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June 3, 2019 6:57 pm  #1


CBC's The National is tanking in the ratings despite Federal Funding

It could be the hockey play-offs, or the Raptors big run, or maybe the 4 hosts (horsemen of the apocalypse) are not that compelling...but the National is tanking in the ratings game...

Outside of bringing back Peter Mansbridge I am not sure what it would take to jump start the venerable newscast?

Not even the SNC Lavalin affair could help drive viewers...

But, in my circles myself included, I try to avoid watching the news, I find it lowers my mood and vibe and I don't want to see bad stuff happen before bed time... (just saying).


What is your take on the fate and fortunes for the National?


Here is more on the ratings dive and the story...

https://www.spencerfernando.com/2019/06/03/despite-massive-injection-of-taxpayer-money-cbcs-the-national-is-getting-terrible-ratings/


 


The world would be so good if it weren't for some people...
 

June 3, 2019 9:44 pm  #2


Re: CBC's The National is tanking in the ratings despite Federal Funding

How many people access the CBC News website compared to other Canadian news sources? It appears to be the most popular if Facebook fans and Twitter follows are any indication, much more so than CTV News or Global News. Also, isn't the National's current strategy to build its online audience? TV ratings alone would not capture the acutal size of either the show's audience. https://blog.feedspot.com/canadian_news_websites/

Last edited by Hansa (June 3, 2019 9:47 pm)

 

June 4, 2019 7:31 am  #3


Re: CBC's The National is tanking in the ratings despite Federal Funding

One very simple reason why The National's numbers are down in the 10pm slot. Canadian viewers would rather watch their NCIS/Bull/SVU/Survivor/Dancing With The Stars/Bachelor/Bachelorette being offered by CTV/Global/City at 10pm                                                                                                                                                                          Regarding the so called CBC Derangement Syndrome: I think that comes from their Holier than thou attitude. It doesn't matter if you watch any of our programming. You're paying for it anyway. It is always nice to have $1B of taxpayers money in your back pocket. Yes I know that money is divided between the French and radio divisions of the network as well. The English side still gets the majority of the funds. The CBC wraps themselves in the Canadian flag when it comes to their programming decisions. I am sure this pleases the Friends of Canadian Broadcasting immensly. Yet, they will scold CTV/Global/CITY for not having enough Canadian programming. I have never been a fan of the CBC, but when they produce a series that is good and gets significant viewers [Street Legal,Degrassi, Murdoch Mysteries] I applaud you. In my opinion, in the 60+ years I have been around, there have been many more misses than hits.

 

June 4, 2019 8:04 am  #4


Re: CBC's The National is tanking in the ratings despite Federal Funding

Here is an interesting column from Graeme Gordon from June 3rds. Toronto Sun.
https://torontosun.com/opinion/columnists/gordon-cbc-misses-the-mark-with-its-flagship-show
I definitely miss the old format.

 

June 4, 2019 8:43 am  #5


Re: CBC's The National is tanking in the ratings despite Federal Funding

Agreed...The National is nothing like it used to be...they should have Hannomansing anchor it...Arseneault travel the world as a correspondent which she does best and get Rosie to host At Issue and that's it...it's pretty bad overall...however the CBC still serves a viable public purpose, especially in rural areas...and when I come here and see stories quoted from The Toronto Sun and right wing hacks like Spencer Fernando that have clear agendas it seriously impacts credibility.

 

June 4, 2019 9:39 am  #6


Re: CBC's The National is tanking in the ratings despite Federal Funding

to me, the multiple anchor format doesn't work. i think this format comes across as being very "trendy"... and trends don't last. in my opinion, it's right up there with the attempt to change hockey night in canada's format (a few years ago). stick with ian and dump the others.
 

Last edited by the original hank (June 4, 2019 9:40 am)

 

June 4, 2019 10:44 am  #7


Re: CBC's The National is tanking in the ratings despite Federal Funding

Bentwater wrote:

LocalNewsGuy, having worked at several stations including CBC I can understand the disdain for the corporation as a distinctly different style of operation.  Part of its mandate was to connect Canada, coast to coast with Canadian programming including news, as I understand it.

While there are very nice people at CBC, there are many that would not be considered to be employable in private broadcasting.  The unions play havoc with management.  Grievances without merit often tie hands. "The workers" were permitted to tell management to EF-OH with impunity.  Pensions are often generous if people want to ride out the some of the healthiest years of their lives working in an OHIP office-like setting.
I understand that sales people are even unionized.

Ask anyone who once worked in private broadcasting how they find the CBC culture.  Often I've heard CBC is unlike any other broadcaster.  It's not a horrible place for someone in the autumn of their career.
 

I have worked at both Rogers and the CBC. To my honest surprise I found the culture at Rogers to be more stiflingly bureaucratic than that of the mother corp. There is admittedly a fair amount of virtue-signalling leftism at the CBC, but it is more peripheral to the culture than dominant which also surprised me.

 

June 4, 2019 11:55 am  #8


Re: CBC's The National is tanking in the ratings despite Federal Funding

6079 Smith W wrote:

Bentwater wrote:

LocalNewsGuy, having worked at several stations including CBC I can understand the disdain for the corporation as a distinctly different style of operation.  Part of its mandate was to connect Canada, coast to coast with Canadian programming including news, as I understand it.

While there are very nice people at CBC, there are many that would not be considered to be employable in private broadcasting.  The unions play havoc with management.  Grievances without merit often tie hands. "The workers" were permitted to tell management to EF-OH with impunity.  Pensions are often generous if people want to ride out the some of the healthiest years of their lives working in an OHIP office-like setting.
I understand that sales people are even unionized.

Ask anyone who once worked in private broadcasting how they find the CBC culture.  Often I've heard CBC is unlike any other broadcaster.  It's not a horrible place for someone in the autumn of their career.
 

I have worked at both Rogers and the CBC. To my honest surprise I found the culture at Rogers to be more stiflingly bureaucratic than that of the mother corp. There is admittedly a fair amount of virtue-signalling leftism at the CBC, but it is more peripheral to the culture than dominant which also surprised me.

I wish they would stop with the indigenous coverage. There is a reason why these cultures failed, 

 

June 4, 2019 2:39 pm  #9


Re: CBC's The National is tanking in the ratings despite Federal Funding

cash wrote:

I wish they would stop with the indigenous coverage. There is a reason why these cultures failed, 

yes, the reason was europeans with guns, germs, and steel.

what an utterly stupid statement, cash.

 

June 4, 2019 3:55 pm  #10


Re: CBC's The National is tanking in the ratings despite Federal Funding

Whenever there's a major event .. i don't go to CTV, i don't go to Global, i go to CBC. 

 

June 4, 2019 4:06 pm  #11


Re: CBC's The National is tanking in the ratings despite Federal Funding

g121 wrote:

Whenever there's a major event .. i don't go to CTV, i don't go to Global, i go to CBC. 

Please define what is a "major event", thank you
 

 

June 4, 2019 4:23 pm  #12


Re: CBC's The National is tanking in the ratings despite Federal Funding

geo wrote:

g121 wrote:

Whenever there's a major event .. i don't go to CTV, i don't go to Global, i go to CBC. 

Please define what is a "major event", thank you
 

Major events like election coverage (municipal/provincial/federal), G7/G20 summit, natural/human disasters (ex. barrie tornado/Lac-Mégantic train derailment) ....

 

June 4, 2019 4:28 pm  #13


Re: CBC's The National is tanking in the ratings despite Federal Funding

splunge wrote:

cash wrote:

I wish they would stop with the indigenous coverage. There is a reason why these cultures failed, 

yes, the reason was europeans with guns, germs, and steel.

what an utterly stupid statement, cash.

they were dying off before the Europeans ever arrived. 
 

 

June 4, 2019 6:00 pm  #14


Re: CBC's The National is tanking in the ratings despite Federal Funding

The actual ratings at 10pm may look dismal against the dramas on other networks but if you add all the numbers from pre-and post 10pm broadcasts on CBC News Network and on-line viewers I'm sure it's a pretty impressive total audience. 
 

 

June 5, 2019 8:42 am  #15


Re: CBC's The National is tanking in the ratings despite Federal Funding

LocalNewsGuy wrote:

So why is the gold standard being the ability to work in the private sector? Why should journalists make it their aim to work in highly stressed, underpaid environments where the threat of layoffs to meet a corporate revenue target is constant? Why are so many private sector broadcasters ready to run over their own grandmothers to get a job at the CBC and not the other way around? Could it be that they want to work in a place with decent resources and where they can have a say in how their work is used? Just askin....
 

Haven't you heard? Our role in life is to stress ourselves until burnout to ensure that our overlords get that 2nd yacht, and 3rd country home. What are you, some kind of commie libtard? I hope you typed the above on your personal time. There's work to be done, you know.