Last April I posted a blog entry on why I think it is rather shortsighted to consider cutting funding to the CBC and Radio-Canada. But apparently the conservatives are actually trying to make this policy on behest of media conglomerates that refused to pick up the programming I do watch.
Yes, we’re listening to a media conglomerate whose news network failed because of bad ratings in Canada, who claim to be speaking for Canadian taxpayers. And we’re all supposed to believe the programming CBC and Radio-Canada viewers watch will be automatically picked up by other networks, when the media conglomerate in question did not.
I would be watching this programming on other Canadian networks, had they purchased their rights. But all of these private networks are cutting back to afford buying the rights to foreign programming so it makes no sense to axe public broadcasting in Canada.
It doesn’t appear to matter that very little of CBC and Radio Canada’s programming is political in nature. Cultural programming is to be considered collateral damage thanks to foreign sentiments and incredulity in regards to the arts in Canada.
They think government funding is a means to get their foot in the door to impose their appeal to bias fallacy based narratives, which is what their failed news network pushed since 2011 and personalities from this network now do with impunity online.
If this wasn’t politically motivated they wouldn’t be so dismissive towards CBC and Radio-Canada’s non-political programming. But their snide commentaries drip with disdain against the other major political parties and they’re clearly doing all of this to poach viewers from a foreign network that is currently under review at the CRTC for promoting hatred and violence.
They downplay government funding for the other networks and the fact that their former network begged the CRTC for “must carry status” in 2013. And although some claim they want all funding to stop, I suspect the gap caused by this lack of funding would result in heavy lobbying for pharmaceutical advertising in Canada, and/or possibly food and beverage advertising targeting children.
In the end, this all comes off as vindictive and disingenuous. And I am not interested in the programming provided by the media conglomerate form which the complaints originate, so I will oppose their defunding scheme.
