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Small Town Radio Stations Complain Of CBC Poaching
When the CBC announced not long ago that it had received additional government funding to help expand news reporting in so-called "underserved" areas of Canada, it sounded like a positive.
But when existing station owners discovered that those "underserved" areas were the ones where their outlets existed, they quickly realized this was a bane not a boon.
There have been complaints from some of them the government-funded public broadcaster is coming into small towns, offering a whack of money the existing radio owners can't possibly compete with and are poaching talent and news people that are already hard to come by in such markets.
Just ask Elmer Hildebrand, whose Golden West Broadcasting owns a station in Swift Current.
"Hildebrand takes exception, in particular, to CBC approaching and recruiting Golden West’s News Director in Swift Current, “by offering compensation approximately $20,000 higher than his current salary.”
“This raises an important question,” wrote Hildebrand. “…should government-supported funding intended to expand local journalism be used to recruit staff away from existing local broadcasters that are already serving these communities effectively?”
What's the CBC response to allegations it's stealing away already hard-to-find small town reporters?
Broadcast Dialogue has their answer.
- BowmanvilleBob
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Re: Small Town Radio Stations Complain Of CBC Poaching
“Can’t possibly compete”?!?…c’mon Elmer. Golden West has been a dandy little money maker for many, many years. The fact is that companies like Golden West and Pattison have the money to keep people they want to keep in their own stable. They simply choose not to spend it. BTW, Medicine Hat is hardly the ends of the civilized world. Go to a broadcasting school (or what’s left of them) or a station in Thompson, Manitoba or Peace River and ask someone there if they’d be interested in relocating to Medicine Hat. I bet you’ll find plenty of takers.
Again, the CBC reporters being hired in these small markets aren’t doing hourly newscasts, covering the local hockey leagues or doing remotes at local car dealerships. They file stories primarily on the CBC’s regional newscasts and their regional websites. They’re filing the void that Golden West and Pattison vacated with cheapo local websites that they update once a day (if at all). Maybe this should serve as a wake-up call that these guys can no longer take their local audiences for granted. Kudos to journalists who are finally able to stay in smaller markets and make a living wage while doing it.
Last edited by BowmanvilleBob (June 2, 2026 5:15 pm)
- Chrisphen
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Re: Small Town Radio Stations Complain Of CBC Poaching
I think I need a bit more information on the conflict before I pull the rope on this one.
- darcyh
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Re: Small Town Radio Stations Complain Of CBC Poaching
I've long maintained that CBC radio has led to the demise of private commercial AM stations especially in medium / small markets. How can they compete when the CBC has no commercials and more resources.
- Hansa
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Re: Small Town Radio Stations Complain Of CBC Poaching
darcyh wrote:
I've long maintained that CBC radio has led to the demise of private commercial AM stations especially in medium / small markets. How can they compete when the CBC has no commercials and more resources.
So what then is the cause of the demise of private commercial AM stations in medium / small markets in the US?
- RadioAaron
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Re: Small Town Radio Stations Complain Of CBC Poaching
Very few AM stations in medium/small markets in Canada closed; most just moved to FM.
- BowmanvilleBob
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Re: Small Town Radio Stations Complain Of CBC Poaching
I have never once seen a single private radio station, whether owned by one of the conglomerates or locally owned, state that the cause of the shutdown of their operation was the presence of CBC Radio. Not one. Ever.
CBC Radio is not designed to, nor had it ever tried to, replace community radio stations in smaller markets. They aren’t covering community news, providing local weather and school closure information or doing play-by-play of the local hockey team.