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November 12, 2019 10:14 am  #1


CBC Radio Remembrance Day ceremonies

I always listen to the bi-lingual ceremonies to hear how the non-native speakers sound while speaking their second languages. What I heard was the anchor on CBC radio translating, in English, over the French speakers, their French comments that had just been spoken by others in English. As if not a word of French should ever be heard on the English network even during the Remembrance Day ceremonies. I never heard this before. French radio dumped out of live coverage right after the gun salute. No one who spoke after it was heard on the SRC. I'd be mildly offended and not a little concerned. Even the non-immigrants don't respect tradition (Canada having been a country in name only for a long time now, but that's for a different forum).

The other high (low) light was the CBC reporter live in Ottawa who described what she was seeing at the solemn ceremony in the same bored, whiny, millennial tone of voice we all know and loathe. She sounded like, for lack of a better example, Linda Cullen mimicking Sandie Renaldo on "Double Exposure." Never heard this before either. Or else it wouldn't be worth mentioning the next morning.

 

November 12, 2019 10:49 am  #2


Re: CBC Radio Remembrance Day ceremonies

I guess perception is everything. I was making my way back from Ottawa yesterday and listened to the ceremony mostly on CBC radio 1. All of the things you mentioned we're not noticeable to me. I took the announcers tone to be more solemn than bored. The english translation over the french is normal so that didn't surprise. Didn't listen to Radio Canada so I don't know about their radio coverage.

Don't agree with your point non-immigrants respecting tradition, overall Remembrance Day is a much bigger deal now than it was when I was a child back in the 60's. You go to any large Remembrance Day ceremony (ottawa, toronto, winnipeg) and you will see all shapes and colours of people, some who I am sure are new canadians.

Canada a country in name only for quite some time??  With all due respect Tom, would love to hear your reasoning behind that claim. We are a somewhat unique country in a few ways, but that has always been.

 

November 12, 2019 2:32 pm  #3


Re: CBC Radio Remembrance Day ceremonies

Apropos of this forum, and seen from a POV outside Canada although right on the border: Gordon Lightfoot and Joni Mitchell were two artists who either sang about Canada and / or things that happened there, or (to me) sounded Canadian when they didn't. The Stampeders and Trooper come to mind among other bands who to me had a Canadian sensibility. On first hearing, if you didn't already know, you'd guess they were from Canada. Now, I'll hear a band or solo artist on "Drive," the presenter will tell me they're from Canada, but they sound like they could be from anywhere. Drake being one that comes to mind. Apply this to the big picture. Diversity comes at a price; a nation's identity. Although in the cross-border shopping hotspot of Port Huron, only a few spoken words are needed to identify someone as being from Canada. But it won't be like that forever.

     Thread Starter
 

November 12, 2019 7:53 pm  #4


Re: CBC Radio Remembrance Day ceremonies

TomSanders wrote:

I always listen to the bi-lingual ceremonies to hear how the non-native speakers sound while speaking their second languages. What I heard was the anchor on CBC radio translating, in English, over the French speakers, their French comments that had just been spoken by others in English. As if not a word of French should ever be heard on the English network even during the Remembrance Day ceremonies. I never heard this before. French radio dumped out of live coverage right after the gun salute. No one who spoke after it was heard on the SRC. I'd be mildly offended and not a little concerned. Even the non-immigrants don't respect tradition (Canada having been a country in name only for a long time now, but that's for a different forum).

The other high (low) light was the CBC reporter live in Ottawa who described what she was seeing at the solemn ceremony in the same bored, whiny, millennial tone of voice we all know and loathe. She sounded like, for lack of a better example, Linda Cullen mimicking Sandie Renaldo on "Double Exposure." Never heard this before either. Or else it wouldn't be worth mentioning the next morning.

I think I know the announcer you are talking about now. Yes she did sound out of place and seemed a little out of her depth.  I have noticed a few other reporters on CBC radio that sound like they should be on Virgin radio or at a top 40 music station, the way they speak and present the story.

Sort of understand what you are saying about the music. There are still lots of artists that for a lack of a better term that "sound Canadian" and don't get any or little airplay, even on CBC Music.  But even in the era of Joni, Neil, Trooper etc. most Canadian artists on the radio sounded pretty much like any band from the US or Europe.

In the UK many British bands don't sound anything like the British invasion era artists.  Back then you knew immediately where the performer came from. Now most new music artists can come from almost anywhere and there is a similarity to the sound. On the top 40 music stations songs with Spanish lyrics are beginning to get airplay not just in Canada but in non Spanish speaking countries in Europe as well. 

Personally diversity doesn't worry me too much, most immigrants eventually, and certainly their kids seem to get it. I find the media in Canada more of a problem and our English media tends to be too Toronto centred.  Canada's news media in my opinion is lacking and over does the diversity aspect and dwells on certain causes and opinions a bit too much. Basically giving some activists and causes more airtime than their cause warrants. I put this down to laziness to a certain extent (an easy story) and the fact that newsrooms aren't as big as they were years ago. 

Some of our media (and not just CBC) get too uppity about multiculturalism, and a few other things to the point that they are boring people. Most Canadians don't need to be lectured and reminded constantly about diversity, multiculturalism, how friendly we are etc.  Personally, I don't think we are really that friendly!. Like many things, often the general public is ahead of the media and many politicians.  

Last edited by paterson1 (November 12, 2019 7:55 pm)

 

November 13, 2019 12:24 am  #5


Re: CBC Radio Remembrance Day ceremonies

paterson1 wrote:

I guess perception is everything. I was making my way back from Ottawa yesterday and listened to the ceremony mostly on CBC radio 1. All of the things you mentioned we're not noticeable to me. I took the announcers tone to be more solemn than bored. The english translation over the french is normal so that didn't surprise. Didn't listen to Radio Canada so I don't know about their radio coverage.

Don't agree with your point non-immigrants respecting tradition, overall Remembrance Day is a much bigger deal now than it was when I was a child back in the 60's. You go to any large Remembrance Day ceremony (ottawa, toronto, winnipeg) and you will see all shapes and colours of people, some who I am sure are new canadians.

Canada a country in name only for quite some time??  With all due respect Tom, would love to hear your reasoning behind that claim. We are a somewhat unique country in a few ways, but that has always been.

Yes, it was solemn, not bored.  I completely agree.  And the translation was done exactly as it is always done during bilingual press conferences and ceremonies.  Also, Karina Roman, the Senior Reporter at the Parliamentary Bureau, has 20 years in the industry,  11 on Parliament Hill.  I don't think she's a millennial.