What's New at Friends.ca:

Apr 30, 2012 — Letter: People’s Pick for CBC Chair
Letter to Prime Minister Stephen Harper with the results of the People's Pick for CBC Chair, an online vote sponsored by FRIENDS to underscore the need to end the practice of appointing CBC’s leadership through political patronage.

Apr 30, 2012 — News Release: Michaëlle Jean is the People’s Pick for CBC Chair
FRIENDS says the CBC belongs to all Canadians and its leadership positions should be open to the best and brightest citizens, not just those on the government’s patronage pay-off list

April 19 2012 - Advertisement - Canadians expect the government to build the CBC, not tear it down
A full-page ad in the National Edition of the Globe and Mail asks why the CBC is being singled out for disproportionate, draconian damage.

Apr 12, 2012 — Policy Brief: Re: Advertising on CBC Radio 2 & Espace Musique
FRIENDS encourages the CRTC to reject a CBC proposal to place ads on Radio 2 & Espace Musique and instead proceed with the long-delayed review of the overall licensing of the Corporation's networks and services.

Mar 29, 2012 — News Release: Vindictive cuts break CBC promise and target Canadian culture
The federal budget singles out the CBC for vindictive cuts that break the Conservative’s election promise to maintain or increase funding to the national public broadcaster.

March 26, 2012 - Advertisement - Keep the CBC promise
A full-page ad that appeared in The Hill Times highlights new opinion research showing that 6 in 10 Canadians want the Harper Conservatives to keep their election promise to increase or maintain funding to the CBC.

Mar 23, 2012 — Opinion Poll: Canadians on the CBC by Nanos Research
New opinion research shows Canadians are generally satisfied with the programs and content provided by the CBC and believe that possible cuts would likely have a negative impact in terms of Canadian content, local news and national news. 

Mar 23, 2012 — News Release: Nanos poll shows Canadians want CBC promise kept
A new Nanos survey has found a majority of Canadians support or somewhat support the position staked out by Heritage Minister James Moore one day after the election that the Conservative government will maintain or increase CBC funding.

Mar 16, 2012 — News Release: BCE acquisition of Astral raises concerns
FRIENDS says BCE Inc.'s bid to purchase Astral Media, the largest media merger in Canadian history, raises concerns about market domination.

Feb 28, 2012 — Blog Post: More on the impact of past and future cuts on the CBC
Briefing note looks at examples of how cuts have already weakened CBC programming and how the trend is likely to continue if further cuts are imposed.

February 27, 2012 - Ad Campaign: The CBC has already done its part
A full-page ad that appeared in The Hill Times showing that CBC is not part of the government's deficit problem.

Feb 15, 2012 — Policy Brief: Re: BN CRTC 2011-788 – Review of Local Programming Improvement Fund
FRIENDS recommends that the CRTC bend over backwards to defend and protect the position of smaller ownership groups in view of the undue influence of the largest players in the broadcasting system. 

Feb 13, 2012 — Opinion Poll: Foreign ownership of Canadian media companies 
A new report on public opinion shows that Canadian media companies are too important for culture and natural security to allow foreign ownership.

Feb 13, 2012 — News Release: Poll finds Canadian media too important to allow foreign control 
According to a new opinion survey, 77% of Canadians see domestic media companies as too important for cultural and security reasons to allow them to be controlled by foreign interests.

Feb 2, 2012 — Statement: Taxpayer Federation statements false
The Canadian Taxpayers Federation has posted false statements on its website concerning the relationship between the CBC and the broadcast watchdog group Friends of Canadian Broadcasting.

Feb 1, 2012 — News Release: Hamilton residents want their own CBC station
A substantial majority of Hamilton area residents would like CBC to establish a local radio station to cover community affairs, and support the Conservative's pre-election pledge to maintain or increase CBC funding.

Jan 31, 2012 — News Release: London residents want their own CBC station
A wide majority  of London residents would like CBC to establish a local radio station to cover community affairs and most hope their MP would champion the new station or not oppose it.

Jan 31, 2012 — News Release: Kamloops area residents want their own CBC station
A substantial majority of Kamloops area residents would like CBC to establish a local radio station to cover community affairs and three-quarters hope their MP would champion a new station or not oppose it.

Jan 19, 2012 — News Release: Waterloo region residents want their own CBC station
A new opinion survey shows a substantial majority (68%) of Waterloo region residents would like CBC to establish a local radio station to cover community affairs and most (73%) hope their MP would champion the new station or not oppose it.

Nov 29, 2011 — News Release: Poll: New Conservative traction on culture and CBC could slip with budget cuts
New survey finds the Conservative Party is gaining the trust of voters when it comes to Canadian culture and the CBC, but that trust could quickly evaporate if forecast cuts to the national public broadcaster’s parliamentary allocation come to pass.

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