Like you, we are waiting to hear another announcement from CBC management, an announcement that includes the possibility of more cuts. We remain concerned about the direction senior management and the Board of Directors are taking CBC/ Radio-Canada.
We are especially concerned that damaging changes are being pushed through without meaningful involvement from and consideration of CBC’s various stakeholders, including its employees. There is a troubling lack of accountability for decisions we fear will significantly and harmfully impact CBC/Radio-Canada.
We have taken various opportunities to press the Board and senior management to champion public broadcasting, and to fight for increased funding for all the work the CBC is mandated to do. To this end, CMG recently outlined the harmful impacts the most recent round of cuts, announced in April, will have.
Further, in a letter to the CBC board, we asked them to join the union in calling on the government to:
-Immediately reverse the $115 million Deficit Reduction Action Plan (DRAP) cuts;
-Ask the CRTC to reinstate a fund to support local programming;
-Increase funding to about half the average of what developed countries invest in their public broadcaster or $43.50 per capita per year.
Based on the brief replies to our appeals, we remain concerned that CBC’s Board of Directors, who are appointed by the Prime Minister’s office, may not share our goals for a well funded public broadcaster, and they may have other priorities.
Indeed, we are concerned that CBC / Radio-Canada is being politely but effectively dismantled. And we cannot help but notice that destructive changes are being pushed through on a timetable that would have them implemented prior to the next federal election.
Please know, whatever is announced on Thursday, we will continue to fight for a strong future for Canada’s largest network and respected national public broadcaster.
We are continuing to build support in communities across the country for CBC; let us know if you would like to volunteer some time on the campaign over the next few months.
Carmel and Marc-Philippe
Carmel Smyth, National President, CMG
Marc-Philippe Laurin, CBC Branch President, CMG