CBC planning for failureMay 23, 2007 Local news expanding to 60 minutes on a 30 minute budgetSt. John's – CBC's plan to expand supper hour news programs from 30 to 60 minutes without increasing local news budgets seems doomed to fail, according to the media watchdog group FRIENDS of Canadian Broadcasting."We know from the St. John's experience that you can't produce a 60 minute news program that people will want to watch on a 30 minute budget. CBC management in Toronto should know this well," said Noreen Golfman, chair of FRIENDS' Steering Committee. The CBC regional TV news show in St. John's was expanded from 30 to 60 minutes in November 2005, but the budget for the local show remained static. New data released this morning by FRIENDS reveals that audience share for the show dropped 15% one year later (16.3 in Fall 2005 vs. 13.8 in Fall 2006). "Audiences tuned out when the program was initially cut to 30 minutes and have stayed away even with the 60 minute format working as it is with such a limited budget," Golfman said. CBC plans to expand 16 local supper hour news programs across Canada to a full hour on a half-hour budget starting in September. "Knowing the outcome of asking local producers to mount a 60 minute show on a 30 minute budget, CBC management can only be on a mission to destroy CBC's local and regional news franchise. Private broadcasters, who have long advocated that CBC quit local news, must be thrilled by this," Golfman said.  The expansion decision follows CBC President Rabinovitch's move in 2000 to gut the supper hour shows. New data released by FRIENDS this morning show CBC's local news audience has been in decline ever since, especially in Atlantic Canada. Between the Fall of 1999 and 2006, audience share for the supper hour program in St. John's has declined 49%; in Charlottetown where CBC offers the only local TV news, audience has declined 31%; in Halifax, audience share has declined 68%; and in Fredericton, CBC's audience share has plummeted 91%. Appearing before the House of Commons Heritage Committee later today as part of the Committee's review of CBC's future mandate, Golfman will urge MPs to make it clear to CBC that regional programming is a priority. "Your Committee should make it clear to CBC that regional programming is a priority and recommend that it be funded accordingly. This means that the government should be asked to increase CBC's budget accordingly," Golfman will say. FRIENDS of Canadian Broadcasting is an independent, Canada-wide, non-partisan voluntary organization whose mission is to defend and enhance the quality and quantity of Canadian programming in the Canadian audio-visual system. FRIENDS is not affiliated with any broadcaster or political party.
-30- For information: Jim Thompson 613-447-9592 Related Documents:May 24, 2007 - Cartt.ca: A 60-minute show on a 30-minute budget isFRIENDS says the CBC's plan to expand its supper hour news programs from 30 to 60 minutes without increasing local news budgets is a bad idea. May 23, 2007 - St John's International Women's Film Festival: Briefing to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage by Noreen Golfman, Ph.D. FRIENDS' steering committee chair says the Canadian Heritage Committee should make it clear to CBC that regional programming is a priority and ensure that the public broadcaster is funded accordingly. May 22, 2007 - Canoe Network: Media watchdog calls for more investment in CBC-TV regional programming FRIENDS says CBC Television should invest more money in regional programming if it wants to stop the slide in its audience share, especially for supper-hour news shows. |
Apr 30, 2012 — Michaëlle Jean is the People’s Pick for CBC ChairFRIENDS 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 Apr 26, 2012 — FRIENDS launch People’s Pick for CBC ChairFRIENDS says the antiquated practice of political patronage for appointing the CBC Board and President is in need of reform. Mar 29, 2012 — Vindictive cuts break CBC promise and target Canadian cultureThe 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. Mar 23, 2012 — Nanos poll shows Canadians want CBC promise keptA 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 — BCE acquisition of Astral raises concernsFRIENDS says BCE Inc.'s bid to purchase Astral Media, the largest media merger in Canadian history, raises concerns about market domination. Feb 13, 2012 — Poll finds Canadian media too important to allow foreign controlAccording 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 1, 2012 — Hamilton residents want their own CBC stationA 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 — London residents want their own CBC stationA 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. |
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