And the Verdict Is…
Now that the new CBC News Network is a day old and still slightly jaundiced, The National has been reborn standing up, and Peter Armstrong settles in at World Report, I thought I’d cobble together a few of the online reviews. Not surprisingly most of them focus on The National.
Greg Quill of the Toronto Star wasn’t overly impressed, in his article “CBC’s revamped The National glitzy but a little contrived” he wrote:
Reporters and host Mansbridge are a little overexcited with their impressive new circumstances and crackling format. There was certainly a breathless, first-date ambience to last night’s debut presentation, and a few smirks.
Meanwhile the Toronto Sun told the story of how “American consultants helped in CBC makeover”
Canada’s public broadcaster’s new look was partly crafted with the help of American consultants… CBC’s new focus on breaking news, faster graphics and personalities was evident on the first day of its re-launch. But some changes, such as anchor Amanda Lang’s clear glass desk with view of her legs, surprised industry watchers.
Over at the Maclean’s blog, Paul Wells wrote:
It needs to be said that the stem-to-gudgeon relaunch of CBC news today — radio, cable network, flagship newscast, website — shows a hearty re-dedication to the proposition that news matters, and that the public broadcaster should be putting news at the centre of its mission, that should be applauded….
But the CBC relaunch is a bit of a mixed bag. The deeper news hole is, clearly, a hell of a challenge to fill on a day when there actually isn’t all that much going on in the world. And no amount of frenetic urgency from a dizzying succession of hosts, all of them bolt upright on hind legs as though they had been forbidden the use of their asses (jazz hands, everyone! Motion motion motion!) can substitute for the purposeful use of the extra time the network has allotted itself.
The pop-culture blog Mondoville says “it feels like the last stand — figuratively and literally,” while Bill Brioux wrote on his blog:
CBC made the leap into the age of short attention spans with the premiere of their new news look Monday night. Segments zipped by in the blink of an eye and the newscast seemed to pick up speed as it went along…. The crazy fast pace caught up with the news which flagged a bit towards the end. Still, a pretty impressive opening.
Finally, over at The National’s blog, viewers weighed in with a mix of comments, this being the most popular from Middlesister:
I really do not quite understand the logic of having Peter Mansbridge stand up, but honestly, LET HIM SIT DOWN……it is silly, don’t fix it if it’s not broken.
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The National is grand and all, but what about the rest of the programming? I put together some thoughts on my blog (NOT on The National) and would love to know what other people think!
I’m not a CBC employee, just a viewer but sheesh, people. It’s been on ONE DAY. Give it time.
17 years ago I wailed about “Prime Time Live” until a friend reminded me that I was 22 years old and far too young to be that set in my ways.
CBC needs to be allowed to try new things to see what works and what doesn’t. Maybe in two weeks, the anchors will be seated again. Maybe they’ll be standing. Maybe they’ll have those desks that slide up and down like they do in call centres. Maybe the flashing effects will die down. Maybe they’ll add LOLCats to the on-air graphics.
I have my own ideas about what kind of CBC I’d like to see but I don’t work there or control the budget but I’ve no problem with changing the presentation so long as I still come away informed. Some things will work, some won’t. It’ll sort itself out in the end.
Like I said earlier in a reply on this blog, I don’t really like the new format of the National.
Each article happened so quickly that when they moved onto a new article, I didn’t know what happened until a few seconds later.
Also, why the heck is Peter standing?! Standing may work for live news and local news, but not for national news. National news report is like the flagship newscast, the summary report of the day’s top story, it should be formal. Instead, now you have Peter standing around awkwardly, in weird positions when talking to reporters, oh and last night’s interview with guest former General Hillier…he had to stand too, that’s just disgraceful.
On a side note, I also don’t like the on-screen layout of Newswor…ahem, News Network. I could barely read the bit of news at the bottom bar, the weather nor the time. Not everyone has a huge 42-inch plasma, you know…
I just wish I could have a full 30 minute local newscast at the end of the National instead of an extra 30 where I`m never going to see it at 6 or 5 or whenever, not all of us can be home in time for the superhour newscast & would love to see an the extra 30 mins of news put were it would help us.
what? peter is standing?! i didn’t notice…
I try not to talk down using simplified or shortened communication with children, why does CBC News feel the need to simplify its language and shorten news stories to reach younger Canadians.
The reason I watch the Nations on CBC in the past is to get a deeper perceptive of Canadian events that can not be obtained from other source (for US news it’s PBS.) I enjoyed getting viewpoints that are not mainstream CFRB or CTV, but one that has depth and viewpoints that challenges my thinking on events.
CBC’s mandate is to connect Canadians and provide a shared perspective to all that chooses to watch. If the only way to reach a younger audience is the use of flashing graphics, sound effects, shorten stories with big headline labels on how things relate or benefit me, then the CBC has underestimated Canadians.
I am sure over time a lot of the negative reactions with the changes will subside, as people get familiar and comfortable with the new format. People don’t usually recognize or treasure what they have until it’s been lost. While the old national was slow, comfortable and a bit cerebral, I will miss it.
CBC news should chose its own path and experiment with what Canadian wants, and not utilize American methods of window dressing news – making it flashy, simple and full of emotional appeal. If I want to be stimulated and entertained by news, I will go to CNN or CTV News. But as a “public institution”, I have a higher level of expectation on how CBC engages with Canadians. Please bring back news that contains unique perspectives, one that has depth, and viewpoints from wider sources, and not just the news wires. You can keep the window dressing, but what I sense is CBC has modified its core and some of its strength may already have been lost.
Jim
How does it work the first time they have an interviewee who can’t stand for long periods, or at all?
i feel like i’ve lost a long-time family member with the death of The National and make no mistake about it The National is dead. i knew when they promoted the new show as “fast-paced” that it meant a dumbed down american style infotainment show. so very sad. everywhere i go and everyone i talk to is talking ( and laughing ) about the “new” cbc news. i simple cant comprehend how the leaders of the CBC possibly thought this was going to go over well. i think thats the most disappointing aspect of this, that the CBC leadership thinks so little of its audience that it thought flashing bells and whistles and bite-sized news bits is what Canadians want. how could they be so out of touch?
and for heavens sake let peter sit down. how hard is it to understand that if the news presenters are uncomfortable that it makes the audience uncomfortable? this is tv 101.
With the latest changes to The National, the mindless Americanization of CBC continues apace. The network formerly known as Newsworld even has a Fox News-like zealot, Kevin Leary, spouting cartoonish right-wing propaganda thinly veiled as “business news.” This morning, he was claiming that stricter government regulation of financial markets was tantamount to “Communism.” Instead of challenging him on such a ludicrous claim, Heather Hiscox let it pass without comment. In fact throughout her conversation with Leary–one could hardly call it an interview–she deferred to his “expertise” as a business analyst. Then, to add to the surreal quality of it all, Leary started strumming on a guitar!
Those whom the Gods seek to destroy they first make mad. If sanity isn’t soon restored to the CBC, the Conservatives will face no opposition to its privatization.
I thought Wednesday broadcast was much improved. It looks like they’re already taking a lot of the feedbacki very seriously and tweaking the show. I don’t think this is nearly the train wreck that the hysterical posters on The National’s site would have us believe, but there are still adjustments to be made.
i also noticed some improvement to wednesday’s newscast. peter is standing still at least. monday he was nervously wandering the set putting his hands in and out of his pockets pointing to different screens. last night at least he stayed put behind his bar. you got to admit monday’s broadcast may go down as one of the worst in the history of tv broadcasting. it will be studied for years. topped off by claire proclaiming after a report on a phillipines typhoon…”and peter thats your forecast..”
its still horrible but not as horrible.
And on tonight’s At Issue, Peter and the usual panelists were sitting! Improvement?
Stand up comedy is great. But stand up news is silly.
The sound and visual effects are childish and seriously distracting. CTV never looked so good.
It’s long past time for Stursberg and McGuire to stand down.
yes youre right taxpayer, who ever thought the ctv news would be the serious national news show. i’ve found myself watching them every night this week and i never would ve believed i would be doing that.
Tommy, CTV looks good because it is about news, not egos, American consultants, acrylics and distracting/nauseating graphics and stupid computerized sound effects. Even CNN is more tasteful than CBC is now (though it’s a close call).
The CBC needs to get rid of Lacroix, Strursberg, McGuire Donlon, Boyce, Steinmetz and the rest of the wrecking crew in both TV and Radio.
Let’s give Hubert a little more time.
As for the rest of the SET working on reduced bonuses………
How much money did Magid & Associates poach for the makeover?
Didn’t think much of the week-end National.
Looks like there are no jib operators on the week-end at CBC NN or at least the bit I tuned into.
Duck Boy – you are much too compromising. Hubert was appointed on November 5, 2007 – almost exactly two years ago. He started work on January 1, 2008. Any “honeymoon” period ended a long time ago. He presided over the demolition of Radio 2, which was underway when he arrived and was completed in September 2008. He indeed defends it. He lets Stursberg speak for the CBC in a giant spread in the Globe and Mail and elsewhere. He either approves of what Stursberg and the wrecking crew are doing or he is incapable of using his power to stop them. We need a president who will be in charge and act in the best interest of the CBC and the Canadians who own it, pay for it and used to enjoy it and be proud of it. These Canadians are also voters and all of this could become an election issue.
If Hubert is going to assert himself, it’s now or never.
I usually begin my morning by listening to World Report on the CBC Radio 1 stream from Toronto. As a Canadian living in the States I have appreciated a Canadian take on the news to begin the day.
I have to say that the new host seems to be so hyper so that he reads the news very quickly. While the pace is faster, I’m not sure that it is actually telling more stories.
Please just slow down a little and let us wake up gently! There is no need to wake us all up with hyper power news in the morning!
I once was a Radio and Television Arts student at Ryerson University who had a dream of working for the CBC. In my mind it was just about the only media outlet in Canada that wasn’t desperately trying to insult its viewers with American style programming. I liked the idea of working in a public broadcaster to serve the people instead of the shareholders and advertisers. For me, CBC was the place for intellectual journalism and thought provoking programming. This dream was shattered recently as Richard Stursberg began making his “improvements” to CBC. First Radio 2 was reduced to derivative crap and now CBC News might as well be CNN Canada. The changes are insulting for me, a younger viewer who actually enjoyed the slower pacing and smarter style. Not all young people are idiots!
Either way, I made a short video on the new style CBC News that I believe hits the nail on the head. Sure there are cheap shots aplenty, but the changes that have been made are really drastic and stupid.
http://parliamentshmarliament.blogspot.com/2009/11/episode-4-new-cbc-news.html
Paul, RS started this long ago. This is just his personal triumph over news, which is what he wanted long ago.
Recall, anyone, when he wanted his office near the newsroom?
He has already skewered prime time television on the stick of reality television and insulting blather.
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/group.php?gid=189086521353&ref=mf
Staffers joining the FB group should use their nom de plume to avoid a letter on ones HR file.
I wonder if anyone at cbc will read this blog. I am not hopeful. I think cbc posted this blob so we could pretend our opinions count.
Hey Connie, for what’s it worth, I’m at the CBC, and I just read your comment.
I’m glad that you’re reading the comments, Paul, but the question is, are Mr. Stursberg and Mr. Lacroix? Until these guys at the top admit that they’ve been taking the CBC (both TV and radio) in the wrong direction, there will continue to be a loud chorus of discontent from we longtime CBC viewers and listeners. This core audience has been alienated and forsaken by the current regime and we’re not happy about it. Should Mr. Stursberg continue along this road, he will likely find himself with a much smaller audience for the CBC, and though that audience may well be of the more youthful variety he’s been actively seeking, mark my words, it will be a fickle one. In short, I believe that by chasing this young and hip audience, the CBC is destined to end up like that other fine Canadian institution that followed the same path – Eatons. And look what happened to them….
Geez, how about a one word answer for the ‘new’ journalism standards: PATHETIC
New or otherwise still just a show with the liberals pulling the strings