Big Changes at CBC News
There were some big changes unveiled at the CBC News Renewal announcement yesterday. Overall the strategy will envisions CBC News becoming more immediate, better utilizing digital channels, and improving local news.
The meeting was held to update staff on the ongoing process.
Todd Spencer the Executive Director of News Content, said he sees breaking news being feed directly into Newsworld and cbc.ca. “Online and Newsworld will be the first place we break news,” Spencer said.
There are also big changes envisioned at The National. Jonathan Whitten the executive producer, said The National will be extended to seven nights a week. Sunday and Saturday Report will be absorbed into the new format. These changes will not take effect for the better part of a year.
The project will also bolster World Report. The show will have more daily editions, and will add another weekend edition.
There were no layoffs or cutbacks announced as part of the project.
Jennifer McGuire, the interim publisher of CBC News, and who spearheaded the meeting yesterday said it was called to share and reveal “what we think is the best strategic direction for CBC News… It’s not about revealing the end stage,” McGuire said, it’s “to share our thinking, to fully engage in this process as it moves forward.”
So what do you think? Leave a comment below with your thoughts.
|
Email This Post |
| CBC Newsworld, Programming, The National |
cbcnews should have the world this hour on saturday,sunday btw world report with dwight smith already airs during the weekend
I long for the days when someone in a boring suit read me the news, pronounced the words correctly, did not point at me or nod his/her head or make chucklehead comments to his/her copresenter, swish his/her hair around, assume airs as if they were an influential “personality”, make editorial comments, scrunch up their eyebrows at a particularly effective newspiece or treat me as if what they were saying is something that i didn’t know but i really should know.
Wait! I can just watch CTV news with Lloyd and Sandie!
When we decide to compete with the flash and lack of substance associated with other mainstream news sources, we cannot hope to deliver something other than watered-down, frivoulous news items –that can be found in abundance elsewhere. More text on the tv screen?!
The news business has become a race.
Unfortunately, we are not racing towards enlightenment or a better understanding of the world around us. The days of asking real questions and demanding real answers is apparently passé. Being the first to position a camera at a train/car/plane wreck is what apparently matters most today.
The CBC has all the tools to make a difference, the best people in the business; so, why do we aspire to be just like everybody else?
What’s the point in being first or better at crapola.
The answer to a better CBC News Operation is Newsworld. Put some of that reporting talent that is currently out in the field ON THE AIR where people can see them — and let them do more newsgathering from anchor chairs. That’s where breaking news comes from now — live on the air with interviews, live shots, live pix from breaking news. Give Julie Van D. a show, Paul Hunter, Bonner — it is a waste of talent to have people like that standing around waiting for clips.
It’s newsworld, stupid ….. to paraphrase a Clintonian
expression.
Where is Newsworld HD?
To save some funds Diana Swain co do several hours on the NW desk fro Newsworld. Unless the rumors are true and CBLT will beg getting an 11 PM show. Poor choice of funds in my book. Hopefully they’ll have swain anchor both at & 11 shows to save on anothers anchor salary.
Anyone see this?
Media watchdog: Conservatives plan to cut CBC funding by $200 million
By Jessica Werb
The Conservative party wants to cut $200 million from the CBC’s parliamentary grant, claims an independent watchdog of Canadian programming.
In an e-mail sent out yesterday (December 4) by Friends of Canadian Broadcasting, spokesperson Ian Morrison claimed that a confidential source had alerted the organization of “Conservative plans to slash a devastating $200 million from the CBC’s parliamentary grant”.
“It’s a source that we know and that we trust and that has seen the document,” Morrison told the Straight in a phone call. “The document exists. It’s official enough that it exists in two official languages. It’s not just some kind of casual memo. Its status is that it’s a document of the Conservative Party of Canada, not the government of Canada….We interpret it as a policy proposal from somebody fairly high in the Conservative party.”
click on link for full article.
For link to full article mentioned in above post please select link belwo.
http://www.straight.com/article-175185/media-watchdog-conservatives-plan-cut-cbc-funding-200-million
I’m all for more local news, especially late local news before 11pm.
And I’m glad CBC is putting The National on weekends.
But why must there be more graphics on Newsworld? Isn’t the ticker enough?
Just to remind people who voiced strong opinions above: You should call the CBC Feedback Line 1-866-306-4636. All the comments are put into a ‘digest’ that is shown to CBC executives. I doubt they read the comments on the blog posts here.
You wrote:
Unfortunately, we are not racing towards enlightenment or a better understanding of the world around us. The days of asking real questions and demanding real answers is apparently passé. Being the first to position a camera at a train/car/plane wreck is what apparently matters most today.
Actually, I think ratings matter. You can have the best show in the world but if nobody is watching, what is the point?
The changes made at CBLT and the drive to focus on breaking and local news have delivered record breaking ratings. We were number 2 in the Toronto market a couple of nights ago. This allows CBC to make more money, so that when the government cuts funding, you can keep your job.
We provide a service. We know we are getting it right when people watch.
I think it’s high tme they brought back The Journal at 10:20 like the good ol’ days!!!!!!!!
Anonymous wrote:
“You can have the best show in the world but if nobody is watching, what is the point?”
Umm, if it was the best show in the world, people would watch it. The purpose of public broadcasting is to not be restrained by the profit motive. That way, you can focus on enlightening viewers, not ratings.