The CBC: Exit, Stage Right?
Has the CBC left the building, exit stage right?
Commenting on Articles
I made a comment on this story the other day in relation to Scott Moe of Saskatchewan and his desperate attempt to gain attention to an ‘autonomy’ movement in that province.
It was deleted. I was surprised.
I suggested that the people of Saskatchewan need to be careful what they wish for because pretty much the entire province is subject to 2, 4, 5, 6, 8 and 10 and ‘autonomy’ for Saskatchewan would result in subsequent autonomy for the First Nations people that surrendered their land to colonists. The colonists in Saskatchewan would be lucky if they were left with the head of a pin for space.
They would also have to pay for remediation and repair costs associated with environmental degradation of various massive industrial projects.
Apparently, there was something contentious in this.
Meanwhile, Con trolls (probably paid posters based outside Canada) continued to pour on their hate and loathing of a certain national leader, blaming Justin Trudeau for night when the sun ‘falls’ and cold air in the middle of summer.
To be honest, the whole situation was a bit of a head-scratcher for me because I didn’t understand the censoring vs permissive attitudes of the editors.
That said, the Con trolls should be easy to ‘control’ (get it?) by simply tracking their IP address and limiting comments and other interactions to Canadian addresses or verified email accounts.
Some of these posts border on notions of seditions and can be perceived as being extremely threatening. For the record, I loathed everything about Stephen Harper, but I’ve never once threatened to hang him.
The Voice of the CBC … or every other news organization?
On a single day, I heard interviews with representatives of the Globe and Mail, The Toronto Star, Post Media and the Canadian Press.
These are all private, for-profit media companies that have proven agendas. For example, Post Media is owned by an American venture capital company that basically operates an entertainment network.
At what point should we as Canadians expect our news to be written by the CBC itself?
The Other Side … Doesn’t Exist
Truth isn’t a coin.
The CBC has adopted the American ‘make sure they tell the other side of the story’ approach to journalism.
One side of the coin might be more right than the other.
This style of reporting became popular when Reagan deregulated the news industry, allowing Fox, Rush Limbaugh and Rupert Murdoch to provide ‘the other side’ of a story, as if the truth were not appropriate or sufficient. It represents the moment when fake news was truly … fake news. To support an agenda.
The impact of this was felt last week with the nuclear (and religion-driven) decision of the Supreme Coury of the United States to reverse the famous and important Roe vs Wade, a decision made more than 50 years ago to protect a woman’s right to control her own body.
Too often I’ve heard the CBC host shows and call-ins presenting the idea that there are many sides to the truth.
But the truth isn’t a coin.
The CBC vs the CRTC
A Montrealer has complained to the CRTC about the use of the N word on Radio Canada.
The CBC and Radio Canada are threatening to fight back, saying journalistic freedom is at stake.
Hmmm …
So … What’s Happening?
I want someone to reassure me that my faith in the CBC should not be falling to pieces the way it is.
I do NOT support commercial radio and I really hope the CBC does a little navel gazing in context of the competing ‘truths’ that have blown up on all of us over the last few years.