I have enjoyed listening to CBC radio for most of my life, and do not want to lose the classical focus of this national Canadian treasure. I am a professional classical musician, and listening to the classical music programming on CBC radio has enriched my life immensely. I have learned much about classical music, it's composers and performers throughout history by listening to CBC radio. I have always appreciated the educational flavour of CBC radio 2. CBC radio 2 is vital to the continuation of the classical music culture in Canada. It is a forum where Canadian classical composers can air their works across the country. It is a place where listeners can listen to Canadian classical composers and performers, in addition to those from around the world - those who are alive today, and those from the past. Please keep the unique classical, educational character of CBC radio 2 - there is not other radio station like it in Canada.
This decision is insane. I live in Muskoka and CBC Radio 2 provides me with the music I love. It is the only source I have for broadcast classical music.
I support wholeheartedly this petition and would advise the management of CBC Radio2 to continue its excellent broadcasts of classical music. I listen to CBC2 very often. I also am well informed of upcoming classical performances in the GTA on the Arts Report. As a composer, wishing to keep abreast of 21st century compositional techniques and trends, I listen regularly to Two New Hours. This station and its present format is absolutely necessary for the furtherance of promoting classical music and providing good classical music for those listeners who wish to enjoy it. Please do not cut it from your programming.
The more CBC has made changes in the past few years, the less I listen to CBC Radio2. It is a pity that they ignore their faithful listeners - in my case, for over 30 years...The coming changes will make me stop listening to Radio 2 altogether.
I read Richard Stursberg's justification of the changes planned for CBC Radio-2 and it's clear that his mind is firmly made up, no room for consultation or input from any of us. CBC has been my refuge on the air-waves for decades and now, with the changes to both Radio 1 and 2 that refuge is shrinking rapidly. Will the listeners you gain replace those you're going to lose?
We have all the programming for a younger audience we need. CBC is unique, that's what makes it valuable. Alienate the existing audience, and you will have no audience at all.
I am angry that these changes are being made - seemingly without any conferring with the listening public. these arbitrary changes are ruining the proud standards of the CBC - the Public Broadcaster, supported by taxpayers' dollars. Do we have to march on the Hill to be heard?
In the vast wasteland of commercial radio, the CBC is one of few bright spots. Please do not further dumb down CBC 2 programming. Those who wish to listen to pop music and less sophisticated programming have plenty of choices.
We have written previously in the same vein, noting Howard Dyck's disapprearance from SATO and soon Choral Concert?? Also understand J. Gothe and E. Friesen soon to go. It's obvious you are looking for another entity to assume the Classical Music mantle worn by CBC 2 so proudly and effectively in the past. Is it too late to stop this alarming trend?
Until the changes to CBC-2 in 2007, I had been a faithful listener, especially in the morning, since at least the late 1970s, but it is no longer the case. In addition to the solid core of classical music, CBC-2 provided some of the best overall radio news coverage, including the excellent Arts Report. Not only did it broadcast excellent and intelligent musical programming to start the day, but also well-constructed news reports that offered an informed view of main events internationally, nationally and locally, including in the arts field. Instead, CBC chose to cancel Arts Report, and to originally dispense altogether with news and weather (though the latter were partially restored in a shrunk and bare-minimum formula), and to replace them with those cheap CBC house-ads over an extraordinarily vapid and blurry-music background, by a trendy-voiced “faux-pop” announcer who cannot even pronounce the name of Gatineau correctly (“You’re listening to CBC… in Ottawa-Gatt’no, and everywhere where music takes you”. The town is known as Ga-tee-no and NOT Gatt’no). I see no problem with CBC trying to attract more attention to its excellent web site, but this should not be at the detriment of CBC’s high standards of broadcasting aimed at providing a distinctive voice as well as musical and cultural programming that cannot be found elsewhere. CBC should let others do what they do very well and try to see how it can continue to offer intelligent programming based on classical music and culturally-focussed aims, without neglecting the mission of providing, on air (i.e. in the conventional radio broadcast), the best news coverage found anywhere within that context.
I think that the CBC should keep their 2 program at least at the present level. The decision to cut is myopic , and show lack of respect for culture in genral. Many people all over Canada rely on CBC and wish to listen to intellectually challenging programs. There are not enough radio plays, or readings of Canadian and foreign literary works. Some of the discussions of literary works are catering to the lowest common denominator instead of educating the audience in the art of reading as Elanor Wachtel, some of the Ideas authors and M. Enright do. Please keep the classical music on and expand our intellectual horizons!!! Best, V. Ambros
IF the CBC had asked the TSO about their tsoundcheck program, and the over 23,000 members of tsoundcheck, then they would KNOW that young people think classical music is worth listening to.
I am very concerned by these cuts at CBC. CBC has a unique and national role to play in presenting classical music to the Canadian population. There is no other non-profit resource for this and no other source with a national mandate to present Canadian culture as it evolves. We risk creating a generation ignorant of this essential part of our culture.
I noticed the decline in quality at my favourite radio station well before this petition brought the financial issues to the fore. The CBC should celebrate its innovations, not conform to the restricitons of the commercial realm.
I would go further and restore the substantive content from the era of The Arts Today and The Arts Tonight or earlier still, Arts National. Radio Two has featured too many shows that just spin discs, and not enough that do real journalism, interviews and documentary work on topics in the arts, setting up and providing context for music from discs or live performances.
This is so blatant and it is our money.The drive to make CBC Radio 2 a sattelitte radio station with no news and no classical music is a poor choice of management and shows the disregard for the people who are paying for CBC.
