Tell Ottawa: no ads on CBC radio

Dec 012012

We are in a struggle for the survival of what’s left of public broadcasting in Canada.

from Friends of Public Broadcasting

Public broadcasting in Canada is slowly slipping away in the face of budget cuts that are leading our national public broadcaster to become ever more commercial.

The latest line in the sand is public radio. CBC is seeking permission from the CRTC to place unlimited advertising on some of its radio networks — a proposal that shocks many CBC listeners and recalls the time when commercials on CBC radio were a source of revenue.

Today, the CBC says they need the money. The same was true in 1974 when the CRTC ordered the end of radio advertising on CBC. Public broadcasting executives made dire predictions. Instead, freedom from commercials led to the renaissance of CBC Radio.

We are in a struggle for the survival of what’s left of public broadcasting in Canada, and the stakes are huge.

With its much larger audience, Radio One has the greatest ad revenue potential for the CBC. If CBC is permitted to place ads on Radio 2, it will be only a matter of time before we hear ads on Radio One.

Most western democracies have strong public broadcasters, but Canada is falling behind the rest of the world.

Most western democracies have strong public broadcasters, but Canada is falling behind the rest of the world. Other than Portugal, Poland, New Zealand and the USA, Canada spends less on public broadcasting than any other of the 26 western democracies as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Money matters. Public broadcasting is about serving citizens – not the bottom line. So instead of attracting audiences by presenting programs to sell beer or cars, public broadcasters present programs that are daring, intelligent and entertaining – free from commercial manipulation. Indeed, the CBC’s mandate from the Broadcasting Act is in part to “inform, enlighten and entertain”.

Say "No!" to ads on CBC Radio by signing the petition to the CRTC. Faced with deep budget cuts, our national public broadcaster plans to become more commercial, including placing unlimited ads on some of its radio networks. Canadian media is already saturated with commercial advertising messages. That’s why CBC Radio stands out as such a welcome contrast, a commercial-free oasis. If CBC is allowed to place ads on its radio network we will lose the last remaining commercial-free public space in our media. Please do not allow ads on CBC Radio. Sign the petition on the Friends website.http://www.friends.ca/ads/

Friends of Canadian Broadcasting is an independent watchdog for Canadian programming and is not affiliated with any broadcaster or political party.

About Friends of Canadian Broadcasting

Friends of Canadian Broadcasting remains firmly in support of the concept and requirement that radio and television stations broadcast a measure of made-in-Canada programming. No other country comes close to Canada in keeping its airwaves open to foreign programming. With the helpful addition of new specialty channels and the prospect of digital radio, Canadians will continue to have extraordinary access to news and entertainment from around the world.

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