
This morning, the National Post published part of a response from the CBC, challenging the assertions of one of its scribes. Lorne Gunter wrote on Monday that the CBC shouldn’t exist, our ratings are going down, and that Richard Stursberg eats babies (metaphorically speaking).
The CBC, as you might expect, responded. But take a look (highlighted) at what the National Post edited out of the CBC’s letter:
Lorne Gunter appears to exist in an intriguing alternative universe; let’s call it Gunter Land and consider how it differs from the world the rest of us inhabit. In the real world, CBC president Hubert T. Lacroix offered his endorsement of recommendations from a recent Heritage Committee report. His comments (available to the real world for review at http://www.cbc.radio-canada.ca/ speeches/20080522.shtml) actually focused on the need for improved governance and accountability for the CBC/ Radio-Canada through a multi-year memorandum of understanding on its mandate. In fact, it was the Heritage Committee that recommended stable and predictable funding.
While in Gunter Land the CBC need not exist, Canadians would lose a distinctly Canadian prime-time alternative to the wealth of U. S. programming currently available on other Canadian networks. And in stark contrast to Gunter Land, CBC audiences are growing, not shrinking; our radio audiences are at historic highs and our television market share of 7.8% is at its highest level since 2001.
And as noted in most newspapers yesterday (excluding the Post), we actually beat Global in prime time this past season for the first time since 1995. In GunterLand, CBC News “insults millions of Canadians” with its news coverage. In the real world, CBC News is considered one of the most respected and credible organizations in broadcast journalism. This is demonstrated through survey data and a host of domestic and international awards. We closely track the audience response to our programming and occasionally there are objections. But where are these “millions of Canadians”? Citizens of GunterLand, apparently.
Finally, in the real universe, CBC operates with one of the lowest public subsidies in the industrialized world. It is a fraction of that provided to the BBC, which provides service in only one language and a single time zone. In fact, Canadians get real world value from the CBC every day, despite the peculiar view from Gunter Land
This editing must be some kind of oversight. I mean, I know that the National Post is owned by the same company that owns Global Television. But they wouldn’t edit that just because they’d be embarrassed that they’re losing ratings to us? Naw… couldn’t be. ![]()
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17 Comments » | See also: CBC Television, The Media Landscape |
| Email this | Posted at 10:24 am (28 May 2008) |


Marketplace has been upset from
CBC Television has announced its new summer lineup
The former captain of Canada’s soccer team, 


Steamy hockey soap-opera MVP will move to Tuesday nights, bumping jPod to Fridays beginning this week.
An a memo to staff this morning titled “Champagne anyone?” CBC’s head of English services Richard Stursberg said CBC Television has “had an excellent season so far, including the highest launch week prime-time share (8.3%) in six years. And our fall regular season prime-time share is 7.6%, a 0.7 percentage point increase over 06/07.”
In case you missed it, yesterday CBC-TV tried something new, and held its first “winter preview” of upcoming prime-time programs.
On this date only a year ago…

















