The REAL Solution for the CBC: Sell it to Canadians

The Cons hate the truth.

They f&cking loath facts, science and anything else that will get in their bulldozer ways.

So, the presence of anything that even remotely smells like reality has to go.

Hence, the constant nattering and inane sandbox whining from the likes of Poilievre and even folks like Elon Musk.

I listened a few podcasts this weekend and read some other articles that put this whole ‘discussion’ under the microscope.

Canadaland had a brilliant analysis of the situation.

When the CBC decided to pull the plug on their relationship with Twitter, they immediately lost the fight on Musks turf. It was such a monumental fail to comply with the responsibility to be where people are and to tell the truth.

Their absence will leave a void of nonsense, absurdities and CONspiracies.

The Breach goes a few steps further and reminds us (rightly so) that Conservatives have actually been beneficiaries of the CBC and their reporting of late. I’ve pointed out similar themes: Stephen Harper stacking the management deck; using private, third-party resources for news (ie. Canadian Press); ‘consulting’ with journalists from the Globe or PostMedia; watering down their ability to say no to advertisers because they’re … advertisers.

Back in 2010, when the Conservatives were in government and the Liberal Party in opposition, an independent research firm conducted a major study of CBC’s content—the only large empirical survey done in recent decades.

The study found that the broadcaster covered the Conservatives more positively than Global News and CTV News.

Ultimately, the real bias of the CBC is that it’s pro-establishment.

Proposed Next Steps for the CBC

PP wants to dissolve one of Canada’s greatest assets: the CBC.

I agree, but we set it up in a way that he thinks the government is going to ditch the public broadcaster.

I think it’s time the Liberals show some bravado and say ‘OK … we’re going to really make sure the CBC is a publicly-funded organization’.

We need to collectively lean in to the idea and make the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation the Canadian Broadcasting Co-op.

I think we should sell the CBC. To Canadians.

I can’t imagine the issues and assets that would have to be untangled, but here are a few leading requirements:

• Physical assets would remain the property of the Canadian government. No sell-off of property would be permitted.
• A single voting share would be a minimum $20, purchaseable by anyone over age 18.
• No single Canadian would be able to invest more than $5,000.
• A tax deduction would apply for any voting share worth more than $20, to a maximum of $1,000.
• Annual ‘top-ups’ of same range would apply but would NOT affect your share ownership percentage or stake (ie. like an ongoing streaming service, but more awesome). This is really just for funding new initiatives.
• If you die, your share goes back to the ‘public holding’ to be redistributed to the next buyer.
• No corporate ownership permitted.
• A ‘poison pill’ would apply: if any new government came in, 99% approval would have to be obtained to allow dissolution or other drastic changes to the business model.
• Fair payments would be made to artists and journalists that contribute to the new CBC (a digital platform, radio network, app and TV network would go a VERY long way to supporting Canadian content and paying suppliers of that content properly).
• A new social media platform (they’re actually easy to build) that would allow Canadians to post unbiased, researched and legitimate stories about Canadians. They would be organized by geography, keywords and category so that you can easily find and share stories that are relevant to you.
• The organization would continue to have full editorial autonomy.
• Editorial board voted on by stakeholders. Max one vote per person.
• NO advertising.
• NO consolidating votes (ie. surrender of vote to another person not permitted) allowed.

I’d happily invest $1,000 in a new CBC that would permanently keep it out of corporate hands and Conservatives.

Why do you think?