The CBC has re-launched its YouTube Channel.

Even though full-length shows are available, for the most part, on the CBC web site, the YouTube channel ensures that those searching for things like the Rick Mercer Report end up getting the videos from the source, not from some reposting hack.

The new YouTube channel incorporates lots of functionality allowing users to personalize their content. Users can favorite videos, subscribe to shows and share videos with their friends.

It’s all part of our evil plan to take over the Internet. Mwahahaha! Actually, truth be told, we probably decided to re-launch when that last bastion of stodginess, the Royal Family, launched their own channel on YouTube. Can’t hold out much longer after seeing that exciting content going live.

What’s that weird Facebook thing on the left hand sidebar on cbc.ca? And why is it taking up so much real estate on the screen?

The web gurus over at cbc.ca have seen the future, and it is Facebook, or Crackbook as most of us know it. The application is called Seen This? and by adding it you get a news feed on your Facebook profile that looks like the image on the right.

If you add it off of the CBC site, and not from within Facebook itself, you will get CBC content. You can choose to add other news agencies if you wish, but why would you. Really.

Now you can access your news headlines from your Facebook profile, meaning you never have to leave Facebook unless you are interested in a story. At which point, CBC.CA web gods have smartly ensured that you end up on their site.

Facebook has moved in a few short months from an idle curiosity to our main method of communication. Now in addition to e-mail, there are Facebook messages. Facebook has also just added a chat program to ensure that your convos don’t leave the site either. Our Facebook pages have become what our e-mail used to be before it got all filled up with spam and work. Seen This? gets so much real estate on the site because the site producers know how much eyeball time Facebook is getting among web users.