Will the Tories actually sell the CBC?

[brewmaster]

Plenty of talk on Sirius / XM

Not sure how much talkshow I would get with Sirius.

Howard Stern is still a radio god, and there's a bunch of other talk radio programming.

List of Sirius Satellite Radio stations - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Cannuck]

If the Cons sold the CBC, they wouldn't win a majority government again for 30 yrs. Period. Selling off the national identity would be political suicide.

National Identity? You can't possibly be serious. Maybe for the over 50 crowd.

 

[wulfie68]

If the CBC is our "national identity" no wonder I've felt disaffected for a while now...

Seriously, I think the CBC was a good idea at its inception but as technology has progressed its become irrelevant to the majority of Canadians. To most of us its the channel we used to watch NHL hockey on before TSN, Rogers et al started carrying more/better games. Now the only time I watch is NHL playoffs (once TSN stops covering them) and on rare occasions local news (but usually they're about my 3rd choice for that). CBC radio? Whenever I travel some place where its the only option, I pack my own music.

 

[Machjo]

See Ottawa considering asset sales - The Globe and Mail

I'll be disappointed if this happens. I don't get cable, and I happen to like the CBC and some of their programming. A lot of people live in the middle of nowhere and CBC radio is key for them. If the CBC went private, they wouldn't be broadcasting in such non-profitable areas.

I'm all for privatizing the CBC. It's a good company; I think it would survive.

 

[Machjo]

I have to say though, I'm not sure if it would be wise to sell it in the midst of a recession, precisely when stock values will be low. THough I'd be for selling it, I'd way wait until we're out of recession before doing so.

 

[Socrates the Greek]

The sale of the CBC will hirt the Conservatives in Ottawa.

 

[Machjo]

If the Cons sold the CBC, they wouldn't win a majority government again for 30 yrs. Period. Selling off the national identity would be political suicide.

National identity? You mean the federal government owns your national identity and is now debating whether to sell it on the stock market?

My identity is much more personal than some public company.

 

[Machjo]

People who graduated.

Graduated from what? Are you implying that only the bourgeoisie should be allowed to vote, that the plebes are just a clueless bunch who should pay their taxes and just shut up?

You do realise, don't you, that Shakespeare never went to university, and even raised the envy of university graduated actors and writers of his time? Are you aware that Tolstoy dropped out of university, only to write a book that was later to influence Gandhi so deeply as to lead to the independence of India from British rule?

Essentially what you're poposing is a kind of aristocracy.

 

[Machjo]

I must be old then. There's a few things I like on CBC radio. We have 3 radio stations here; 1 plays the top 20 incessantly, another plays a mix of stuff from the early 80s onwards (which isn't too bad occasionally), and CBC radio. Getting rid of the CBC would make me resort to buying an MP3 player to put in the truck. Thanks a bunch.
I kinda like the CRTC for certain things, keeping Shaw Cable from boosting the prices skyhigh, for instance. But for the most part, it is as you say, a load of bureaucratic BS.

I don't think anyone suggested scrapping the CBC, but rather selling it. Two different things. I'd be for privatizing it myself.

 

[Goober]

The sale of the CBC will hirt the Conservatives in Ottawa.

Why does Mother Corp not play Country & Western music – Perhaps because it does not fit their tiny picture of what Canadian want to hear.

 

[L Gilbert]

Howard Stern is still a radio god, and there's a bunch of other talk radio programming.

List of Sirius Satellite Radio stations - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Thanks, Brew. Last I heard was Stern is American. Does he do interviews with people like Chris Hitchens, researchers doing sociological studies from UVic, Gordon Lightfoot, etc.? Any Canadian content?

 

[Scott Free]

Graduated from what? Are you implying that only the bourgeoisie should be allowed to vote, that the plebes are just a clueless bunch who should pay their taxes and just shut up?

I don't think entertainment should always be geared to the lowest common denominator. We have plenty of garbage to entertain the people who don't like the CBC. They could listen to something American for example.

I think it is outrageous of you to suggest that ignorance should dominate.

I am certain many "plebs" as you call them would agree.

You do realise, don't you, that Shakespeare never went to university, and even raised the envy of university graduated actors and writers of his time? Are you aware that Tolstoy dropped out of university, only to write a book that was later to influence Gandhi so deeply as to lead to the independence of India from British rule?

I find it humorous how people are always so quick to back up something preposterous with exceptions instead of norms.

Graduation is hardly initiation into the educated club. It is the absolute bottom rung of it actually. My dog would graduate if only I had a way to enrol her.

Essentially what you're poposing is a kind of aristocracy.

I wasn't aware I made any proposition. Link?

 

[lone wolf]

The sale of the CBC will hirt the Conservatives in Ottawa.

Why? They can take their show to the Parliamentary Channel....

 

[Machjo]

People who graduated.

So what is this supposed to mean?

 

[Scott Free]

So what is this supposed to mean?

Nothing, I was just being sarcastic.

 

[Machjo]

What leads people to think that the CBC's quality would necessarily suffer just because of funding cuts? There will always be people who will appreciate good programming, and so a market will always exist for it. What is everyone so concerned about?

I've never tasted apples grown by the Canadian Applegrowers' Crown-Corporation, but I'm sure they'd tase just as good as the apples I'm eating now. To claim that the quality of the CBC would drop if it were privatized is just as preposterous as to suggest that the quality fo apples would improve if apple fields were nationalized.

 

[Machjo]

Nothing, I was just being sarcastic.

Sorry, I didn't get the sarcasm. One of the problems with the internet I guess. We can't hear tone of voice.

 

[L Gilbert]

Whoever buys CBC radio will reprogram for the 40 to 50 demographic because that's the largest population in Canuckville at the moment. There are myriads of stations catering to people that listen to pop's top 40 and lots that cater to the boomers and play classic rock and suchlike. I happen to like listening to what book authors, researchers, etc. have to say. I'll probably end up listening to whatever station I can find with a mix of music between Alternative to Worldbeat. I'm not gonna hold my breath while trying to find one. Talk radio is probably limited to American programming, sports, and news. Whatta thrill.:roll:

 

[Scott Free]

What leads people to think that the CBC's quality would necessarily suffer just because of funding cuts? There will always be people who will appreciate good programming, and so a market will always exist for it. What is everyone so concerned about?

I've never tasted apples grown by the Canadian Applegrowers' Crown-Corporation, but I'm sure they'd tase just as good as the apples I'm eating now. To claim that the quality of the CBC would drop if it were privatized is just as preposterous as to suggest that the quality fo apples would improve if apple fields were nationalized.

I happen to know something about the Applegrowers and that in fact they do improve quality.

But I don't think that is a fair comparison since fruit and radio are entirely different industries.

If your claim is true then you should have no problem in providing a few dozen examples from the American radio industry where their quality and content is comparable to the CBC's.

 

[L Gilbert]

What leads people to think that the CBC's quality would necessarily suffer just because of funding cuts? There will always be people who will appreciate good programming, and so a market will always exist for it. What is everyone so concerned about?

I've never tasted apples grown by the Canadian Applegrowers' Crown-Corporation, but I'm sure they'd tase just as good as the apples I'm eating now. To claim that the quality of the CBC would drop if it were privatized is just as preposterous as to suggest that the quality fo apples would improve if apple fields were nationalized.

Quite right. After Americans got their mitts on the Hudson's Bay Co. (after 300 freakin years of being Canadian), the quality of goods they carried went downhill. There are lots of stores around that carry lesser quality goods; Walmart, Canadian Warehouse Club, etc.