Canadian newspaper veteran to head CBC News
John Cruickshank, currently publisher of the Chicago Sun-Times and chief operating officer of the Chicago Sun-Times Media Group, has been picked to to lead CBC News as publisher.
He is expected to take up his new position within the next three weeks.
The newly created position will report to both the VPs of both radio and television.
Cruickshank has been with the Sun-Times organization since 2000. From 1995-2000, he was editor of the Vancouver Sun. Prior to that, he was with The Globe and Mail from 1981-95, from 1992-95 as managing editor.
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another management position? Oh great.
How is this position different than Burman’s?
Why “publisher” and not “editor in chief?”
Does anyone have any (mature, informed, apolitical) insight on this fellow?
Thank you.
I’ve heard concerns about the way they’ve split Tony’s old job. In a traditional newspaper the publisher handles the cash flow and advertising and the editor in chief makes the content decisions. Because it’s a business, dollars come first so the editor reports to the publisher. I can see the concern here being that the same thing will happen at the CBC, that the new editor in chief will have to justify everything based on dollars. The CBC isn’t in the business of making money, it makes quality programming. But now the appearance at least is that money is higher on the food chain than editorial content is.
The other concern is his lack of broadcasting experience. He’s making big decisions on how news should be covered, yet there is no evidence he’s worked a day in a radio or television newsroom, let alone a public broadcaster.
We’ll have to wait and see. Burman was seen by some as the last line of defence against the dragons in senior management, that he was the only person who prevented the elimination of all local TV news. Will Cruickshank stand up for the best newscasts or the bottom line?
ok, so I am most certainly going to be pegged by HR for this immediately negative post… but I don’t really care. How does this appointment push the quality of CBC journalism forward?
He was working for the Chicago Sun-Times?! This is not a traditionally progressive publication, nor is the Vancouver Sun. And call me a liberal(oh my!), but I like to think that the CBC represents in some way a progressive, forward thinking source of news content. Maybe that is just an ideal I value… just maybe, but I doubt I am not the only one thinking the same thing. Remember, this is newspaper company that still has Sunshine Girl’s and Boys…
He took over for David Radler you say?! The guy embroiled in scandal with Conrad Black… Yes, I am sure I want this guy as a head of CBC News. Shameful.
–A Canadian
Couldn’t someone at CBC come up with a more clever title? Publisher? What a strange term for a broadcast network. What’s next? Will we call our shows “papers.” I think it speaks to the lack of creativity among senior bosses. Even for a simple name title.
I can’t wait to see the new ‘daily edition’ of the National…
ok “A Canadian” I’m guessing you’re not from the west coast. The Vancouver Sun is not a tabloid. It’s a well respected broadsheet and is seen by many as progressive (no half naked women — or men). The Province is the tab.
I just had a crazy thought. Completely speculative, and out of the blue.
Some of you may recall that I’ve suggested that if the private networks could own and operate newspapers and TV stations nowadays, then CBC should get the same rights and mandate, so as to level the playing field? Well…
What if we actually do get a print edition of The National as a consequence of this?
I agree with the other comments here. I also think that CBC is fast losing it’s identity, “to the global trends,” (US trends) Hopefully Mr. Cruickshank will leave the US way of the media there, and not bring it to CBC.
I realize that CBC has to be competative in order to “BE”, as well as with all the cut backs in funding, etc. but I still think many of the changes are a great loss to the fabric of CBC, which is the fabric of Canada.
A print edition of the National would be a bit of a retrograde step, considering that savvy newspapers are repositioning themselves on the web. (See for example Arthur Sulzberger’s comments on the future of the NY Times.)
As for the new guy, good luck to him – looks like he’s facing a stacked deck.
Is it fair to assume that J.C. wanted to come back to Canada, and applied for the job?
Well, that takes care of the business side of the news, now what about the art?
So are we gonna see splashy sensational headlines on the CBC now?
BAT BOY NESTS IN TORONTO AND PUBLISHES NEW TV STUFF!
Sadly…this is the 2nd time this week an American name’s wormed its way out like a piece of tinsel out a cats butt in time for Christmas morning . THANKS CBC~!
Is Canada really that devoid of talent that we have to out source a publisher(? OF WHAT??) and a Doily wrapped Ex Con Pap smear talk show host?
Shouldn’t Can con include hiring practices too?
Just curious: how many people turned down this position before Cruikshank agreed to leave the middling midwestern tabloid he’s been running and take on this doomed position?
No one would read a print version of The National! Speaking of, it’s time to trim trim trim the show to half-an-hour. No one is watching the current affairs side anymore, move on!
I think this could be a positive step. Someone has to fill part of Burman’s shoes and it should be done asap. A major problem with the CBC is that there is a lot of “dead wood”; people who have worked their entire journalism careers ONLY at the CBC and do not like any change. Come on, you know the people I’m talking about. You probably sit next to one.
It is time for some fresh blood and new ideas. You may not read the Chicago Times, but it’s readership is large and the CBC has much to learn from popular media.
Kev: Not so sure that newspapers are migrating to the Web so much as exploiting its strengths in order to reinforce their print-side strengths.
redandjonny: Weirdly enough, I know one of the guys who used to work for Weekly World News. It was a way to pay the bills in an entertaining fashion, even while they were writing comics and/or media tie-in novels for what seemed to me like everything from Buffy to Star Trek. Before that, they used to be on editorial staff at DC Comics. In a way, they were still writing speculative fiction even at WWN!
cathy: Not so sure that I wouldn’t subscribe to a print edition of the National! Let’s see the Post and the Globe and Mail get some competition, perhaps? And I’m still watching the TV edition, along with Hockey Night and Doctor Who, BritCon though the latter assuredly is.
A print edition of the National? Stop kidding yourselves… it would be less text than the front page of a regular newspaper.
Unless you want to hire people to write the stories over in regular text and with more detail; but then I don’t see how it would really be a version of “The National” anymore.
This talk about a print version of The National is a complete joke. Whoolie has a great point. The text would be enough to fit on a business card. Next!
And isn’t that taking a step BACK? How about improving the newscast itself? Or the website? Bring in some new blood, break with the traditional storytelling and spice things up a tad. I’m not talking about Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan stories EVERY night, but I’m also not talking about a climate change or a ‘green’ story every night either!
cathy Says:
September 21st, 2007 at 9:34 am PDT
No one would read a print version of The National! Speaking of, it’s time to trim trim trim the show to half-an-hour. No one is watching the current affairs side anymore, move on!
kaycee says: I guess I’m no one then – the current affairs side is the main reason I watch The National!
cathy Says:
September 26th, 2007 at 10:36 am PDT
Bring in some new blood, break with the traditional storytelling and spice things up a tad. I’m not talking about Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan stories EVERY night, but I’m also not talking about a climate change or a ‘green’ story every night either!
kaycee says: I’m not interested in seeing a Paris Hilton or Lindsay Lohan story ANY night on the National. If that is what you are interested in the private broadcasters offer an infinite variety of choice on those subjects. If the CBC begins to look exactly like the private broadcasters then that will only provide ammunition to those same private broadcasters who don’t believe that CBC should receive public funding!
frankly less than an hour is a non-starter for me.
and why oh why isn’t there an hour long news show on CBC radio????
I have heard very good things about John Cruikshank through respected journalists who know him. The Vancouver Sun under his leadership actually printed the news – it has been all downhill after his departure.
Our MSM has become pathetic in the political sanitizing of the news. The public deserves to hear the whole truth not just what CanWest & the G & M with their incestuous political ties choose to dribble out on big taxpayer issues like the Olympics. With the obvious vested interests, the MSM are loathe to print the truth or any scandals that are percolating presently, which there are e.g. the present RCMP investigation into conflicts of interest & the Callaghan Valley Nordic Venue.
Bring on a new print edition, CBC – competition is badly needed for the public’s best interests! John Cruikshank is positioned well & up to the task.
Bring on the