Can’t make an omelet…

Richard Stursberg makes his case sagely (in ‘CBC needs ad revenues,’ July 24), and his CBC reform team is assuredly doing what they can with the tools at their disposal. And for that brave undertaking they deserve immense credit.

But maybe they need new and better tools.

My argument (Lincoln Report, Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage, 2003) for a greenspace, or foundation tier, of distinct, Canadian public service and educational offerings is just possibly an implement in that kit. It might even render the CBC commercial free.

New ideas for reforming the CBC and our broadcast system (like reforming our health care system) are sorely needed.

Everybody has known for years that – in the revolutionary era of broadband and the web – this begged to be done, but few had the wit or political stomach to take on the chore.

My only hope is that we are not too late. And that we don’t blame messengers like Richard for trying.

With a little luck and grit, CBC news and current affairs will remain our gold standard for informed citizens. But our non-news, English-language TV storytelling-selves need immediate triage. Hence, perhaps, Richard’s riskier undertakings such as The One.

Somewhere in all of this, the Canadian broadcasting system has to be more than the estate planning intentions of a few lucky families, or the integrationist ambitions of two or three corporations looking south of the 49th. And the CBC must be at the center of that rethink.

Because if we cannot create an imaginative oasis for programming with clear public purpose – that’s exactly what we’ll end up with… a few rich grandchildren and our media decisions being made in New York or L.A.

Bill Roberts,
President and CEO,
S-VOX, (VisionTV and ONE).

Make that ‘Vancouver, the giant’

Just a small point to clear up – Toronto has not been the ‘giant’ in production for quite some time [‘Toronto sags, Ontario regions ramp up,’ Aug. 7]… although Toronto delights in calling itself Hollywood North, Vancouver has had consistently higher numbers in both productions and dollars for several years, according to the B.C. Film Commission reports.

Toronto may be ‘New York North,’ but Vancouver is due north of Hollywood…

Mike Kaerne,
President and GM,
Hollynorth Production Supplies,
Vancouver.

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