CBC 75th Anniversary

A few weeks ago, I went on a free tour of the CBC studio here in Ottawa. They offered the tour as part of their 75th anniversary celebrations, as part of Culture Days.

It prompted me to write a letter to my MP in support of the CBC, something that appears to be important, given the attacks by SUN TV what the increasingly call the "state broadcaster"(see discussion here ). They seem to be using the fact that the CBC is now subject to the Access to Information Act, to harass the broadcaster and also to attempt to get information they can use to either embarrass them or tow gain a commercial advantage.

Here's an excerpt from the letter:

An offhand comment made by someone at the CBC studios, which I visited during Culture Days here in Ottawa this past weekend, prompted this letter. She remarked that "public broadcasting is about the public, and about you". This comment reflects something I strongly believe about the important role of the CBC. In my case, as the son of two immigrant parents, I understand how important the CBC was in enabling them to become Canadian citizens in the fullest sense of the word. I know this is the same for others, who have also remarked how listening to CBC radio enabled their immigrant parents to understand their adopted country.

The importance of the CBC to the development of the Canadian fabric is of course not limited to immigrants. In my case, listening to the CBC has enabled me to identify with Canada as a whole. This particularly the case with radio. Radio has an incredible immediacy and ability to engage listeners in conversations.

All countries can be defined as an act of faith or imagination. This especially true in Canada given its huge geography, the diversity of its landscapes, symbols and local identities. I have learned so much about the North of this country, the various parts of Atlantic Canada including Newfoundland (places I have only been in my imagination), through listening to CBC radio. It has provided a window into other conversations about Canada that include these places.

Despite the Toronto centric view of things, I believe in particular that CBC radio offers Canadians great programming that challenges and inspires. This programming is typified by the wonderful annual Massey lectures, is not provided by any other broadcaster in Canada. The kind of programming provided by the CBC will never be provided solely by the market.

The CBC is an important cultural institution that deserves taxpayer support. I urge you to protect it, and ensure that any decisions made within the context of deficit reduction respect the importance of the institution and are in keeping with the maintenance of its important role.