The CBC’s license renewal: the first results are in
The future of the CBC is under review. We've got the goods on what Canadians really think.
The future of the CBC is under review. The CRTC is currently receiving submissions to determine what the CBC will look like for the next decade. This process – the license renewal – is one where powerful forces across our media and cultural landscape jockey for position on the future of the CBC.
On one hand, CBC management is asking for more ads, less local news, and less Canadian content. On the other, we’ve got a noisy minority of folks who are writing in to the CRTC to say that it should be annihilated all together. Powerful private media companies are also weighing in, trying to shape the future of our public broadcaster.
Meanwhile, FRIENDS is doing what we’ve always done: making sure the voices of everyday Canadians are heard
That’s why we created a survey to make sure that all Canadians can participate in the CRTC’s complex submission process.
In just two weeks, more than 5000 Canadians have already filled out a submission form with their comments to the CRTC through our website. They explained why they care, what they care about, and what they want out of the CBC. What’s more, over 3000 Canadians filled out a FRIENDS survey to give us their thoughts on our public broadcaster. This feedback will help us write our very own submission.
Canadians understand the urgency: in 2011, only 8000 Canadians made a submission to the CRTC. This year, thanks to our easy to use form, we’re going to absolutely crush that target. That means Canadians will finally get their voices heard in Ottawa on the future of the CBC.
The full survey results will soon be published in our very own submission, but let me give you a preview:
A whopping 99% of people who filled our survey told us they believed local news was important.
That’s in the face of CBC asking the CRTC to reduce the amount of time they spend providing local news to Canadians.
Here’s another: 91% of survey respondents believe that increased funding to the CBC would strengthen our democracy. We agree. And we're pretty sure with these results that Canadians are on our side.
On February 14, the CRTC will no longer accept any submissions for the CBC’s license renewal process. Canadians who want their voices heard, who want to speak to the future of our public broadcaster, can do so now by filling out our five-minute survey by clicking here.