -5
funny that the CBC is at the trough for bailout money, isn't it? Why not? It's free money and nobody really has to pay it off. Didn't you know that? what I meant was . . . they are already at the trough . . . they are addicted [sorry] to it . . . they can't live without it . . . and now [or is it again] they are saying it isn't big enough. "Hey, if everyone else is being bailed out, bail us out too" |
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And a lot of our show biz talent heads south. 
