Eric Friesen to leave CBC after 24 years
Popular CBC Radio host Eric Friesen will leave the CBC at the end of this year after 24 years with the Corporation.
“Eric is, without a doubt, one of the most gifted broadcasters in the industry,” CBC’s head of English radio Jennifer McGuire said in a note to staff. “His understanding of what makes music exceptional as well as his encyclopedic knowledge of all manner of genres is unparalleled.”
Eric started in radio when he was 11 (!) as a gofer for a local radio station. At 16, he began hosting the night shift.
He joined the CBC in 1972 in Ottawa as a summer relief announcer, and over the next twelve years he lent his signature voice to All in a Day in Ottawa, Radio Noon and The Passing Show in Winnipeg, and finally The Eric Friesen Show, inaugurating the first network morning music show on what is now CBC Radio 2.
He broadened his radio career with stints in program management here in Canada, until American Public Radio in St. Paul, Minnesota came calling. Eric joined on as Executive Vice President for Programming, investing in new public radio programming for the American system.
After a move back to the microphone with Minnesota Public Radio, where he hosted a number of shows, both regional and national, and wrote for several print publications, Eric was invited back the CBC in 1997. For seven years, from Toronto, he spent weekday evenings hosting In Performance, and on Sundays, Onstage from the Glenn Gould Studio.
Eric will continue to host Studio Sparks through to the end of summer and, together with his unit, will be planning a farewell show. After that, Eric will work on a special series for Inside the Music before taking his leave at the end of December.
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I always enjoyed listening to In Performance when he hosted it.
I guess Eric isn’t cool and hip enough for the new CBC2…McGuire has wrecked a pretty nice grown-up radio service. Too bad she’s getting away with it.
Just a second, allycat – we don’t know if he was fired. Although, I’m curious: why is he leaving and where is he going?
I will be sorry to see Eric leave – He is the only host on CBC2 I enjoy listening to. Guess when he’s gone – I will be too.
To bad but all good things will end some day.
Good Luck in the future, will miss the show.
The dumbing down of CBC2 continues. I no longer listen on Sundays, I have stopped tuning in The Metropolitain Opera after thirty years of regular listening, jazz at 6:00pm! and the rest of the programing is dominated by presenters with little music background (some exceptions) and three minute pop sound bites. Thank God for US public radio and Radio Canada.
So much enjoy everything Eric touches. Thank you for all you’ve given to Canadians through your dedication to classical music! We’ll miss you Eric.
hey, wait a sec – pop music (QUALITY pop music, that is), jazz, world and avant-garde does not equal "dumbing down." that’s a knee-jerk reaction that people pull out just because they don’t like the lessening of classical on radio 2. if you don’t like the alternatives and prefer the classical, that’s perfectly fine, but please don’t call the music "dumb."
as for fears that eric has been pushed out, i can assure you that it’s absolutely not the case. he’s chosen to retire, and he deserves it after his excellent work for cbc all these years.
Whatever he decides to do, he’ll be brilliant.
I must admit, I’m not fond of the new CBC2. I’m sick of hearing promos and I really miss "Music for Awhile". Yeah, thank God for Radio Canada.
I agree with Kate; Radio 2 has changed, but I don’t feel it has "dumbed down." I’m not sure I agree with all the programming changes, but the quality of intelligent presentation is as sound as ever.
Now, if I was running CBC Radio and had a person with its finest voice and manner (and such a knowledgeable musical mind)gracing my broadcast service, I’d rush to find an accomodation so Eric could ease into retirement with a ‘Shelagh Rogers ‘ type contract. Y’know – eight months on and four off, even six on, six off! More money -give it! In short, it is a CBC program manager’s role, no duty, to coddle the broadcasters who bring great distinction and honour to the Corporation. Nobody ever remembers a CBC ‘Executive’ – except those who are really terrible (or their mothers) - but those broadcasters who have blessed our listening hours over the years and have earned a place in our hearts, live long in memory. Eric Friesen is one of those. Make it work CBC! Keep him on air before Moses Znaimer makes an offer.
CBC2 is now "dumb" because they insist on playing pop, jazz, world, modern, electronic, folk, and Broadway tunes all in what were formerly classical music shows. They say they are catering to their new, hip audience which demands eclectic, MP3 player programming. Unfortunately, if this group even exists, I’m not sure they actually sit down and listen to the radio. The vast audience of current CBC2 listeners do. Or did, before the changes. CBC2 is now programmed according to age demographics and surveys, which is dumb. And Kate, how do you know whether or not Freisen was gonged? Recently, CBC told me that a popular host left his show by choice, which was news to the host! (No, I promised I wouldn’t mention any names.)
Once again, I would question what exactly is "dumb" about jazz, world, modern, electronic, folk, and Broadway tunes. Good music of any genre is engaging, stimulating, and meaningful.
And Canada Live is great! It showcases some amazing Canadian talent. By recording concerts from coast to coast, it truly fulfills CBC’s mandate of connecting Canadians.
Yes, the promos are annoying. Yes, I have phoned in to complain about them. I hope others do as well.
So give each genre it’s own show, Gabriel. Let all these types of music entertain and stimulate us without having the spell broken by gratuitous eclecticism! Funny, the show that started all this "play anything and everything" business, Disc Drive, just got canned.
Disc Drive is still on. And I would say that it follows a policy of intelligent eclecticism. Great show.
Jurgen said the show’s cancellation was a "joint decision" by him and CBC management. He seemed to indicate that the change in direction on Radio Two was "certainly … a factor" on management’s part.
I guess he played too much of that awful old person’s music. Oh well, more programming for 35 year olds with musical ADD coming up!
That’s really sad. It’s one of my favourites.
Still miss Eric. Still miss CBC. If either of them ever return, let me know.