The president and CEO of CBC/Radio-Canada defended the public broadcaster and its independence Thursday from a fresh barrage of pointed Conservative questions about its coverage of the Israel-Hamas conflict.

The president and CEO of CBC/Radio-Canada defended the public broadcaster and its independence Thursday from a fresh barrage of pointed Conservative questions about its coverage of the Israel-Hamas conflict.

  • sbv@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
    2·
    1 year ago

    I guess the question is what Tait means by serving rural communities. If it’s a question of broadcasting stuff from elsewhere into small towns, then CBC is doing fine. But the CBC mandate includes

    to contribute to the development of a shared national consciousness and identity; to reflect the regional and cultural diversity of Canada; and to contribute to the development of Canadian talent and culture

    IMO “shared” means that the conversation is flows in multiple directions. What you’re describing is mostly unidirectional. CBC’s Canada happens in urban regional hubs and is broadcast to rural areas. Rural Canada gets representation during call in shows, and when some local organization sends a press release to the regional office. That’s not bad, but it’s not great either.

    One great option would be for CBC radio to broadcast Canadaland

    I don’t see Tait getting behind that.

    CBC already doesn’t produce everything they broadcast, so syndicating additional alternative programming covering other viewpoints would be a spectacular use of the system.

    I don’t have strong feelings about CBC’s viewpoint. It makes me sad that CBC radio finds time to broadcast This American Life in place of CanCon. But whatevs.

    • jadero@lemmy.ca
      1·
      1 year ago

      I guess we’re in agreement in many areas. CBC does as bad as everyone at actually covering rural regions and representing us to the wider world.

      And hearing “This American Life” on CBC was very disappointing. My first thought was that there are plenty of Canadian stories being told in local outlets and podcasts that are more deserving of wider distribution. There are more CBC programs being picked up elsewhere, so maybe there are larger cross-distribution deals in play, but the US already looms large; they don’t need help getting the word out.