Board of Director’s Meeting
The CBC board is meeting in Toronto today and tomorrow to figure out a strategy to deal with the CBC’s revenue shortfall.
I haven’t seen a single update on what’s being discussed at the meetings but there are some interesting clues out there. First off the CBC is likely looking down the barrel of a massive shortfall. Dealing with it will likely involve a combination of cuts and trying to find additional revenue.
Last week Denise Donlon, executive director of CBC Radio, made some abstract reference to monetizing CBC Radio at Canadian Music Week. This follows indications from Heritage Minister James Moore that he might be open to considering ads on CBC Radio. But even if CBC Radio opens the door to advertising in some form, it likely won’t be enough to cover the shortfall.
So expect more cuts on the way.
What will be cut? I don’t know. But it might be useful to look at some of the shows that have been axed so far: Air Farce, Sunday, Steven and Chris, Fashion File. Not that it means anything but it’s worth noting that all of those shows were CBC in-house productions.
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Now that you mention it … I have yet to hear of any cuts whatsoever at the CBC, ever since the problem first arose publicly last fall.
Really, has anyone heard of ANY cuts so far?
CBC News: Sunday was axed? Night or day version? Or both?
CBC News: Sunday was canceled but rather re-packed as CBC: The National.
In a CBC communique released on IO! and not distributed, the senior management team met with leaders of the unions on the English and French sides.
The question of layoffs probably came up, but by cancelling shows, you’re doing the same thing in a nicer way.
But the question has to be asked of anyone who works here: what personal and financial sacrifice would you make, to maintain your job and maintain the service?
The question to be asked at these meetings is: Beyond the usual layoffs and cutbacks, what alternatives are you considering? Would you be interested in talking about job-sharing? Or how about “Rae Days”? A process of taking, for instance, one day off per month without pay? Wouldn’t that be better than being on the street?
Let’s discuss!
“Beyond the usual layoffs and cutbacks, what alternatives are you considering? Would you be interested in talking about job-sharing? Or how about “Rae Days”? A process of taking, for instance, one day off per month without pay? Wouldn’t that be better than being on the street?”
In think it would be hard to do at the CBC because you have so many classifications of employees, those suggestions could possibly work for staff employees, but for contracts and temps it would be hard to ask someone, who already has less job security and a short employment term to work one day less a week.
I think a better solution would be to get rid of the executive bloat and perhaps start offering early retirement to people who have worked at the CBC for 20-30 years and are at the top of the salary grid.
I woke up this morning at 10 am to watch my two favorite canadian reporters, Caroline and Evan. Their ability to inform, emote and debate current issues through a gendered lens and academic rigour made the mini docs and real life implications of those subjects feel close to home. I cried when Caroline anncounced the end of the morning edition. The defiance in her voice matched my sentiments of shock, anger and sadness. CBC their must be another way. By cancelling this show you are compromising the credibility of canadian television journalism. what other show reaches out to the masses with the least bit of pretension. I admire the ability of the show and its hosts to present canadians and canadian diasporic stories with a multiultural lens. Tolerance, equality, unity, acceptance, quality, humility, grace … words just can’t express the range of context and substance this show provided its guests and viewers. cbc pls rethink this decision.
Jennifer
Waterloo, Ontario