The CBC announced last week that it plans to cut 657 jobs over the next two years.
The CBC (Radio-Canada in Quebec) had to drastically cut the amount of money it can spend (its budget). Because it had to cut more than $130 million, it had to let go of many people’s jobs because it would not be able to afford to pay their salaries.
One reason for the budget cut is that the CBC will no longer cover sports, including amateur sports. The CBC’s president says the organization cannot compete against private broadcasters’ sports programs.
In 2012, the CBC lost $115 million that it expected to get from the Canadian government over three years.
According to an article on CBC’s website, the organization has also been making less money on advertising on its prime-time TV shows.
Because of its money problems, the CBC will also replace expensive-to-make shows like Battle of the Blades with less costly shows. It will also cancel late night news for its northern viewers.
Changes to the CBC are significant for Canadians because the organization is the country’s public broadcaster. It operates under Canada’s Broadcasting Act, which says that the CBC must “reflect Canada and its regions… actively contribute to the flow and exchange of cultural expression… (and) contribute to shared national consciousness and identity.”
The CBC operates two television networks, four radio networks and two 24-hour news channels. Its radio stations offer programming in English, French and eight Aboriginal languages. Its TV stations are funded by money from advertising and from the Canadian government. Most of its radio stations have been commercial-free since 1974, according to Wikipedia.
CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS
By Jonathan Tilly
Writing/Discussion Prompt
Today’s article explains the importance of the CBC to Canada. What are some of these points? What additional reasons can you think of?
Reading Prompt: Comprehension Strategies
A slogan is a catchy sentence used to describe a company, product or organization. Write a slogan of your own for the CBC after taking a look at some of them from years past.
• 1966: “Television is CBC”
• 1970 (ca.): “When you watch, watch the best”
• 1977: “Bringing Canadians Together”
• 1980: “We Are the CBC”
• 1984: “Look to us for good things” (general) / “Good to Know” (news and public affairs)
• 1986–1989: “The Best on the Box”
• 1989–1992: “CBC and You”
• 1992–1994: “Go Public” / “CBC: Public Broadcasting” (to emphasize that CBC is a public broadcaster)
• 1995–2001: “Television to Call Our Own” and “Radio to Call Our Own”
• 2001–2007: “Canada’s Own”
• 2007 to present: “Canada Lives Here”
• 2009 to present: “Mon monde est à Radio-Canada, SRC” (English translation: My world is on Radio-Canada)
• 2011: “Yours to Celebrate” (French: “Un monde à célébrer”) (for the CBC’s 75th anniversary)
(Source: Wikipedia)
Junior
Identify a variety of reading comprehension strategies and use them appropriately before, during, and after reading to understand texts (OME, Reading: 1.3).
Intermediate
Extend understanding of texts, including increasingly complex or difficult texts, by connecting the ideas in them to their own knowledge, experience, and insights, to other familiar texts, and to the world around them (OME, Reading: 1.3).
Grammar Feature: Acronym
The CBC is an acronym. An acronym is a word that is made by stringing together the first letter of each word in a title or full name. The CBC is an acronym which stands stands for Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.
What other acronyms do you know? See if you can find one starting with each letter of the alphabet.
