1 of 1- RadioActive
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New Federal Budget Contains Millions For CBC & A Musical Surprise
The document, tabled on Tuesday afternoon, delivers on a promise to give the CBC an additional $150 million.
The surprise is a proposal to get Canada into the Eurovision Song Contest. In case you're not familiar with it, it's a very well established singing competition for European countries that's been around since 1956. It's almost always a huge deal overseas, although it may not be as well known on this side of the pond.
Probably the most famous winner came in 1974, when an unknown Swedish group blew the rest of the competition away. Their name? ABBA. The song that won it all that year: "Waterloo."
There was a Eurovision Canada competition announced in 2022 and scheduled for the following year, but it ran into procedural delays and I don't think it ever happened.
Budget includes CBC funding boost, pitches getting Canada into Eurovision
- Hansa
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Re: New Federal Budget Contains Millions For CBC & A Musical Surprise
Well, I guess if Canada can't join the EU, the Eurovision Song Contest is the next best thing.
- Calhame
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Re: New Federal Budget Contains Millions For CBC & A Musical Surprise
Céline Dion won the Eurovision Song Contest in 1988 for Switzerland with the song "Ne Partez Pas Sans Moi".
- Shorty Wave
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Re: New Federal Budget Contains Millions For CBC & A Musical Surprise
Calhame wrote:
Céline Dion won the Eurovision Song Contest in 1988 for Switzerland with the song "Ne Partez Pas Sans Moi".
I remember this, and it was fairly well established at the time that she was Canadian. I guess Canada might have a chance at being part of Eurovision after all. Mind you, a lot of the songs that win are a bit on the tacky side IMO!
- RadioActive
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Re: New Federal Budget Contains Millions For CBC & A Musical Surprise
According to the rules, Canada isn't technically eligible to take part in Eurovision. But special permission could change all that, something that's not without precedent - Australia is now part of the big show, despite not being part of the EBU (European Broadcasting Union.)
"Currently, CBC is not a full member of the European Broadcasting Union, but rather an associate member. Therefore, the broadcaster cannot participate in the contest. However, as with Australia, participation could become possible if the EBU sends a special invitation.
Reportedly, Canada’s government views such an invitation positively and intends to pursue discussions with the EBU to make it happen."
Canada to debut at Eurovision?
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Thread Starter- mace
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Re: New Federal Budget Contains Millions For CBC & A Musical Surprise
So the Mother Corporation is getting another $150M. Hopefully the majority goes to the network's success stories, Radio-Canada and Radio One. The English television network only needs enough money to keep Corrie, Marketplace, Fifth Estate, The National and HNIC running. The rest can whither and die for all I care.
- Aytononline
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Re: New Federal Budget Contains Millions For CBC & A Musical Surprise
On the radio side I would like to see expanded operating hours of the local newsrooms.
CBC does well with the hourly national news, but having more live local news from the smaller radio newsrooms in the evenings and weekends would go along way.
- Plate Voltage
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Re: New Federal Budget Contains Millions For CBC & A Musical Surprise
The whole thing about getting the CBC to try to get into the Eurovision contest is a bizarre item to put in the federal budget. The $150 million funding announcement makes perfect sense to list in there but Eurovision? That's pretty extreme micromanagement of what's supposed to be an arm's length crown corporation.
- RadioActive
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Re: New Federal Budget Contains Millions For CBC & A Musical Surprise
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