To anybody following CBC TV’s news and current affairs over the past five years, it’s no surprise that far from tilting leftward, the Mother Corp gives disproportionate access to Conservative politicians, as noted in Peter Stursberg’s book (see Charlie Smith’s article in the Georgia Straight). An even broader concern is how CBC is framing issues. For example, neoliberal commentators like Andrew Coyne have virtually free rein for free market fundamentalist rants, including presenting the Occupy and Quebec student protests as problems to be managed rather than as legitimate movements for social change.
The myth of “left liberal media” is relentlessly promoted by those with a vested interest in shifting the political goalposts further to the right. Democracies need strong independent public broadcasters, but CBC is not well fulfilling its mandate to represent fairly the political diversity of Canadians, including the nearly one-third of voters who made the NDP Canada’s official opposition last year. As the slogan of the recent online campaign says, it is indeed time to “reimagine the CBC.”
Barrie Webster // Jun 1, 2012 at 3:14 pm
Far from being left-wing in its political flavour, the CBC has been shifting rightward for some time. Recently, it has become even more blatant. The National commentary panels seldom have members representing views to the left of centre; in fact, it is a stretch to say that the views expressed on these panels fairly represent the political centre for a liberal democracy such as Canada. Complaints to the contrary emanate from the old Reform and Alliance Party quarters whose “centre” appears to be somewhere in the vicinity of Attila the Hun.
Rex Murphy on Cross Country Checkup seldom countenances views from left of centre; indeed, he routinely simply talks over them or cuts them off. Programs such as The Current do a much more balanced job as does As It Happens.
But if the measure of the political centre is taken from the philosophy of the current federal government, then, for sure, the CBC, with its albeit gentle tendency toward investigative journalism, is toward the political left. But then, what isn’t? There is far too little that is left-liberal in the Canadian mainstream media and certainly none coming from south of the border. For a healthy liberal democracy, Canada needs a healthy, well-funded, independent CBC and one that fairly represents views other than the generally neoliberal current fare.
Sandra Bruneau // Jun 1, 2012 at 8:48 am
I support the opinion written here: the CBC seems to me to be tilting to the right. Witness: Kevin O’Leary and Amanda Lang on the News Network’s business program, various panelists on The National, Tom Flanagan featured regularly on Power & Politics, etc. It’s not as though I don’t seek and want balanced coverage; it’s just the case that those who have plenty of airtime from the right represent the far-right, the old Reform Party, the die-hard capitalists, the right wing nuts who are not open-minded about people and the effects of government policies on ordinary folks. Those speakers I do object to, especially since they dominate the opinion posts and they have really nothing to offer except narrow ideological babble.
Lisa Schwabe // Jun 1, 2012 at 12:09 pm
I fully agree with the previous comment in regard to the rightleaning attitude of the CBC.
I do not watch TV very much, but I listen to the radio all day, if I am at home doing my housework I have noticed how more and more the right leaning information/attitude/response receives more time to express itselve. Let us not forget, that Peter Mansbridge, the head reporter of the CBC National TV-News program is, like the previous Premier of B.C. Gordon Campbell, a Bilderberg. They both were invited to the Bilderberg conference in Spain 2 years ago. I hope you are aware that when you are a part of the Bilderberg you have to do what you are told.