There are many interesting things about my job as Corporate Spokesperson for Canada’s national public broadcaster. One is the opportunity to tell people how we try to make a difference in Canadians’ lives, by offering them media content and experiences that mean something, and by helping them connect with each other and their country.
Another interesting aspect of my job is seeing first-hand how one particular news organization – Sun Media – works when it comes to reporting on the public broadcaster. Here’s a quick example. Yesterday, the Toronto Sun published this editorial disregarding important facts about our financial situation. So, as we regularly do when incorrect information is being published about us, we sent them a letter. Here is what I sent them.
Once again, Sun Media has published incorrect information about CBC/Radio-Canada. While your readers may now be used to your regular attacks on the public broadcaster, they are still entitled to the truth.
You reported that “the latest federal budget quietly gave the CBC an extra $60 million in welfare.” Had you taken a few minutes to do your research, you would have found that this investment is neither new nor extra money and that it is already included in the $1.1 billion we receive in public funding. It has been renewed annually for the last ten years. And despite your false claims it does in fact have a specific earmark: to provide more and enhanced Canadian programs that would not otherwise be available. Part of that money was invested through independent producers and not only created great shows, but also contributed to generating and maintaining jobs
But then again, this fact may have made for a less “interesting” story.
Now to come back to the heart of the matter. We fully understand that the country and the federal government face significant budget pressures. We take seriously our responsibility towards ensuring that we are making the most of the money Canadians invest in us.
CBC/Radio-Canada has participated in a number of these reviews over the past several years, in addition to our own ongoing drive to cut costs and deliver our services in the most efficient way possible. Like all publicly funded organizations, we stand ready to identify savings within our operations and programs, as requested.
It’s not the first time we have communicated with you because important facts were disregarded. Now that Sun Media is no longer a member of the Ontario Press Council, I guess we should get used to it.
And here is what they kept of it to put in their paper this morning.
Once again, Sun Media has published incorrect information about CBC/Radio-Canada. You reported “the latest federal budget quietly gave the CBC an extra $60 million in welfare.” This investment is neither new nor extra money. It has been renewed annually for the last 10 years. It is earmarked: To provide more and enhanced Canadian programs that would not otherwise be available. Part of that money was invested through independent producers and not only created great shows, but contributed to generating and maintaining jobs. We understand the country and government face significant budget pressures. We take seriously our responsibility towards ensuring we are making the most of the $1.1 billion Canadians invest in us.
I guess you get my point by now. Don’t you find it kind of ironic that a news organization that claims that freedom of expression is a fundamental value makes sure its readers don’t get the full commentary they have received on their own journalism practices? I just wish all Sun readers, every Canadian for that matter, would be exposed to the facts when it comes to CBC/Radio-Canada. We certainly can’t count on the Sun to do this. So we’ll do it ourselves.
If you know anybody who would benefit from more information information – accurate information – on the public broadcaster, let them know that they can find it here, unedited. They can even start, or join, a discussion on our blog.
- Marco Dubé, Director, Communications Services and Corporate Spokesperson
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I find it bizarre that the response from CBC is to point out that the $60 million extra (whether correct or not) is already included in the $1.1 billion handout they already take from Canadian taxpayers. I, for one, have a big problem with the $1.1 billion – the relative hair-splitting about the $60 million doesn’t come close to addressing the real issue: Why does CBC need to be subsidized at all? If CBC provides good and competitive products that enough people want, then they should need NO subsidy from the federal government. If the answer is that CBC would not exist without the massive subsidies, then we all need to ask ourselves why it needs to exist at all. If there is a clear answer to this question, I have never seen it in my lifetime.
http://www.friends.ca/news-item/10225
and for the ninth year running gave the CBC “one-time” funding of $60 million.
I really like your response. It is vital for we people to get straight facts not spin that is overtly promotional and not accurately representative.
This being the week of the mighty News Corps’ public humiliation including investigations and arrests the need for a public and publicly accountable broadcaster has never been more obvious.
For those of us who love our country, CBC is an essential service, a way of life and part of Canada that makes us enduringly proud of who we have become and who we are.
Pretty rich (pun intended) for the CBC to look down their collective noses at other media outlets while the CBC refuses to provide financial information and defies access to information requests.
Will the CBC now start answering the many requests for information they have received?
I have given up on Sun Media. They have no standards of honesty, integrity and apparently believe that researching facts is not really for them. For example: I worked at an airport in my recent past and the local Sun branch once reported a “massive fire” wherein a small plane “burned to the ground”. Really? I was concerned and checked with the Tower and Transport Canada. No such incident existed. What HAD happened was, a young pilot had reported a smell of oil in the cockpit, landed safely just to make sure all was well. No fire, no burning, no smoke, no running away from the “wreck; as reported by The Sun. In two phone calls i got the facts. Alarmed, I called the Sun. Mistake. When I questioned their newsroom, I was told that “trusted sources” had given them this information and got quite a rude reception from the woman at the end of the phone. I asked her about the research her team might have done to actually confirm any details, but she could not provide them. So I suggested that perhaps she would like to cover the story of the 4 people mowed down by a truck outside my office…which was really just a kid crossing the road against the light. I figured that with the ease with which Sun Media accepts any old story without verification, factual or not, I might just have a future as a freelance novelist-err, JOURNALIST I mean, for the Sun…
It’s interesting to note that Sun Media no longer belongs to the press association. Perhaps they’re worried that they might have to adhere to some sort of standards.
Well done and well said.
Besides, what else would you expect from FAUX North? All they seek is sensationalism, news and truthiness have nothing to do with their work.
So how do you explain the position of Kai, a past CTV reporter: http://ca.news.yahoo.com/blogs/dailybrew/quebec-city-ctv-reporter-kai-nagata-24-quits-183019911.html
AND HARPERS OWN STATEMENTS: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2007/10/15/media-pm.html#.TiBGyBF99RI.facebook
Its very clear that Harper is demanding to control CBC and CTV with as many lies and poor journalism as you will allow. Thank God one person spoke up! With all the lying that our PM does daily including Contempt or court and losing 50M in Federal Revenue canada receipts its no wonder we are concerned. So much is private and hidden and our PM has absolutely NO VISION or plan beyond more WARS to eventually line his own pocket it seems.
Bravo! Good on you for taking a stand. Enough of this ganging up on CBC. You have the facts on your side. Would love a peek into Sun’s books – sure they have “dump on CBC” bonuses for staff.