FRIENDS of Canadian Broadcasting has been supporting Canadian
content and making news for many years now. An archive of articles
about our organization can be found below.
Heritage Minister James Moore denies Conservative plans to cut $200 million from the CBC's parliamentary grant and says funding for arts and culture will be part of an economic stimulus package.
FRIENDS says a confidential source had alerted the organization of Conservative plans to slash $200 million from the CBC's parliamentary grant.
Australian media analysts say a heavy debt load may force Canwest to sell its broadcast holdings in that country.
FRIENDS says the CRTC has balanced the competing interests of the broadcasting industry.
Video of FRIENDS spokesperson, Ian Morrison, saying that Canadian citizens, as "shareholders" of the broadcasting system, were well served by a CRTC decision on the cable industry.
In a radio report, FRIENDS says that the global financial crisis has shown that appropriate regulation can play an important role in Canada's economy.
FRIENDS says if the CRTC bows to cable industry deregulation it may mean more American stations and less funding of Canadian-made television.
FRIENDS spokesperson Ian Morrison says cable companies such as Shaw Communications may not be happy with having to put more money into local television programming.
FRIENDS says the CRTC has listened to advice that the cable monopolies and satellite companies are too powerful to be allowed even more discretion to control what's on TV.
FRIENDS says the CRTC has started to realize how the lack of money in the over-the-air television system has the potential for a broadcast equivalent of a market disaster.
FRIENDS says the motivation behind a CRTC review of new media is to ensure that the audiovisual Internet - the equivalent of radio and television online - has some shelf space for Canadian content.
FRIENDS says that with a slumping stock price and financing deal with Goldman Sachs, it is possible that the Asper family could lose control of CanWest.
Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion says the Conservatives are polling people about whether they feel the $1.1-billion budgeted for the CBC is money well-spent.
Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion questions a Conservative party fundraising letter (released by FRIENDS) in which supporters are asked if the CBC is a good or bad use of taxpayers' dollars.
A CBC spokesman has admitted that the broadcaster has received "thousands" of complaints about its decision to change Radio Two from a mainly classical music format to one emphasizing pop, jazz and blues.
The Toronto Program Director for CBC Radio says new Radio 2 programming will better fulfil CBC's mandate of representing the musical diversity of Canada.
FRIENDS says CBC Radio 2 moving away from something only the public broadcaster can do towards programming many private broadcasters already do.
FRIENDS research indicates that what CBC Radio Two's average 1.1 million listeners per week like best about the station is classical music.
FRIENDS says CBC is substantially moving away from its responsibility to transmit world classical culture to new generations of Canadians.
FRIENDS says the organization is watching the Rogers takeover of CityTV closely to ensure commitments of the sale are honoured.
Broadcasters hope new media technology will lead to lucrative new forms of revenue and a wider/younger market for their content.
FRIENDS says Entertainment One is bringing together former players from Alliance Communications in a "critical mass of talent and capacity."
FRIENDS says record profits for Canada's cable and satellite companies demonstrate the existing TV distribution system works well.
Dalton Camp Award winner says YouTube is bound to play a key role in the next federal election.
FRIENDS agrees with CRTC recommendation to keep the status quo on Canadian content rules for the CTF.
FRIENDS says recommendations on the reform of the Canadian Television Fund will reveal whether the CRTC has the courage to stand up to the cable companies.
Actor Paul Gross tells the Senate banking committee that Bill C-10, which proposes to deny tax credits to productions deemed "contrary to public policy," could spell the end of his industry.
FRIENDS says CBC should be running Canadian programming, not U.S. syndicated shows like Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune.
FRIENDS mentioned in an article about the reasons why Toronto actors, such as RH Thomson, have challenges finding work in their home community.
FRIENDS says plans to shut down TQS news outlets across Quebec likely won't happen because it goes against CRTC rules and could hamper Prime Minister Stephen Harper's chances of winning seats in Quebec.
FRIENDS says the Canadian broadcasting system is an ecosystem where each of the components is inextricably linked so that a change in one will affect the others.
Interview series on ichannel's @iSSUE, one episode of which features FRIENDS' Ian Morrison, addresses issues arising from CRTC broadcast distribution hearings.
FRIENDS says cable desire to change simultaneous substitution rules would significantly impact Canadian broadcasters' revenues.
Rogers argues deregulation of broadcast distribution is not about eliminating Canadian content.
FRIENDS says government report shows tax credits are essential to Canadian production, calls public investment in the arts one of the cheapest and best investments Canada can make.
Poll co-sponsored by FRIENDS finds two-thirds of Canadians trust the CRTC and expect the federal government to preserve Canadian identity and culture on television.
CTV television news quotes spokespersons from Rogers, CTV and FRIENDS on CRTC broadcast distribution hearings.
FRIENDS co-sponsored survey finds Canadians place a public trust on the federal government and its agencies to ensure Canadian identity and values are reflected on television.
FRIENDS releases joint poll showing Canadian subscribers believe reduction in regulatory "burden" sought by cable industry is likely to reduce choice in Canadian programs available on TV.
More than half of Canadians believe Canada's TV production industry would not survive if cable and satellite industry were deregulated, says FRIENDS co-sponsored poll.
FRIENDS says CRTC television distribution rules give Canadians among the greatest choice of television programming in the world.
Pollara survey co-sponsored by FRIENDS shows three-quarters of Canadians believe less cable and satellite regulation would reduce Canadian program choice on TV.
FRIENDS is sceptical of big cable's prediction that fee-for-carriage would result in a loss of subscribers any more than the fee increases cable companies routinely levy.
Video of FRIENDS spokesperson, Ian Morrison, talking about upcoming CRTC hearings on possible rule changes for cable monopolies.
FRIENDS says that if the upcoming hearings on cable deregulation go in the industry's favour Canadians could find that they have "less a Canadian broadcast system, and more an American system".
FRIENDS says Rogers, Shaw, Cogeco and Videotron operate as "territorial monopolies," making their push for more deregulation troubling.
FRIENDS says CBC management is centralizing too much editorial decision-making in Toronto.
FRIENDS says CBC should reduce the bureaucratic over-burden of senior management levels at the broadcast centre in Toronto, and deploy more resources to on-the-round news-gathering.
Columnist says a national uproar has ensued from the news that the Vancouver-based CBC Radio Orchestra is to be dismantled.
FRIENDS referenced in an article following the CBC's changing relationship with classical music.
FRIENDS says if the proposed merger of Sirius Satellite Radio and XM Satellite Radio in the United States goes ahead we will see the Canadian tail getting wagged by the American dog.
FRIENDS says more cuts are likely ahead at the CBC, especially if the Stephen Harper Conservatives win a majority in the next election.
FRIENDS says CBC executives should publish their expenses online on a quarterly basis.
Columnist says that instead of tinkering with sponsorship programs, it might be time for TVOntario to move away from public funding and start accepting advertising.
Television stations owned by CBS are launching an online advertising initiative using online modules which can be easily added to Web sites and updated throughout the day.
FRIENDS says the buyout of Edmonton-based Canadian Learning Television by Corus might mean a consolidation of some services in Toronto.
FRIENDS says the Canadian broadcasting industry is addicted to simulcasting Hollywood programming.
FRIENDS says Conservative party recommendations would be extremely damaging to the CBC, especially its English television network.
FRIENDS says Conservative members of the House of Commons heritage committee were probably ordered by the PMO to toe the party line of no new funds for the CBC.
FRIENDS says a Conservative report calls for the CBC to do more but denies the public broadcaster the required resources.
FRIENDS says that the Conservatives' refusal to support funding for heritage committee recommendations is setting the CBC up to fail.
ABC says it will release ad-supported hit TV shows for free over video-on-demand cable services.
FRIENDS says the qualifications of a former Conservative party candidate are "more modest" than normal for the job of CRTC commissioner.
FRIENDS says the appointment of a former Conservative candidate as a CRTC commissioner "doesn't pass the smell test".
FRIENDS says that it is unlikely the Conservative government would cut off the CBC in any decisions made regarding the Canadian Television Fund.
FRIENDS says a Conservative minority report on the Heritage committee review of the CBC would substantiate concerns that the government has a hidden agenda for public broadcasting.
Editorial agrees with FRIENDS position that CBC management has not displayed prudence with the stewardship of public funds in its deal to quietly sell off international television distribution rights.
FRIENDS calls CBC's sell-off of international broadcast rights a betrayal of public trust.
Columnist takes issue with FRIENDS' mandate to preserve a Canadian identity on television and radio and says there is nothing wrong with Canada and the U.S. sharing major cultural commonalities.
A Waterloo City Council motion in support of a Waterloo Region CBC radio station which recognizes the Region's unique cultural, economic and educational identity.
A public opinion poll commissioned by ACTRA, CEP and FRIENDS says two-thirds of Canadian voters oppose allowing foreign control of Canadian media companies.
FRIENDS says the CRTC is recognizing that as a result of media concentration, there are levels of concentration that could well pose a threat to diversity and, therefore, democracy.
FRIENDS welcomes the CRTC's decision to restrict a person or company to ownership of two different types of outlets in a single market.
