There has been a lot of talk about defunding the CBC over the years, and if there's a change in government whenever the next election comes, you can be sure that "talk" will be amped up. Personally, while its budget could be cut, I don't see the public ever allowing the CBC to completely disappear. 

Which brings us to Britain and a very interesting battle that those over here might want to keep an eye on. As most know, the BBC is funded by a yearly licence fee that's charged to anyone with a TV set in their homes. But after years of controversy, a new decree has come down essentially saying that fee is going to be eliminated by 2028. By next April, the current cost will go to $291 Cdn. a year, and with so many streaming choices around, many feel they just can't afford it or it's no longer worth the money.

Now the question is what might take its place. Among the options:

-Raising money by advertising
-Raising money by attaching a tax to Internet or other bills like hydro
-Starting a "subscription only" channel along with the free one, that would carry special events that only those willing to pay could see
-Charging to watch its programming online
-Making cuts to the budget, leading to less programming but lower licence fees or
-Keeping the fee intact and carrying on as usual, despite the sure howls from taxpayers

I list all of these because it's something the CBC may want to keep an eye on. Our national broadcaster was based on the BBC model and times have changed a lot since they both signed on the air. If its budget was to be slashed, how would the Corp. continue? (Obviously the ad solution won't work for TV - they already have commercials. But they could be added to the radio.)

They might have to make similar choices to the ones listed above, none of which would be palatable to fans of the network. 

But I can't help but wonder: are we seeing the future by looking over the pond at the U.K.? 

‘We’d have to sell subscriptions’: BBC insiders warn against axing TV licence fee