Adbusters Media Foundation
April 06, 2009
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwire - April 6, 2009) - Adbusters Media Foundation, the publisher of Adbusters magazine (www.adbusters.org), has won an important appeal in its case against the CBC and Global Television Network. Adbusters initiated a landmark legal action against the media companies for refusing to sell airtime to Adbusters for its social marketing television campaigns.
In a unanimous decision (http://adbusters.org/files/pdf/adbusters_courtappeal_20090403.pdf) released on Friday, April 3, the BC Court of Appeal overturned a previous BC Supreme Court ruling. Adbusters can now take its case against the media conglomerates to the BC Supreme Court.
Since 1989 Adbusters has attempted to purchase airtime from major commercial broadcasters in order to air its socially-minded public service spots. Routinely denied by network executives in Canada and the US, Adbusters is often left with little to no explanation as to why these citizen-produced messages are being censored. The case against the CBC and Global Television Network Inc. was brought about because Adbusters believes that the Canadian Charter grants every Canadian the right to access the public airwaves; to walk into their local TV stations and purchase 30-seconds of airtime under the same rules and conditions as advertising agencies do.
At issue in this groundbreaking case is the right of Canadian citizens to have (as stipulated by the Canadian Broadcasting Act) "a reasonable opportunity ... to be exposed to the expression of differing views on matters of public concern."
"This is a great day for Adbusters," says Kalle Lasn, editor and co-founder of the magazine. "After 20 years of legal struggle, the courts have finally given us permission to take on the media corporations and hold them up to public scrutiny."
For more information or to schedule an interview with Kalle Lasn or Adbusters' attorney, Mark Underhill, please see contact information below.
EDITOR'S NOTES
(1) To view a digital copy of the judgment, visit: http://adbusters.org/files/pdf/adbusters_courtappeal_20090403.pdf
(2) Canadian Media facts:
- Four corporations (CanWest, Quebecor, Torstar and Gesca) control almost three-quarters of the country's daily newspaper circulation: www.parl.gc.ca/37/3/parlbus/commbus/senate/com-e/tran-e/rep-e/rep04apr04-e.htm
(3) Facts about Media Democracy:
- More than 30,000 people have signed the Media Carta (www.mediacarta.org) to voice their concerns about the way information is distributed in our society.
- In the past few years a growing number of grassroots media activist groups have formed to express their dissatisfaction with the continued consolidation of Canada's media: www.democraticmedia.ca
cbcexposed is all about exposing the waste of the CBC ... over 1 billion dollars a year of taxpayer money funds the cbc and a lot of that taxpayer money is wasted.
Bull****, bull**** and more bull**** actions from CBC ...
Why, has the CBC steadily erased just about all - CBC English local programming in Montreal and Quebec: when in fact their 'supposed mandate', is to grow English Quebecers programming in Quebec ... because, we are the OFFICIAL Minority population in Quebec, and recognized as such by Canada.
And - given, CBC's responsibility is, to concentrate on growing - French local programming -OUTSIDE- Quebec, NOT inside Quebec, because Francophones are Officially a Minority group, as we all know - in the rest of Canada, and the MAJORITY in Quebec; why has CBC spent so much of its budget, over the past few decades, on French programming IN Quebec - and yet NOTHING on English programming IN Quebec?
Read the full story here.
And - given, CBC's responsibility is, to concentrate on growing - French local programming -OUTSIDE- Quebec, NOT inside Quebec, because Francophones are Officially a Minority group, as we all know - in the rest of Canada, and the MAJORITY in Quebec; why has CBC spent so much of its budget, over the past few decades, on French programming IN Quebec - and yet NOTHING on English programming IN Quebec?
Read the full story here.
Ottawa MD makes legal history with huge libel award against CBC ...
Dr. Frans Leenen thought his professional reputation had been left in tatters when the CBC broadcast a public affairs program on the use of calcium-channel blockers in 1996. Four years later, the CBC knows exactly how he felt.
In the end, the hour-long broadcast may cost the CBC up to $5 million because of the Leenen ruling and an earlier judgement in favour of Toronto cardiologist Martin Myers, who was awarded $200 000 for defamation last November. The CBC must also pay his costs.
Read the full story here.
In the end, the hour-long broadcast may cost the CBC up to $5 million because of the Leenen ruling and an earlier judgement in favour of Toronto cardiologist Martin Myers, who was awarded $200 000 for defamation last November. The CBC must also pay his costs.
Read the full story here.
Music Industry Wants More Royalties from CBC ...
Competitors suggest CBC is undercutting them using taxpayer money.
Listeners of the CBC site have streamed 1.6 million hours of music. At three minutes a song, that’s some 32 million tunes. If it were forced to pay per song like other online services, the service could become very expensive to operate.
“What concerns private industry is that in the face of massive cutbacks CBC sees fit to launch a new service that won’t generate meaningful revenue,” said Rob Braide, vice-president of regulatory affairs at Stingray, which charges users $4.99 a month to use its Galaxie music app. “I’m not sure how that makes any sense.”
Read the full story here.
Listeners of the CBC site have streamed 1.6 million hours of music. At three minutes a song, that’s some 32 million tunes. If it were forced to pay per song like other online services, the service could become very expensive to operate.
“What concerns private industry is that in the face of massive cutbacks CBC sees fit to launch a new service that won’t generate meaningful revenue,” said Rob Braide, vice-president of regulatory affairs at Stingray, which charges users $4.99 a month to use its Galaxie music app. “I’m not sure how that makes any sense.”
Read the full story here.
The Ultimate CBC Insider Exposes the CBC ...
From 2004 to 2010, Richard Stursberg headed up the CBC amid controversy, lock-outs, massive ratings successes and some serious flops. There was no lack of drama during his reign, but now he sets the record straight. In The Tower of Babble, the ultimate CBC insider exposes those controversies, successes and dead ends of his time at the top.
Read more here.
Read more here.
The CBC is built on the myth government can do TV better than the private sector ...
The CBC’s licence is up for renewal at the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, the government regulator for TV and radio.
The CRTC and CBC rely on each other and they both rely on the myth we need government intervention in the industry in order to get the shows we want.
The CBC is built on the myth government can do TV better than the private sector.
Just like it can deliver the mail better too, right? And the CRTC is built on the myth the government can regulate the industry better than ordinary Canadians, using their remote controls or radio dials. Both are a throwback, a curiosity, a relic from an earlier age.
Read the full story.
The CRTC and CBC rely on each other and they both rely on the myth we need government intervention in the industry in order to get the shows we want.
The CBC is built on the myth government can do TV better than the private sector.
Just like it can deliver the mail better too, right? And the CRTC is built on the myth the government can regulate the industry better than ordinary Canadians, using their remote controls or radio dials. Both are a throwback, a curiosity, a relic from an earlier age.
Read the full story.
CBC keeps public in dark about over-budget computer system ...
The CBC has once again refused to release hundreds of pages of documents related to an over-budget computer system it picked up on the taxpayers' dime.
An access-to-information request for details on the implementation and running of Project Vision resulted in 80% of the requested documents being withheld.
Project Vision is the code name the state broadcaster gave to an internal computer system built to replace dozens of older systems. The original price tag had been $33 million, but the final cost was near double that.
A request for details on the running of the $63 million system resulted in the release of 449 pages, of which 356 were completely blank.
Read the full story.
An access-to-information request for details on the implementation and running of Project Vision resulted in 80% of the requested documents being withheld.
Project Vision is the code name the state broadcaster gave to an internal computer system built to replace dozens of older systems. The original price tag had been $33 million, but the final cost was near double that.
A request for details on the running of the $63 million system resulted in the release of 449 pages, of which 356 were completely blank.
Read the full story.
CBC got it wrong on cigarette labels story ...
CBC's ombudsman says a TV broadcast last December on CBC's flagship newscast The National, that accused the Harper government of bending to pressure by the tobacco lobby, missed its mark.
The item, reported by Diana Swain, concluded that the government had "shelved" plans for tough new labels on cigarette packages because tobacco company lobbyists pressured the government.
In fact, the new anti-smoking labels weren't shelved at all but were unveiled by the government a few weeks after the broadcast was aired.
... some MPs were hopping mad after they saw Swain's report. They believed it was unfair because it mischaracterized the government's position on the labelling issue and failed to present the government's view.
Read the full story.
The item, reported by Diana Swain, concluded that the government had "shelved" plans for tough new labels on cigarette packages because tobacco company lobbyists pressured the government.
In fact, the new anti-smoking labels weren't shelved at all but were unveiled by the government a few weeks after the broadcast was aired.
... some MPs were hopping mad after they saw Swain's report. They believed it was unfair because it mischaracterized the government's position on the labelling issue and failed to present the government's view.
Read the full story.
CBC owns a fleet of 728 vehicles ...
The CBC has released a list of how many vehicles it owns - years after telling taxpayers the information was secret.
The broadcaster controls a fleet of 728 vehicles, documents show.
That's a far cry from the lone Ford sedan it said it owned in redacted documents released two years ago that hid behind Section 68.1 of federal access laws.
Read the full story.
The broadcaster controls a fleet of 728 vehicles, documents show.
That's a far cry from the lone Ford sedan it said it owned in redacted documents released two years ago that hid behind Section 68.1 of federal access laws.
Read the full story.
CBC prez wants another go at the trough ...
CBC president and CEO Hubert Lacroix has launched a campaign for a second term at the top of the state broadcaster, QMI Agency has learned.
The job comes with a salary of between $358,000 and $421,000 per year plus perks and bonuses. CBC executives can receive bonuses of up to 50% of their base salary.
Lacroix has run CBC at a time when the broadcaster has come under increasing scrutiny.
Just prior to Lacroix's appointment, the Harper government subjected CBC to the Access to Information Act, a law that allows average citizens to find out how government money is spent.
In fact, CBC spent huge sums of taxpayers' dollars fighting the information commissioner in court to keep much of their spending secret.
Read the full story.
The job comes with a salary of between $358,000 and $421,000 per year plus perks and bonuses. CBC executives can receive bonuses of up to 50% of their base salary.
Lacroix has run CBC at a time when the broadcaster has come under increasing scrutiny.
Just prior to Lacroix's appointment, the Harper government subjected CBC to the Access to Information Act, a law that allows average citizens to find out how government money is spent.
In fact, CBC spent huge sums of taxpayers' dollars fighting the information commissioner in court to keep much of their spending secret.
Read the full story.
CBC executive bonuses rile union ...
CBC executives will still receive half their yearly bonuses in the next fiscal year, and that's not sitting well with the union that represents the thousands of employees bracing for layoffs.
At the same time, some members of the Canadian Media Guild, which represents 5,500 CBC employees, have already been told they will lose 100 per cent of supplementary payouts next year and the question of wage rollbacks is still up in the air
The public broadcaster is bracing for layoffs of 600 to 1,200 employees due to a more than $100 million budgetary shortfall.
Read the full story.
At the same time, some members of the Canadian Media Guild, which represents 5,500 CBC employees, have already been told they will lose 100 per cent of supplementary payouts next year and the question of wage rollbacks is still up in the air
The public broadcaster is bracing for layoffs of 600 to 1,200 employees due to a more than $100 million budgetary shortfall.
Read the full story.
CBC uses its huge public subsidy to compete unfairly ...
The CBC supposedly exists to tell Canadians their story in ways for-profit networks would not. But the state broadcaster is anything but an old-style, non-commercial public radio and television company. Its tentacles now extend everywhere in the media universe except perhaps print, and it uses its huge public subsidy to compete unfairly in countless areas where the government has no excuse for intruding.
Read the full story.
Read the full story.
CBC Boss Lacroix billed taxpayers for $24,505.29 worth of travel and hospitality expenses ... in first 6 months!
The head of Canada's state broadcaster has a taste for fine hotel rooms and pricey lunches, according to a set of expense claims released to QMI Agency under the access to information system.
Hubert Lacroix, president and CEO of the CBC, prefers the comfort of the tony Chataeu Laurier hotel when travelling to Ottawa on business. The Chateau, located next to the Parliament buildings, is a place to see and be seen for Ottawa's power brokers. It also charges rates at least $100 per night higher than many hotels in the same area that cater to business travellers.
Lacroix billed taxpayers for $24,505.29 worth of travel and hospitality expenses in the first six months of this year. That's compared to $17,292.13 in the first six months of 2010.
Read the full story.
Hubert Lacroix, president and CEO of the CBC, prefers the comfort of the tony Chataeu Laurier hotel when travelling to Ottawa on business. The Chateau, located next to the Parliament buildings, is a place to see and be seen for Ottawa's power brokers. It also charges rates at least $100 per night higher than many hotels in the same area that cater to business travellers.
Lacroix billed taxpayers for $24,505.29 worth of travel and hospitality expenses in the first six months of this year. That's compared to $17,292.13 in the first six months of 2010.
Read the full story.
"Another" lawsuit filed against the CBC ...
Fancy restaurant hosts picnic in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside
Five thousand hamburger patties, bags of chips and cans of iced tea plus 900 pounds each of coleslaw and fruit salad are on the menu for the upcoming weekend’s picnic, and it’s worth noting the burgers aren’t of the cheap frozen variety commonly found at many outdoor summer cookouts.
Instead, volunteer chefs from the high-end Glowbal Restaurant Group (which includes Sanafir, Trattoria, Black+Blue, Society, Coast, Glowbal Grill and Italian Kitchen) are the ones taking care of the cooking at the newly renovated park in the Downtown Eastside.
"This will be our third year partnering with UGM and every year we have hundreds of restaurant staff, business colleagues and friends volunteer their time," said Glowbal CEO Emad Yacoub in a press release.
The event might also help offset some of the negative publicity Glowbal has attracted after a recent CBC TV report claimed its managers force servers to pay them a percentage of their tips. Yacoub has since filed a lawsuit against the CBC and Go Public reporter Kathy Tomlinson for defamation.
Read the full story.
Five thousand hamburger patties, bags of chips and cans of iced tea plus 900 pounds each of coleslaw and fruit salad are on the menu for the upcoming weekend’s picnic, and it’s worth noting the burgers aren’t of the cheap frozen variety commonly found at many outdoor summer cookouts.
Instead, volunteer chefs from the high-end Glowbal Restaurant Group (which includes Sanafir, Trattoria, Black+Blue, Society, Coast, Glowbal Grill and Italian Kitchen) are the ones taking care of the cooking at the newly renovated park in the Downtown Eastside.
"This will be our third year partnering with UGM and every year we have hundreds of restaurant staff, business colleagues and friends volunteer their time," said Glowbal CEO Emad Yacoub in a press release.
The event might also help offset some of the negative publicity Glowbal has attracted after a recent CBC TV report claimed its managers force servers to pay them a percentage of their tips. Yacoub has since filed a lawsuit against the CBC and Go Public reporter Kathy Tomlinson for defamation.
Read the full story.
Premier Jean Charest considering suing CBC ...
Jean Charest reacted angrily Thursday to an incendiary CBC report that claimed police stopped tailing a target after the man — a construction-union official — had a chat with the Quebec premier.
On the campaign trail Thursday, Charest said he has never interfered with police work and that he’s considering suing over the French-language report, which he called a smear by association.
Read the full story.
On the campaign trail Thursday, Charest said he has never interfered with police work and that he’s considering suing over the French-language report, which he called a smear by association.
Read the full story.
CBC destroyed notes on openness ...
CBC's commitment to openness and transparency met with a shredding machine or recycling bin in late November.
CBC executives were sending memos back and forth on how to best answer claims that they were not being fully open when it came to access to information requests.
A request to see those notes was turned down - not because they couldn't be released, but because the CBC said it cannot find them. It appears Dube destroyed the notes deeming them a "transitory record."
It was earlier reported that CBC spent nearly $60,000 shredding documents to prepare for the government agency coming under the access to information system in 2007.
Read the full story.
CBC executives were sending memos back and forth on how to best answer claims that they were not being fully open when it came to access to information requests.
A request to see those notes was turned down - not because they couldn't be released, but because the CBC said it cannot find them. It appears Dube destroyed the notes deeming them a "transitory record."
It was earlier reported that CBC spent nearly $60,000 shredding documents to prepare for the government agency coming under the access to information system in 2007.
Read the full story.
CBC keeping $73M Olympic secret ...
CBC/Radio Canada has paid more than $73 million for the rights to broadcast the Sochi 2014 and Rio de Janeiro 2016 Olympics.
International Olympic Committee marketing and broadcast director Timo Lumme wouldn’t reveal the precise figure on Tuesday, but he said it was more than what was paid for the Beijing 2008 quadrennium, which included the Turin 2006 Winter Olympics. CBC announced the deal Aug. 1, after a joint bid with CTV-owner Bell was rejected by the IOC.
CBC announced a $225 million budget shortfall in April.
Read the full story.
International Olympic Committee marketing and broadcast director Timo Lumme wouldn’t reveal the precise figure on Tuesday, but he said it was more than what was paid for the Beijing 2008 quadrennium, which included the Turin 2006 Winter Olympics. CBC announced the deal Aug. 1, after a joint bid with CTV-owner Bell was rejected by the IOC.
CBC announced a $225 million budget shortfall in April.
Read the full story.
CBC Smackdown angers former wrestler ...
The CBC's booster club is launching a new campaign to get the state broadcaster more money.
Friends of Canadian Broadcasting produced two spoof spots -- dubbed Stop the CBC Smackdown -- portraying the worst case scenario for CBC connoisseurs: The corporation sold to a professional wrestling promoter. And, he's American.
In this imagined hell, the broadcaster is staffed with beauties and burly men: The wrestlers voice radio ads whilst the ring girls help deliver the weather.
All of the wrestlers in the videos are portrayed more than stupid, and that's not sitting well with a Canadian legend.
"They are always portrayed imbeciles, dimwits with no brains at all, and that's a disappointment, because a lot of us out there like Jesse Ventura, Mick Foley, Shawn Michaels and myself who are quite well-read, intelligent people," Bret 'The Hitman' Hart told QMI Agency. "We are some of the hardest working actors and athletes in the world. Nobody has a schedule like wrestlers, and with CBC, someone like Vince McMahon might be the answer to their prayers, they might start making some money."
Read the full story.
Friends of Canadian Broadcasting produced two spoof spots -- dubbed Stop the CBC Smackdown -- portraying the worst case scenario for CBC connoisseurs: The corporation sold to a professional wrestling promoter. And, he's American.
In this imagined hell, the broadcaster is staffed with beauties and burly men: The wrestlers voice radio ads whilst the ring girls help deliver the weather.
All of the wrestlers in the videos are portrayed more than stupid, and that's not sitting well with a Canadian legend.
"They are always portrayed imbeciles, dimwits with no brains at all, and that's a disappointment, because a lot of us out there like Jesse Ventura, Mick Foley, Shawn Michaels and myself who are quite well-read, intelligent people," Bret 'The Hitman' Hart told QMI Agency. "We are some of the hardest working actors and athletes in the world. Nobody has a schedule like wrestlers, and with CBC, someone like Vince McMahon might be the answer to their prayers, they might start making some money."
Read the full story.
CBC expected to 'break even' in broadcast of 2014, 2016 Olympics ...
Despite the fierce competition for the rights to broadcast the Olympic Games, it turns out the spectacular event is not a guaranteed money-maker.
As Mark Lazarus, chairman of the NBC Sports Group which carries the American broadcast rights, told reporters Thursday the network hopes only to break even, observers here in Canada have begun making similar predictions for the CBC. The state broadcaster announced Wednesday it was awarded the broadcast rights for the 2014 and 2016 games.
"I expect the CBC will break even," said sports-marketing expert Howard Bloom.
While neither the CBC nor the International Olympic Committee have disclosed the price tag for those broadcast rights, some estimates have put it between $95 and $110 million, significantly less than Bell Media paid, $153 million, for the rights to broadcast the Vancouver and London Games.
Coverage will also mean huge production costs for the CBC.
Read the full story.
As Mark Lazarus, chairman of the NBC Sports Group which carries the American broadcast rights, told reporters Thursday the network hopes only to break even, observers here in Canada have begun making similar predictions for the CBC. The state broadcaster announced Wednesday it was awarded the broadcast rights for the 2014 and 2016 games.
"I expect the CBC will break even," said sports-marketing expert Howard Bloom.
While neither the CBC nor the International Olympic Committee have disclosed the price tag for those broadcast rights, some estimates have put it between $95 and $110 million, significantly less than Bell Media paid, $153 million, for the rights to broadcast the Vancouver and London Games.
Coverage will also mean huge production costs for the CBC.
Read the full story.
CBC an Olympian at spending ...
Here we go again — or is this time different?
News that the CBC has won the radio and TV broadcasting rights for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, and the 2016 Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, raises the question why a state broadcaster is bidding against private companies.
So far, CBC brass won’t say how much they paid for the Olympic rights, but whatever the amount is, it comes from the taxpayer, not private enterprise.
Perhaps Rogers and Bell who won the rights for the Vancouver Winter Olympics and Beijing Games (for $150 million) didn’t want the rights, since they lost money.
But the word is that their $70-million bid for 2014 and 2016 was lower than IOC extortionists wanted, so the CBC stepped in with a higher bid — maybe as high as $150 million, but we don’t know.
That raises another point. This is public money — money the rest of us pay the government in taxes, $1.1 billion of which goes for the CBC to waste. It is in the public interest to know the costs.
Read the full story.
News that the CBC has won the radio and TV broadcasting rights for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, and the 2016 Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, raises the question why a state broadcaster is bidding against private companies.
So far, CBC brass won’t say how much they paid for the Olympic rights, but whatever the amount is, it comes from the taxpayer, not private enterprise.
Perhaps Rogers and Bell who won the rights for the Vancouver Winter Olympics and Beijing Games (for $150 million) didn’t want the rights, since they lost money.
But the word is that their $70-million bid for 2014 and 2016 was lower than IOC extortionists wanted, so the CBC stepped in with a higher bid — maybe as high as $150 million, but we don’t know.
That raises another point. This is public money — money the rest of us pay the government in taxes, $1.1 billion of which goes for the CBC to waste. It is in the public interest to know the costs.
Read the full story.
CBC says its Queen's Jubilee private box was a joke ...
A day after attacking a Sun News Network personality for reporting information the CBC released that the state broadcaster had a private box at the Queen's Jubilee concert in June, the network switched gears Wednesday and said the whole thing was a joke on the Prime Minister's Office.
The CBC now says there was never a $75,000 box - just an $18,000 position for a gaggle of staffers - to film and watch a parade of stars and other luminaries fete the Queen in London, England.
Read the full story.
The CBC now says there was never a $75,000 box - just an $18,000 position for a gaggle of staffers - to film and watch a parade of stars and other luminaries fete the Queen in London, England.
Read the full story.
CBC's Sirius Satellite Radio a huge financial risk ...
CBC spent millions of public dollars on a radio project with questionable results, documents reveal.
Documents obtained by QMI Agency under access to information and an examination of annual reports show CBC took significant risks by investing $12 million in 2005 in Sirius Satellite Radio.
According to a financial report, the accumulated deficit of Sirius Canada — in which CBC owned a 25.5% stake in until its fusion with XM Satellite Radio in May 2011 — sat at $100.7 million at the time of the merger.
The loss incurred for investors was $71.3 million, including $36 million poured into the company in 2005 by its three founding partners. CBC's financial state reflected those investment losses until the merger.
A SiriusXM annual report published in January said the company's “cumulative spending and losses were significant.” Its debt sat at $146 million and the accumulated deficit was $107 million.
Read the full story.
Documents obtained by QMI Agency under access to information and an examination of annual reports show CBC took significant risks by investing $12 million in 2005 in Sirius Satellite Radio.
According to a financial report, the accumulated deficit of Sirius Canada — in which CBC owned a 25.5% stake in until its fusion with XM Satellite Radio in May 2011 — sat at $100.7 million at the time of the merger.
The loss incurred for investors was $71.3 million, including $36 million poured into the company in 2005 by its three founding partners. CBC's financial state reflected those investment losses until the merger.
A SiriusXM annual report published in January said the company's “cumulative spending and losses were significant.” Its debt sat at $146 million and the accumulated deficit was $107 million.
Read the full story.
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