What kind of government competes against its own citizens in business for profits? And compete for attention and favor regarding politics, and political “news” and opinion? And what kind of state sees a need to (so-called) entertain its citizens? I mean in the free world.
As far as I can tell from their daily emails and official platforms at their web sites, only Erin O’Toole seems to promise to end the state-owned CBC monstrosity —well some of the more offensive bits, anyway, with tons remaining there to fester.
I’m not going to hold my breath. But it should at least be put out there during a campaign, so good on him for doing that. I’m only surprised the others haven’t taken a firm stand against this state-owned dinosaur, when on so many issues, they are often comparatively more conservative (and haven’t, for example, attended WE events and then exuded their pride in having done so).
Of course taxpayer funding of it should be stopped. Starting immediately. It’s an affront to any free-thinking people living in a democracy to have any state-owned, taxpayer-funded news (including political opinions) and/or entertainment media — and one which competes against private, citizen-owned business. Especially when they exhibit such a left-wing, anti-conservative, and politically and culturally partisan bias.
Here’s O’Toole’s platform on it, for what it’s worth:
MODERNIZING THE CBC AND ENDING
THE MEDIA BAILOUT
This is not 1950s or even 1980s. We have hundreds of channels to choose from, and thousands of online options – many with lots of Canadian content.
CBC Radio and Radio-Canada provide an important service, but CBC English TV is no longer needed. Taxpayer dollars should not pay for things like a Canadian version of Family Feud. Nor should they fund CBC News Network, a channel no different from its private sector competitors.
CBC digital may be the worst offender. It competes with, and threatens the future of, local newspapers. Why are taxpayers paying for a CBC online comment section? CBC uses that section to drive clicks to get more ad revenue, which they are funnelling away from local newspapers on your dime. And then the Liberals use more of your tax money to bail out the newspapers!
It is time to modernize the CBC, focusing on only those things that the private sector does not provide.
AN O’TOOLE GOVERNMENT WILL:
• Rollback and end funding to CBC Digital by the end of the first mandate;
• Cut funding for CBC English TV and News Network by 50% with the goal of privatizing them within the first mandate;
• Maintain funding for Radio-Canada and minority language services in Canada for our two official languages; and
• Maintain CBC Radio, which is commercial free and maintains the original public interest mandate.
PTBC was founded by Mr. Johannesen in 2000.
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