FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Ottawa –Thousands of Canadians are calling on CBC to retain the one hour format of The National and keep it in its 10 pm time slot.

A petition signed by more than 5600 people will be delivered to CBC studios in Ottawa this morning by the watchdog group Friends of Canadian Broadcasting just in advance of CBC’s first annual public meeting.

The petition calls on the CBC’s Board of Directors to declare that The National will remain the centrepiece of CBC News and that no decisions relating to its scheduling, funding, or format will be taken that will have the effect of diminishing the important role The National plays to inform Canadians and to hold powerful interests to account.

FRIENDS blew the whistle earlier this summer on a secret plan to move The National from 10 pm to 11 pm weeknights. This would reduce the reach and influence of Canada's most important news program and compromise the CBC's mandate, according to FRIENDS.  

CBC subsequently denied the existence of the plan, although a revamp of The National is scheduled to be announced on October 9th.

“Plans to move The National and reduce its scope would have alienated yet another segment of CBC’s loyal audience.  We trust next month’s revamp will not involve shifting The National’s time slot or cutting the duration of the program,” said FRIENDS’ spokesperson Ian Morrison.

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For information: Jim Thompson 613-447-9592