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June 22, 2022 11:49 am  #1


CRTC "Updates" Rules CBC Will Have To Operate Under

It is one of the longest documents I've ever seen from the CRTC. But it's an entire overview of both the CBC's mandate and how it operates. (If you have several hours to kill, you can see this thing here.)

But in a press release that summarizes the conclusions, the Commission has ordered the CBC to change at least some of its future focus, alterations that will turn up on its radio, TV and online entities. 

Here's the main point I found the most interesting:

"New spending and reporting requirements are also being imposed to ensure that the national public broadcaster supports and broadcasts programming that is relevant to and reflective of all Canadians of diverse backgrounds and Indigenous Peoples living in Canada.

"To enhance diversity in its programming, the CBC∕ Radio-Canada will have to invest in audiovisual Canadian programming, audiovisual Canadian independent programming from Indigenous producers, racialized producers, producers with disabilities and producers who identify as LGBTQ2. The CRTC is also maintaining certain spending requirements for programming by and for official-language minority communities.

"Regarding audio programming, the CRTC is maintaining musical content requirements and is also introducing a new content requirement for Indigenous music on the CBC/Radio-Canada’s English and French-language radio services."

A few years ago, I made a joke bet with a friend that we could turn on CBC radio at any given moment and hear one of these three topics: something about the gay/lesbian/transgender communities, a show concerning Indigenous issues or a program about climate change. You'd be surprised how many times it turned out exactly that way.

I have no problem with addressing these topics - everyone should be represented on the airwaves and they may be too frequently ignored by commercial broadcasters. But this new edict sounds like it's going to send that focus into overdrive. 

I'm curious - do you think that should be the CBC's main agenda? Is it serving all Canadians by focusing increasingly on the areas laid out above?  Will the CBC still be serving your needs by making these changes? Or might it make you listen less if you're not in one of those cited communities?

Either way, the future of Canada's national broadcaster will be undergoing a change. How Canadians react to that remains to be seen and heard. 

CRTC adopts modern approach for the CBC/Radio-Canada’s traditional and digital services

 

June 22, 2022 12:20 pm  #2


Re: CRTC "Updates" Rules CBC Will Have To Operate Under

CBC has become increasingly irrelevant to my family.  For years I have questioned why some of the stories in "The World at 6" on radio, have been included in the line-up, or why I cannot go 15 minutes without hearing a story that seems to be mandated by some committee at CBC who are checking off the "woke/woken" boxes.  Many of these stories, to my mind, "bump" important "world" news stories.  Going forward, I guess that "World Report" and "The World at 6" will be less about international news, and more about checking the CRTC quotas.  I suspect that the CRTC will impose similar conditions on other Canadian networks sooner than later.  If I wanted to listen to indigenous music, I would seek it out, on one of many different streaming platforms.(some of them free) or tune to 106.5 Toronto.  But inclusion by CRTC fiat, makes CBC a really tough sell to me.   I don't want government or its regulatory agencies telling me what I should be listening to, or deciding "what's good for me" and by quotas, they pander to every minority group.  For the moment, there are other sources of content on Canadian over-the-air Radio and TV that provide programming that I choose to view or listen to.  And to be frank, much more of our pandemic viewing/listening has been to foreign streaming services, including content out of the UK, France and other countries that don't seem to have forced their broadcasters into (similar) quotas.   I wonder if anyone reading the big yellow board has had discussions with family members about their consumption of CBC programming?  In our family our daughter and son-in-law in their thirties find CBC irrelevant - and don't listen or watch, perhaps with the exception of a few hockey games.  Has anyone reading this, had a similar discussion with family members about their CBC tuning habits or whether they want to see/hear the programming that is being mandated by the CRTC?   Finally how will Canadians react?  I suspect they will simply tune elsewhere.

Last edited by tvguy (June 22, 2022 12:25 pm)

 

June 22, 2022 3:14 pm  #3


Re: CRTC "Updates" Rules CBC Will Have To Operate Under

I'm not against promoting diversity, but I fear the CRTC is forcing things a bit too far. My feeling has always been, "is it a good show?" Fine. Air it." 

Not saying these new ones won't be, but it would be nice if programs were based solely on merit and not origin. But it could also be argued producers from the communities involved might not have been given that chance, so admittedly, there are two sides to this. 

Here's how the Hollywood Reporter interprets the new regs. 

CBC Faces Minimum Spending Requirements for Program Diversity

     Thread Starter
 

June 22, 2022 5:30 pm  #4


Re: CRTC "Updates" Rules CBC Will Have To Operate Under

Wow. I'm stunned. (But everyone here already knew that!) No, I'm surprised by a ton of negative comments about these changes in the one place I never would have expected to read them - on the CBC's own website! The Corp. published a Canadian Press story on this, I presume to avoid any signs of bias by their own writers. 

But underneath the article, the reaction to this change is almost totally negative. Not what I would have thought for the CBC itself. It appears even fans of the networks seem to feel this is a step too far in terms of political correctness. Here are just a few samples of what their viewers and readers had to say. Never thought I'd see this on the CBC's own site. 

---

"I'm progressive but even I have a hard time with the endless "wokeism". Apparently, identity is more importance than knowledge and competence. I'm canceling Gem. I can't stand the endless preaching."

---


"Money spent should be based upon merit and merit alone, not on any other criteria."

----

"I have a novel idea. How about focusing on producing good programming and forget the rest. Diversity should never be an excuse to produce an inferior product. Sink or swim on merit."

---

"I have supported the CBC for decades.


I remember Morningside with Gzowski. Arthur Black. Maitland. McFee. Frum. Jay Ingram. Of course, Mansbridge (whom I bumped into in Stratford a while ago... lovely bloke).

I stood by the Corp during some of its most challenging days. And I was proud to be, sometimes, the lone CBC defender in the room.

I can't do it anymore. I just can't.

The Corp has lost its way.


I'm out."

----

" This is just bureaucrats and politicians pandering to various special interest groups. The result is shows nobody wants to see or hear - not even those in said special interest groups."

---

"So not the best programming just the most diverse. Got it."

---


And that's just a small sample. At the time I posted this, there wasn't one - not one - positive reaction to this. That's incredible considering the CBC's generally left leaning audience. You can read the rest of what readers had to say at the bottom of the article here. 

     Thread Starter
 

June 22, 2022 6:24 pm  #5


Re: CRTC "Updates" Rules CBC Will Have To Operate Under

Whenever the CBC comes up on cbc.ca there is always a ton of negative comments about the network, this is not new.  Usually in the comments there are many more negative than positive, so this shouldn't  be surprising. CBC is a crown corporation supported largely by taxpayers, so they should be running the complaints and negative comments regarding the network.    Does CTV.ca or Global even allow comments?  And I bet if they did, you would never see anything negative about their programming or about Bell or Corus. 

With all of these new conditions for CBC, I wonder if Sun/Post media will still drone on about the unfair advantage that the network has??  Especially since they never had an unfair advantage in the first place. 

I have noticed that much of CBC's diversity and inclusion in programming over the past few years  seems forced and not the natural progression that it should be. I fear these new conditions on their license will only make the situation more contrived.   Also CBC programming bases too much on what they see in Toronto.  Toronto is not Canada and in some ways does not represent the the rest of the country.  The same way that New York City does not always represent the rest of the US, or Paris doesn't represent the rest of France. 

However I have also noticed this in advertising as well.  This will not be popular for some, but I have seen commercial sets on Canadian network television over the past year where every national commercial had actors of minorities or special interest groups in every spot.

This is the right idea and correct, but the advertising community is pushing it too quickly and it is coming across as not natural, forced and not really representative of where Canada is right now.  Maybe Toronto but not the country as a whole.

A college friend of mine who is originally from the Caribbean, and worked in media, finds it funny that Canadian national TV commercials suddenly have more representation of the black community and minorities than much of US national advertising.   Again Toronto is not Canada.  However since most of the agencies are based here, the ads reflect this. 
.
You could argue that US television is now doing diversity and inclusion better and more natural, at least in advertising and much programming.  America media has been very slow at this and should have started a long time ago.  They now have, and the advertising and a lot of programming seems often more in step with the realities of their country.  Canadian national television is trying too hard to out diversify everyone and feels it needs to include too many groups in programming and advertising all the time, and this comes across as pandering and not real.

The goals are the same, but slow down and let this evolve naturally because the train won't be stopping. 

 

June 22, 2022 6:39 pm  #6


Re: CRTC "Updates" Rules CBC Will Have To Operate Under

Well, for once you and I are in agreement about something concerning the CBC! I also feel this seems like forced political correctness on the part of the CRTC and if left to develop naturally, eventually there will be equal or more importantly balanced representation.

Now it appears they're going to be leaving out certain groups in order to advantage certain others. That's never a good recipe to foster tolerance and understanding. 

As for the CBC's website comments, I will take your word for it, since I almost never look at it. 

     Thread Starter
 

June 22, 2022 7:37 pm  #7


Re: CRTC "Updates" Rules CBC Will Have To Operate Under

RadioActive wrote:

Well, for once you and I are in agreement about something concerning the CBC! I also feel this seems like forced political correctness on the part of the CRTC and if left to develop naturally, eventually there will be equal or more importantly balanced representation.

Now it appears they're going to be leaving out certain groups in order to advantage certain others. That's never a good recipe to foster tolerance and understanding. 

As for the CBC's website comments, I will take your word for it, since I almost never look at it. 

Well thanks, for the comment, but it is an assumption to think that the CBC will automatically be leaving out certain groups.  It is up to CBC how they handle and incorporate these new conditions, which I don't think were necessary.

The corporation is already politically correct and does try hard to include all groups which is a very hard thing to do, and still make a program entertaining or believable.  It is not easy to give everyone a voice all the time and have various groups feel they are being listened to, understood, and treated fairly.  But they are a crown corporation supported by tax dollars and this comes with the territory, so it is up to them to make it work.  Judging by their past performance, not sure they necessarily will know how to do this.  Or they will continue to do in such a way that comes across as contrived and pandering. 

To have a rounded view of the CBC you really should look at their website more, and occasionally read the comments and opinion pieces. You will be surprised what they actually put up and what comments are allowed.  I don't read the comments much anymore, sadly many were not that far removed from what FOX news has on their site.  And you also have many comments from the left that are just as biased and ridiculous. So now I tend to look at the content and let the commentators slug it out after the story.  

Last edited by paterson1 (June 22, 2022 7:40 pm)

 

June 22, 2022 8:19 pm  #8


Re: CRTC "Updates" Rules CBC Will Have To Operate Under

Again, fuck Trudeau and every goddamn woke liberal piece of dog shit in this country. What a bunch of fucking idiots... you are a liberal, and you are the most disgusting, brainless and vile creatures in this country's history, and you will regret it for the rest of your life. You are a goddamn woke embarrassment, just like Kim Jong-Justin himself. The liberal movement in this country is fucking dead, and it is your fault - and Trudeau's. You should only get AIDS and COVID *and* monkeypox all at the same time and fucking die, you worthless fucking woke fucking liberal fucking cocksuckers.

There is no need for this forced Indigenous/BIPOC/LGBTQ/LMNOP bullshit in any Canadian MSM or otherwise. And if this forced liberal wokeness extends into, say, Murdoch Mysteries, with anything Indigenous, LGBTQ etc. (crap that was taboo at the time) in even one episode, I will immediately and permanently block CBC and Gem from my TV and Internet, and I sure as fuck will not go anywhere near a CBC radio station, OTA or online.

 

June 22, 2022 8:20 pm  #9


Re: CRTC "Updates" Rules CBC Will Have To Operate Under

While we're all in on the diversity angle, here's another side to what the CRTC laid down on Wednesday. It's actually a pretty important change, although understandably, the union will not be happy with the decision. 

The CRTC gives CBC permission to cut television news and production

     Thread Starter
 

June 22, 2022 9:03 pm  #10


Re: CRTC "Updates" Rules CBC Will Have To Operate Under

Forward Power wrote:

Again, fuck Trudeau and every goddamn woke liberal piece of dog shit in this country. What a bunch of fucking idiots... you are a liberal, and you are the most disgusting, brainless and vile creatures in this country's history, and you will regret it for the rest of your life. You are a goddamn woke embarrassment, just like Kim Jong-Justin himself. The liberal movement in this country is fucking dead, and it is your fault - and Trudeau's. You should only get AIDS and COVID *and* monkeypox all at the same time and fucking die, you worthless fucking woke fucking liberal fucking cocksuckers.

There is no need for this forced Indigenous/BIPOC/LGBTQ/LMNOP bullshit in any Canadian MSM or otherwise. And if this forced liberal wokeness extends into, say, Murdoch Mysteries, with anything Indigenous, LGBTQ etc. (crap that was taboo at the time) in even one episode, I will immediately and permanently block CBC and Gem from my TV and Internet, and I sure as fuck will not go anywhere near a CBC radio station, OTA or online.

Can I get you a Snickers?
 

 

June 22, 2022 9:11 pm  #11


Re: CRTC "Updates" Rules CBC Will Have To Operate Under

Hey, RadioActive, if you don't ban FowardPower while Ziggy remains banned, I'd love to hear your explanation.

 

June 22, 2022 9:23 pm  #12


Re: CRTC "Updates" Rules CBC Will Have To Operate Under

RadioAaron wrote:

Hey, RadioActive, if you don't ban FowardPower while Ziggy remains banned, I'd love to hear your explanation.

"I'm a butthurt woke liberal snowflake who can't tolerate conflict..." Well guess what? This is 2022. Conflict is part of our culture and has been for a number of years now. Don't like it? Tough beans. Put up or shut up.

 

June 22, 2022 9:27 pm  #13


Re: CRTC "Updates" Rules CBC Will Have To Operate Under

Forward Power wrote:

RadioAaron wrote:

Hey, RadioActive, if you don't ban FowardPower while Ziggy remains banned, I'd love to hear your explanation.

"I'm a butthurt woke liberal snowflake who can't tolerate conflict..." Well guess what? This is 2022. Conflict is part of our culture and has been for a number of years now. Don't like it? Tough beans. Put up or shut up.

Ah, yes; wishing death on those who disagree is just "conflict." Seems you're the snowflake.

 

June 22, 2022 9:39 pm  #14


Re: CRTC "Updates" Rules CBC Will Have To Operate Under

Yeah, I just saw this now. He does go way over the line. I would delete the comment, but since you quoted it, I would have to delete yours, too! Forward Power has always delivered some cogent comments here in the past and I have no real idea what's driven him so far over the line of decent decorum in the past week.

Wishing people death and AIDS, even our sometimes less than esteemed Prime Minister - who I'm no fan of - is way over the line. 

Because of his previous contributions here, I will let this go as a final warning. But as much as I hate censorship, any more over-the-line comments like this and I will have to consider it his final comments. C'mon FP. I know you know better than this. If you want to go on a rant like this, there's always the Toronto Sun and The National Post!

For now, I've sealed this topic off, until calmer heads prevail.  

     Thread Starter