CBC seeks end to over-the-air television
Canada’s public broadcaster said it needs to stop transmitting over the air and be sold to cable and satellite providers like a specialty channel to survive a market being rocked by Internet-delivered TV like Netflix Inc.
The Canadian Broadcasting Corp., which began broadcasting on TV in 1952, said that if it shut down its transmitters, copyright law would allow it to charge a fee to carriers to use its channels instead of relying only on advertising, CBC’s president, Hubert Lacroix, said.
The CBC, founded in 1929, broadcasts from 27 transmitters across the country, 14 in English and 13 in French. The broadcaster garnered 8.4 percent of prime-time viewers on average over the last fiscal year, CBC said in its third quarter report.
CRTC chairman Jean-Pierre Blais asked the CBC how it thought Canadians would respond to the prospect of paying a subscriber fee for content many of them see as “almost a constitutional right.”
Read the full story here.
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.
CBC president Hubert Lacroix "loved" Jian Ghomeshi
The future of the public broadcasting corporation in Canada is in trouble, according to CBC president Hubert Lacroix. He discussed his views of the industry and other recent controversies to Concordia’s Journalism department ...
Lacroix spent most of his presentation polling the audience on whether they watch programs and newscasts from the CBC, and whether the students take advantage of their mobile platforms and services.
Following his presentation, Lacroix addressed the recent controversies surrounding the CBC, including the Jian Ghomeshi and Amanda Lang scandals.
On his relationship with Ghomeshi, the President said he “loved him” and connected him with as many people as he could within the CBC and Radio-Canada. Due to “legal issues,” his comments about the allegations were limited.
As for Amanda Lang, the CBC journalist who provided favourable coverage to two companies who offered her paid speaking engagements, Lacroix said that the CBC is considering the allowance of employees to possibly engage in paid appearances.
Days after his presentation at Concordia, the CBC announced that they would no longer allow their journalists to do any paid speaking appearances.
Read the full story here.
Lacroix spent most of his presentation polling the audience on whether they watch programs and newscasts from the CBC, and whether the students take advantage of their mobile platforms and services.
Following his presentation, Lacroix addressed the recent controversies surrounding the CBC, including the Jian Ghomeshi and Amanda Lang scandals.
On his relationship with Ghomeshi, the President said he “loved him” and connected him with as many people as he could within the CBC and Radio-Canada. Due to “legal issues,” his comments about the allegations were limited.
As for Amanda Lang, the CBC journalist who provided favourable coverage to two companies who offered her paid speaking engagements, Lacroix said that the CBC is considering the allowance of employees to possibly engage in paid appearances.
Days after his presentation at Concordia, the CBC announced that they would no longer allow their journalists to do any paid speaking appearances.
Read the full story here.
CBC Peter Mansbridge behaviour compared to Jian Ghomeshi
Linden MacIntyre has not been barred from appearing on CBC News Network this week despite an internal public broadcaster memo to the contrary.
Jennifer Harwood, managing editor of CBC News Network, sent a memo late Wednesday stating that any interviews with MacIntyre on the network this week have been cancelled.
The memo said the move came about because of MacIntyre’s recent comments to the Globe and Mail comparing the workplace behaviour of Peter Mansbridge to that of ousted “Q” host Jian Ghomeshi.
Read the full National Post story here.
Jennifer Harwood, managing editor of CBC News Network, sent a memo late Wednesday stating that any interviews with MacIntyre on the network this week have been cancelled.
The memo said the move came about because of MacIntyre’s recent comments to the Globe and Mail comparing the workplace behaviour of Peter Mansbridge to that of ousted “Q” host Jian Ghomeshi.
Read the full National Post story here.
Timid suggestion for CBC management
As reported by Andrew Mitrovica on iPolitiics, the CBC ombudsman, Esther Enkin, has finally reached her decision on the many conflict of interest complaints lodged against Rex Murphy and Peter Mansbridge.
Briefly, here is what she said:
“Given that Journalistic Standards and Practices spells out a commitment to independence, and the Conflict of Interest guidelines encompass perception of conflict as well, it is inconsistent with policy when CBC news and current affairs staff accept payment from groups that are likely to be in the news.
She has a somewhat timid suggestion for CBC management:
“But since taking money leads to a perception of a conflict of interest, CBC management might want to consider, in the review they are undertaking, whether even with disclosure, it is appropriate for CBC news and current affairs staff to get paid for their speaking engagements.
Read the full story here.
Briefly, here is what she said:
“Given that Journalistic Standards and Practices spells out a commitment to independence, and the Conflict of Interest guidelines encompass perception of conflict as well, it is inconsistent with policy when CBC news and current affairs staff accept payment from groups that are likely to be in the news.
She has a somewhat timid suggestion for CBC management:
“But since taking money leads to a perception of a conflict of interest, CBC management might want to consider, in the review they are undertaking, whether even with disclosure, it is appropriate for CBC news and current affairs staff to get paid for their speaking engagements.
Read the full story here.
CBC CEO Hubert Lacroix broke terms of contract
CBC CEO Hubert Lacroix was already in hiding within the broadcaster, but the Jian Ghomeshi monster has dragged the executive suite into the light once again. Lacroix, the mastermind who lost the NHL broadcast rights and too all of the revenue for CBC, went deeper in hiding since the Ghomeshi affair has taken over the news. Lacroix dispatched Vice President (Of Nothing) Heather Conway to speak on behalf of the executive team.
CEO Hubert Lacroix was found guilty in audits of breaking the terms of his contract and claiming over 40,000.00 dollars housing allowance he was not entitled to, over a 4 year period of abuse. Lacroix is a lawyer, he has never denied breaking the terms of his contract. Lacroix is guilty but remains in his position, juxtaposition Senator Mike Duffy who has not been found guilty of anything yet and has been thoroughly decimated by team CBC.
Why does Hubert Lacroix remain as the CEO of Canadian Broadcasting?
Read the full story here.
CEO Hubert Lacroix was found guilty in audits of breaking the terms of his contract and claiming over 40,000.00 dollars housing allowance he was not entitled to, over a 4 year period of abuse. Lacroix is a lawyer, he has never denied breaking the terms of his contract. Lacroix is guilty but remains in his position, juxtaposition Senator Mike Duffy who has not been found guilty of anything yet and has been thoroughly decimated by team CBC.
Why does Hubert Lacroix remain as the CEO of Canadian Broadcasting?
Read the full story here.
CBC is not about Canadian programming
With the CBC’s TV ratings down 40% to a specialty channel-like 5% share of viewers even before it lost its NHL contract, according to Canadian Media Research, it’s worth asking again what has gone wrong with the Mother Corp and what should be done about it?
Someone recently observed that the CBC is not about Canadian programming but programming Canadians to its enlightened view of how the world should work. Look at the litany of in-house CBC stars and ask if any are representative of ordinary Canadians and their values?
Read the full story here.
Someone recently observed that the CBC is not about Canadian programming but programming Canadians to its enlightened view of how the world should work. Look at the litany of in-house CBC stars and ask if any are representative of ordinary Canadians and their values?
Read the full story here.
An exposé of senior CBC managers
Conservative Confidential is a new political memoir that looks at Canada post 9/11. Here are some of the topics in the book:
- The anti-Zionism of the left.
- The relationships between the anti-Zionist left and the Islamist movement.
- The anti-Israel bias of the CBC.
- How the Khomeinists of Iran almost stopped a film in Ottawa.
- How Michael Moore flatters Canadians.
- How the CBC management couldn't cope with the challenge of explaining 9/11, and why it needs to change.
- A new look at Islam and Islamism.
- How the gay establishment succumbed to the worst form of Harper Derangement Syndrome.
- A new way forward for Canada.
Check out the website here.
CBC importance to Canadians vastly diminished
I believe that when the CBC began, it was absolutely essential at almost any cost. It was one of the only mediums of communication, and for many parts of Canada it was the only television available. It was undeniably a key means of getting information out from coast-to-coast, and held great cultural value in terms of defining Canada a country. I believe it certainly justified its fairly high cost to the public purse in times past… wait for it… *sound of other shoe dropping*… Unfortunately for the CBC, the world we live in today is not the world of yesteryear.
I believe the current financial commitment in tax dollars to the CBC should be slashed much more dramatically than the current budget suggests (roughly 10%), because its importance to Canadians is vastly diminished relative to even 15 years ago. Imagine what hundreds of millions of dollars could do in terms of plugging the holes in education, health care, or infrastructure? These are the priorities I believe most Canadians have, and the CBC, while a nice luxury to possess, is simply one we can’t afford any more.
Read the full story on the Canadian Finance Blog here.
I believe the current financial commitment in tax dollars to the CBC should be slashed much more dramatically than the current budget suggests (roughly 10%), because its importance to Canadians is vastly diminished relative to even 15 years ago. Imagine what hundreds of millions of dollars could do in terms of plugging the holes in education, health care, or infrastructure? These are the priorities I believe most Canadians have, and the CBC, while a nice luxury to possess, is simply one we can’t afford any more.
Read the full story on the Canadian Finance Blog here.
CBC to be accountable to government
The CBC’s president says the public broadcaster will not use its $675-million windfall from Tuesday’s federal budget to restore what it lost through years of cutbacks, and will instead spend on current priorities such as digital platforms, local news bureaus and original programs.
But the CBC alone may not get to decide all priorities. The government has promised to hammer out a five-year “accountability plan” with the broadcaster. Mr. Lacroix said he has “no details on that,” but he expects to sit down with Mélanie Joly, the Minister of Canadian Heritage, to discuss it before long.
The CBC has faced calls from some quarters to appoint a new board and management through an independent process, so that appointees could no longer be drawn from a pool of political party supporters. Asked whether the government’s accountability plan could include structural changes to CBC’s management or the way it reports to government, Mr. Lacroix said he has “no idea. We’ve not spoken about that at all.”
Read the full story here.
But the CBC alone may not get to decide all priorities. The government has promised to hammer out a five-year “accountability plan” with the broadcaster. Mr. Lacroix said he has “no details on that,” but he expects to sit down with Mélanie Joly, the Minister of Canadian Heritage, to discuss it before long.
The CBC has faced calls from some quarters to appoint a new board and management through an independent process, so that appointees could no longer be drawn from a pool of political party supporters. Asked whether the government’s accountability plan could include structural changes to CBC’s management or the way it reports to government, Mr. Lacroix said he has “no idea. We’ve not spoken about that at all.”
Read the full story here.
CBC and Immigration
Immigration Watch Canada has justifiably lost patience with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC). The CBC has shamelessly appointed itself as the propaganda arm of Canada’s immigration lobby (immigration lawyers, “mass immigration” advocates, and ethnic groups. Every day, it betrays Canada and its majority population. It is a quisling organization and it deserves our contempt.
For the record, we provide below an earlier description of our case against the clear bias in the CBC. That description continues to apply, but the CBC’s behaviour has become much worse.
Read the full story here.
For the record, we provide below an earlier description of our case against the clear bias in the CBC. That description continues to apply, but the CBC’s behaviour has become much worse.
Read the full story here.
Opinion - CBC has sunk as low as they can go
It is one thing to compete with your opponents in an election, but when you have to fight your so-called national broadcaster, i.e. the CBC, it gets pretty disgusting.
The Conservatives cut the state broadcaster's budget to $1 billion a year, so I have to assume that’s the reason they have thrown away their journalistic integrity and deliver biased and sanitized news. If governments are to be held hostage by the CBC if they don't give them what they want, we are in big trouble as a nation. This is one more reason why no network should be financed by the taxpayers. All networks should compete on a level playing field.
When we have to listen to CBC pundits, call people names, make snide remarks, speak rudely and interrupt them and they still consider themselves professionals, they have sunk as low as they can go.
Read the full opinion piece here.
The Conservatives cut the state broadcaster's budget to $1 billion a year, so I have to assume that’s the reason they have thrown away their journalistic integrity and deliver biased and sanitized news. If governments are to be held hostage by the CBC if they don't give them what they want, we are in big trouble as a nation. This is one more reason why no network should be financed by the taxpayers. All networks should compete on a level playing field.
When we have to listen to CBC pundits, call people names, make snide remarks, speak rudely and interrupt them and they still consider themselves professionals, they have sunk as low as they can go.
Read the full opinion piece here.
CBC reporter crosses line
From the Office of the CBC Ombudsman:
The complainant, Steve Cherry thought it inappropriate for Neil Macdonald to refer to creationism as superstition in a column he wrote about challenges facing the Republican policy in the face of a Trump candidacy for President. Expressing opinion is prohibited by CBC policy and even this passing reference did not meet the standard.
Lianne Elliott, an Executive Producer with cbcnews.ca responded to your complaint.
Ms. Elliott told you that she realized the turn of phrase was insensitive. I am glad she acknowledged it could have been better. What she less successfully addressed is the issue of a CBC reporter expressing opinion. Mr. Macdonald is a colorful writer who indulges in hyperbole. In this case it crossed a line and it reads, no matter how tangential to the main point he was making, like opinion. I agree it was unnecessary in the context of this piece, but it is there, and it shouldn’t be.
Read the full review here.
The complainant, Steve Cherry thought it inappropriate for Neil Macdonald to refer to creationism as superstition in a column he wrote about challenges facing the Republican policy in the face of a Trump candidacy for President. Expressing opinion is prohibited by CBC policy and even this passing reference did not meet the standard.
Lianne Elliott, an Executive Producer with cbcnews.ca responded to your complaint.
Ms. Elliott told you that she realized the turn of phrase was insensitive. I am glad she acknowledged it could have been better. What she less successfully addressed is the issue of a CBC reporter expressing opinion. Mr. Macdonald is a colorful writer who indulges in hyperbole. In this case it crossed a line and it reads, no matter how tangential to the main point he was making, like opinion. I agree it was unnecessary in the context of this piece, but it is there, and it shouldn’t be.
Read the full review here.
CBC Reporter Tweets Palestinian Terrorists’ “Motive Unclear”
It was a gruesome, premeditated and cold-blooded terror attack which targeted innocent Israeli civilians. Two Palestinian Hamas terrorists murdered four Israelis and injured more than nine in a brazen shooting attack at a Tel Aviv restaurant in the Sarona Market yesterday.
Whether in Paris, Brussels or Tel Aviv, Terror is terror and nothing justifies it.
Covering the attack yesterday, CBC’s Mideast Bureau Chief Derek Stoffel opined on his Twitter feed that the “motive” of these Palestinian terrorists is “unclear”:
Websters Dictionary defines “motive” as “something (as a need or desire) that causes a person to act”. As we pointed out in our response per above, Hamas and Palestinian terrorists alike are motivated by the death of Israeli Jews. Terror, can never be justified.
Read the full story here.
Whether in Paris, Brussels or Tel Aviv, Terror is terror and nothing justifies it.
Covering the attack yesterday, CBC’s Mideast Bureau Chief Derek Stoffel opined on his Twitter feed that the “motive” of these Palestinian terrorists is “unclear”:
Websters Dictionary defines “motive” as “something (as a need or desire) that causes a person to act”. As we pointed out in our response per above, Hamas and Palestinian terrorists alike are motivated by the death of Israeli Jews. Terror, can never be justified.
Read the full story here.
CBC Union wants taxpayers to pay more
The union representing CBC workers says the broadcaster needs a 50% increase in funding on top of the $1.1 billion it already gets from taxpayers.
Read the full story here.
Read the full story here.
CBC website operates at a loss
The CBC poses unfair competition to local newspapers by giving away subsidized digital content, say publishers.
The Crown broadcaster has admitted its cbc.ca website operates at a loss: “We should be concerned”.
See more here.
The Crown broadcaster has admitted its cbc.ca website operates at a loss: “We should be concerned”.
See more here.
Did CBC President Hubert Lacroix Mislead Parliament?
While the CBC president was minimizing complaints of CBC’s human rights abuse, CBC was paying over $60,000 in human rights legal fees. CBC wants to kill a three-year-long battle to keep a disabled journalist out of the PEI Legislature.
As Lacroix was testifying, CBC lawyers were fighting a Human Rights complaint on Prince Edward Island. His unconditional statement to Parliament (click here) was not true, in the common English a lie.
In trying to defend the CBC’s record, President Lacroix went overboard, made sweeping statements before Parliament that seem to exonerate CBC of any human rights abuse.
Read the full story here.
As Lacroix was testifying, CBC lawyers were fighting a Human Rights complaint on Prince Edward Island. His unconditional statement to Parliament (click here) was not true, in the common English a lie.
In trying to defend the CBC’s record, President Lacroix went overboard, made sweeping statements before Parliament that seem to exonerate CBC of any human rights abuse.
Read the full story here.
CBC President Hubert Lacroix caught red-handed
CBC President Hubert Lacroix was caught by auditors over-claiming his expenses more than $30,000 over a 6 year period. Caught red-handed he was embarrassed and paid the money back. Only discovery by auditors convinced him to pay back the money.
CBC reporters now have to turn their sights internally as auditors reveal the same sort of culture of entitlement that snared Senators Pamela Wallin and Mike Duffy recently.
“We’ve been reporting a lot on ineligible expense claims by public officials, now we have a story in our own backyard,” CBC reporter Rosemary Barton reported on Friday.
This story is the tip of the iceberg of the corruption at the heart of Canada’s publicly funded broadcaster.
Read the full story here.
CBC reporters now have to turn their sights internally as auditors reveal the same sort of culture of entitlement that snared Senators Pamela Wallin and Mike Duffy recently.
“We’ve been reporting a lot on ineligible expense claims by public officials, now we have a story in our own backyard,” CBC reporter Rosemary Barton reported on Friday.
This story is the tip of the iceberg of the corruption at the heart of Canada’s publicly funded broadcaster.
Read the full story here.
CBC goes on hiring spree
CBC/Radio-Canada president and CEO Hubert Lacroix says the public broadcaster is focused more on RBI singles than grand slam home runs as it looks to reshape itself for a digital future.
“People don’t expect to see home runs every day, but they need to see that you are scoring runs,” said Lacroix during a presentation at the University of British Columbia on Tuesday. “Because when people don’t see what they’re gaining, they will tend to focus only on what they’re losing.”
Lacroix also acknowledged the transformative effect that digital continues to have on the traditional broadcast industry. “If we were starting over, the smart money would invest everything into digital,” he said.
The public broadcaster continues to make progress towards the digital future outlined in its five-year plan A Space For Us All, he said, with more than 1,260 CBC/Radio-Canada employees retrained for digital and another 630 training for new business skills necessary to support its new direction.
Lacroix said the company had hired 150 “digital creators” and planned to add another 300 in coming years.
Read the full story.
“People don’t expect to see home runs every day, but they need to see that you are scoring runs,” said Lacroix during a presentation at the University of British Columbia on Tuesday. “Because when people don’t see what they’re gaining, they will tend to focus only on what they’re losing.”
Lacroix also acknowledged the transformative effect that digital continues to have on the traditional broadcast industry. “If we were starting over, the smart money would invest everything into digital,” he said.
The public broadcaster continues to make progress towards the digital future outlined in its five-year plan A Space For Us All, he said, with more than 1,260 CBC/Radio-Canada employees retrained for digital and another 630 training for new business skills necessary to support its new direction.
Lacroix said the company had hired 150 “digital creators” and planned to add another 300 in coming years.
Read the full story.
CBC president Hubert Lacroix in favour of privatization
The SiriusXM Canada satellite radio service is poised to undergo ownership changes, with its current American partner becoming majority shareholder but voting control resting with two existing Canadian investors.
The CBC — another major shareholder with a 9.6 per cent voting interest and 10.6 per cent economic stake — will sell all of its shares, but remain a programming partner.
CBC president Hubert Lacroix said in a statement that "we see this transaction as a good opportunity to monetize our non-core investment in SiriusXM Canada and we intend to vote our shares in favour of the privatization."
Read the full story here.
The CBC — another major shareholder with a 9.6 per cent voting interest and 10.6 per cent economic stake — will sell all of its shares, but remain a programming partner.
CBC president Hubert Lacroix said in a statement that "we see this transaction as a good opportunity to monetize our non-core investment in SiriusXM Canada and we intend to vote our shares in favour of the privatization."
Read the full story here.
Former top CBC executive suing CBC
A former top CBC executive who became a casualty of the Jian Ghomeshi scandal is suing the broadcaster for wrongful dismissal, saying he was scapegoated for political reasons.
In a statement of claim rejected by the CBC, Todd Spencer says he was shocked when he was fired in April 2015.
"The CBC terminated Spencer's employment for cause for political reasons, and has publicly used Spencer as a scapegoat for the Ghomeshi affair," his unproven claim states.
He says he told a higher up that Heather Conway, executive vice-president of English services, was "leading the decision making" on the Ghomeshi file. He also claims top CBC management, including president Hubert Lacroix, were "deeply involved with and aware of" how he was handling the situation.
Read the full story here.
In a statement of claim rejected by the CBC, Todd Spencer says he was shocked when he was fired in April 2015.
"The CBC terminated Spencer's employment for cause for political reasons, and has publicly used Spencer as a scapegoat for the Ghomeshi affair," his unproven claim states.
He says he told a higher up that Heather Conway, executive vice-president of English services, was "leading the decision making" on the Ghomeshi file. He also claims top CBC management, including president Hubert Lacroix, were "deeply involved with and aware of" how he was handling the situation.
Read the full story here.
CBC apologies not enough
It’s been a long 18 months, give or take, since the news of the allegations against Jian Ghomeshi first rolled across our nation’s smartphones.
In the background, there were whispers of what the CBC did and didn’t do, a hot take or three. The broadcaster called in an external investigator, whose findings prompted an apology to the public whose trust it had broken. A slew of recommendations, from mandatory training to an anonymous tip line, have been or are in progress of being implemented.
And yet, I couldn’t help but wonder once again Wednesday how the so-called Mother Corp let this happen. For three years let this happen, all for what, a “rising star” with a saccharine-sweet voice and faux feminism?
Ghomeshi apologized Wednesday for his “behaviour towards (Kathryn Borel) in the workplace.”
In exchange, the last of the charges against him were dropped and he signed an order to maintain the peace, whatever that means.
I couldn’t stop thinking: Where’s the CBC? Whose head is rolling?
Read the full story here.
In the background, there were whispers of what the CBC did and didn’t do, a hot take or three. The broadcaster called in an external investigator, whose findings prompted an apology to the public whose trust it had broken. A slew of recommendations, from mandatory training to an anonymous tip line, have been or are in progress of being implemented.
And yet, I couldn’t help but wonder once again Wednesday how the so-called Mother Corp let this happen. For three years let this happen, all for what, a “rising star” with a saccharine-sweet voice and faux feminism?
Ghomeshi apologized Wednesday for his “behaviour towards (Kathryn Borel) in the workplace.”
In exchange, the last of the charges against him were dropped and he signed an order to maintain the peace, whatever that means.
I couldn’t stop thinking: Where’s the CBC? Whose head is rolling?
Read the full story here.
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