Online consultation: CBC/Radio-Canada programming

Reference: 2019-379-1

From November 25 to December 9, 2019 we consulted Canadians via CRTC’s Facebook page about the programming of CBC/Radio-Canada.
We wanted input from Canadians on the following questions:

The comments are posted in the language in which they were provided on the Facebook page. Consult the comments that were submitted on the French Facebook page.

General comments

Bronwen Duncan

CBC radio binds the country together with intelligence, humour and knowledge. It connects little communities and the big cities with the waves of thoughts, struggles, and inspirations that make our national identity. Even those the States tune into CBC to figure out what the real news is in the world. And for newcomers to Canada, it offers a way to understand the pulse of what it is to be Canadian. I cannot imagine a Canada without my local CBC show.

LikeLike  1
HahaHaha  1

Paul Dan

I am a daily listener to the CBC, I'm so proud of the work and shows they put together each day. I am in 100% of continued support of what they do. They enlighten me with the topics and guests they have on, and on many occasions, give me reason to get home at night to research a topic that was discussed that day or to look into new podcasts, book authors and music artists. I am especially grateful for the new Aboriginal show and the music. thank you for helping me learn. cheers.

LikeLike  5

William Armstrong

Before the CRTC approves a license renewal, CBC needs to promise to provide OTA TV to ALL residents of southern Ontario. I'm in south Niagara and cannot receive CBC OTA with my indoor antenna. I cannot put an antenna outside. I pay taxes like everyone else and some goes to CBC. They have a responsibility to provide OTA from their CN Tower antenna to everyone within its reach. The signal reaches south Niagara but only with an outdoor antenna. MAke the CBC build a transmitter in central Niagara so everyone can get it. It's a public institution payed for with public monies, make them provide the service to EVERYONE!

River Song

I’m a big fan of CBC, particularly podcasts. I support CBC placing increased focus on digital services.

Angelika Ainsworth

We as consumers should have more choices to choose from. The big players like Telus and Bell seem to own the market and do not give us a fair opportunity to choose a fair deal. We here in Canada pay to much and I noticed for sample I pay premium for Cable and all I get is repeats from years back and the Cell phone is too much money as well.

LikeLike  2

(reply) Barb Cardwell

Angelika Ainsworth This is about CBC Radio, not cell or cable services/fees

(reply) Angelika Ainsworth

Barb Cardwell ok so sorry

(reply) Mark O'Neill

Angelika Ainsworth It’s about all of CBC/SRC, not just radio.

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Johanne Britton

I don't support the lowering of Canadian Content that CBC or other broadcasters have to create. It should be WAY more. CRTC - Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission You need to do a better job at protecting and creating Canadian Content and demand more from broadcasters. #canadiancomedians

Michael Brawn

CBC produces some of the best free Podcasts in the country. It’s amazing that they’re able to take their radio broadcast content and repackage it for accessible internet consumption. They’re doing great things in this space.

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(reply) River Song

I agree!

Bilisummaa Sabaa

Living the luxury life is always everyone’s dream life ...if you are still interested in living that life ask me how and I will teach you how to earn $20,000 every week ...start asking HOW!!

(reply) Valerie Bruce

Bilisummaa Sabaa stay off these forums. Scan scam scam

LikeLike  3

(reply) Jason Thorne

Valerie Bruce He called me from the visa department yesterday!

Teresa Lansing

CBC is so bad that I am unlikely to watch/listen to a program simply because it's on CBC. News isn't news...its left-wing biased editorial material. Programs are often poor quality, usually in poor taste. Too much Suzuki fake science and Liberal propaganda. If they run any decent programming, other stations will pick them up when CBC disappears.

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Eric Janzen

Taxpayers should not be paying to keep CBC going. If it can’t sustain itself get rid of it.

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Shawn Seli

CBC is not a good use of my tax dollars. The programming low quality.Their platform is biased to the left politically,and used to manipulate people.

I do not approve.

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Jean Richard

As a former employee of the CBC and now on the verge of retiring from private\community radio after 45 years in the bizz and a more than average broadcaster who tune's into the Corp programming on both radio and television daily, it has occurred to me and I'm sure many other Canadians coast to coast how this once national treasure has become nothing more than one sided and very highly opinionated broadcaster. I truly believe it is way overdue that we allow this heavily cost costing corporation to go private and see how things are done in the real true sense of the industry. P.S.would still like to have a selfie taken with Rose Mary Barton......NOT!

LikeLike  5

Canadian Association of Stand-Up Comedians

CBC has been a leader, compared to Canada’s large private broadcast groups, when it comes to investing in and developing original Canadian comedy programming. For its television, radio and streaming platforms, continued and additional resources should be allocated to CBC/Radio-Canada for exceptional Canadian comedy, in English and French, that Canadians and the world can enjoy.

LikeLike  1

Heather Thomas

It is long overdue that The Canadian Brainwashing Corporation be defunded and dismantled. Canadians are tired of being fed lies, biased reports, and fake news designed to lead us to make conclusions that the government wants us to believe. We are tired of being told what to think.

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Nic Steinwand

A taxpayer funded news corporation should produce news for the taxpayer. There is a quite blatant left-wing bias in their reporting in the sense that almost anything done by a conservative is reported as inherently bad, while left-wing ideas are praised. There should be no lean either which way. If my taxpayer dollars have to be used to fund the news (which they shouldn't be), I expect that news to give the entire story; not demonize one side and praise the other. Simple journalistic neutrality. Do better, CBC.

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Blair Andrew Marchand

CBC soaks up far too much money to provide what is honestly second rate programming, especially the journalistic content.

Too one-sided and the fact that they've had so much money pumped into them by the current administration would be apparent without them having had to announce it.

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James Clayton

If the CBC is so great, it should be able to stand on its own without taxpayer support. Should it not? Right now, taxpayers' dollars are being used to to fund left-wing propaganda and constant Trump bashing. Furthermore, taxpayers' dollars are used to compete with privately owned CTV News and Global News. Defund and privatize the CBC ASAP!

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Jari Boren

Waste of money. They should not receive government funding. If they can't make good riddance. Propaganda and politically biased. Don't care if they get the license but do not want to contribute one penny to their bs

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Simon Glass

CBC produces good entertainment programming which I support. CBC's news and political coverage on the other hand has a significant left leaning bias. This emerges mostly through systematic lies by omission and through the narrative framing of political news stories. For this reason, I will support political candidates that argue for reduced funding to CBC until they provide objective reporting.

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James Clayton

Time to privatize the CBC. All I hear and see is left wing bashing of the right and climate change propaganda being passed off as news. The CBC has become poisoned by the left.

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(reply) Henry Stoltz

I feel with the content and ads, that I am in Africa and not Canada..or is it my imagination, maybe I should have an eye check up...

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John Scott

You should be charged with allowing radio stations to spam us with christmas music 24 hours a day. Spamming is illegal and you will be held liable if this behavior does not stop.

Levi VanHerk

The CBC is a waste of taxpayer resources. Publicly-funded state news has an inherent conflict of interest when reporting on matters of politics. End the CBC.

LikeLike  6

Michael Brawn

CBC hosted with one of the best shows on television this year with #SchittsCreek

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Laurence Price

CBC is important to Canadian culture and identity and this should be kept in mind regarding renewal of its service. It promotes Canadian culture to Canadians as well as to the world regarding what it means to be Canadian, because CBC programming can be seen in various ways outside of Canada now that that there is the internet. I am a supporter of CBC putting an emphasis on digital services as I watch CBC on TV and the internet such as their stream service CBC Gem. There is definitely a place for CBC in Canada. CBC carries some wonderful and entertaining Canadian content as well as having terrific coverage of the news with a focus on regional and national news from Canada. I support the CBC and it's place in Canada. However I would like to see CBC focus more on Canadian culture and programming and less on American and international content. As CBC promoting Canada is more integral to Canadians and airing content outside of Canada. That can be done from other networks. If government funds the CBC, the CBC needs to focus on Canadian issues and not international ones as it's when the CBC discusses Canada and it's citizens is when it's the most effective.

Caio Bianchi

It'd be great to have CBC News stream for free on the CBC Gem App as well. The BBC does it, why can't the CBC do it as well?

(reply) Laura McKenzie

I thought it was free? I stream cbc radio all the time with the app.

(reply) Caio Bianchi

Laura McKenzie the radio is free, but I’m referring to the TV channel.

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Didi Miesen

I love OUR CBC!!!

Benoit Martel

i like them.trying their best i think.

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Alister Nicoll

They need to be removed of all government funding and stand on their own two feet. If their product is good enough they will survive.

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Barry Tiedeman

Costing us taxpayers too much for too little gains It's apparently the Liberals have bought your souls.

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Reflection

Canadian Association of Stand-Up Comedians

The Corporation could measure the quality of its programming in English and French by spreading the development, creation and production opportunities geographically and according to Canada’s diversity. In all instances experienced and talented production teams will ensure quality, but on the creative side, the measure of quality should also include cultural and other diversity, as well as different voices at the decision-making level of the Corporation. Offering a framework for CBC/Radio-Canada to help facilitate content from new, innovative creators will avoid the Corporation always having the same gatekeepers making the creative programming decisions.

Justen Bennett

As an LGBTQ+ Canadian, I see some great content in the online news but would love to see more content in the television output.

LikeLike  1

(reply) Ron Lambert

Justen - I have no success in getting local CBC TV covering the LGBTQ Film Festival that I have been with since 2012. A change in the CBC licensing to stream to cell phones ignores this bias.

Cecilia Steeper

Content is great

Production

Canadian Association of Stand-Up Comedians

It may be challenging to structure an expenditure requirement framework for CBC precisely like that for Canada’s private broadcast groups, but it is essential that the Corporation deliver a diversity of content to Canadians, including the kind of content that is more expensive to produce. Any adaptive framework considered should ensure that CBC continues to meet its mandate under the Broadcasting Act, and prevent the Corporation from trying to reduce required Canadian programming expenditures, which is also a growing trend for the private broadcast groups.

Justen Bennett

I think we need more original Canadian television programming that's allowed to take risks. Looking at production models from, say, the BBC and having the freedom to play with season length, episode length, etc. Look at the success of Fleabag, for example, which won multiple awards, including at the Emmys, and is a 2-season, 6-episode series with half-hour episodes and the seasons produced years apart. That sort of creator-focused freedom allowing Canadian creators to make work in a way that makes sense for the individual project will help with creating original work that gains viewers and recognition.

Accessibility and discoverability

Canadian Association of Stand-Up Comedians

The Corporation’s Website content and online presence is not easily discoverable, and, in some instances, appears as very poor and amateurish. There is a wealth of CBC programming and information that will be much more accessible to Canadians and global audiences with an overhaul of the CBC’s Website and online portals. On GEM, for instance, the content is much less consumable than on other popular streaming services. If it’s necessary to implement ad pre-rolls once a program is selected, (which is an out-dated revenue mechanism), the experience needs to be much smoother. Viewers are unable to fast-forward, or stop the video without having to watch an ad again in order to get back to the program. This will deter audiences from choosing GEM as their source for exceptional online content, thus making Canadian programming less discoverable. Furthermore, the comedy section of the Website lacks vision or thought into how the content is presented and differentiated, making it harder to reach and connect with audiences.

Sam Walker-Kierluk

For me, the radio is my method of accessing CBC. It's essential to be able to access such public broadcasting easily, so radio access in as wide a coverage area as possible is a must-have. I would strongly condemn any move to reduce CBC's radio licenses/spectrum, as a resource that helps some members of our communities (especially rural communities with few other options, or those who aren't well-acquainted with internet radio) to stay connected.

LikeLike  1

Justen Bennett

I watch the majority of my CBC content on CBC Gem. I primarily watch on my Apple TV and I love the integration with Apple's Up Next features so I don't miss out on new episodes of CBC shows.

Kevin Yaworski

I watch CBC On Shaw HD TV and sometimes Gezm. I listen to CBC Radio on FM and AM radio, CBC Player app on Android or Web Browser and CBC Podcasts via the web. Yes more transcripts for audio and video content so they can be read by hearing impaired. More audio or video to text for visually impaired.

Sherry Aske

I listen to CBC radio on the CBC listen app. I love that I can listen on demand but I wish the app was more searchable so I could find segments and shows by searching terms I'm interested in. I wish my local newscasts were available on the app the way national newscasts are.

I also listen to CBC podcasts on other audio-streaming apps (ex: Spotify & iTunes) and I think it's important CBC's podcasts and top radio shows are available on those platforms so Canadians who are not die-hard CBC fans have a chance to discover them alongside the many American options.

I watch CBC news on YouTube, including events that are live-streamed on the CBC News account or segments that have been posted from various shows. Again, I wish segments from local news shows were posted to their own channels so I could watch segments from CBC New Brunswick or CBC Ottawa if there were individual stories I was interested in.

I wish more of CBC's original television was available on Netflix. This is how I found the Baroness Von Sketch show and Anne with an E. I wish other shows were there as well - I would watch Cavendish and Canada's Next Great Baker if I could get them.

Democratic life

Sherry Aske

I wish I could access more local radio and television news programming online. I care more about being able to get local television news segments on YouTube and social media than I do about being able to find a national broadcast as I know there are other players who provide national newscasts online.

While I presently access national radio and television news programming on audio streaming apps and YouTube, I cannot access local radio and television news programming for my area on these platforms.

Kevin Yaworski

I watch CBC local and National news On Shaw HD TV and sometimes web. I listen to CBC local Radio on FM and AM radio, CBC Player app App on Android or Web Browser and CBC Podcasts via the web. more transcripts for audio and video content so they can be read in shared environments without headphones or for hearing impaired.

The news on serious local and national issues is often just touching the surface and the toughest questions are often ignored. This especially so if it political and government issues around transparency and accountability.

Canadian Association of Stand-Up Comedians

In order to be a trusted, verified and non-biased source of online news and information, CBC should ensure it invests in Canadian editorial, reporting, and research teams in all regions of the country, reflecting the interests and priorities of provinces and territories on a national level. A diversity of sources and experts in reporting trustworthy news and information is how the Corporation can play a pivotal role in eliminating false and misleading news from being shared, especially online.

Justen Bennett

I access CBC online and through streaming platforms.

I believe CBC should be funded well enough that CBC television no longer runs ads, like other publicly-funded broadcasters (e.g. the BBC).

I also believe CBC should have secured, independent funding like the BBC's TV license model so it can have the freedom, security, and stability to take more risks with its television programming, create more great and original Canadian content, and pay Canadian creators/artists better so we lose less talent to the United States when they get success (e.g. Dan Levy).

David Nelson Kidd

  1. CBC News Network should be live streamed on the net, both for Canadians abroad and to present Canada to the world
  2. CBC Tempo should be a podcast (and Julie Nesrallah is a treasure)
  3. There should be more "hard" science reporting in regular news - even 1 story per newscast

(reply) Sherry Aske

I also wish I could live stream CBC news net online! For breaking news situations I feel Canadians should always have access to live coverage, and the ability to go back and watch relevant clips or segments on-demand.

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David Nelson Kidd

Sherry Aske Let's march on CBC HQ! To the barricades! :)

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