Yes we definitely agree that CBC is dumbing down many of its programs. We have been CBC listeners for decades beginning in our 20’s; we are now in our 50’s. At the expense of trying to capture the occasional younger listener, we believe you must be losing many more of your core faithful listeners. Some of the changes that CBC has instigated that have turned us from regular listeners to occasional listeners are: 1) “MetroMorning” and “Here and Now” has fill-in music is both unnecessary and annoying. We like music, but we get it on CBC Radio 2. 2) “Freestyle” has too much useless chit chat and music - - never listen to it. May we suggest filling this time slot with a repeat airing of “Ideas”. 3) “Top 10 List” – never listen to it either – obviously meant to attract a younger audience who should be in school or who are getting this kind of music on their i-pods or on another radio station. We hope to see some changes soon. so you don’t lose us completely! We support this petition.
I support this petition. If the CBC wants to engage a different target audience, why not replace the "pop" slots with accessible Jazz-oriented programming. There is so much available to choose from among the amazing new Canadian talents alone. Public radio music programming should be dedicated to art music; i.e."classical",
"avant-garde", jazz etc. To be trying to compete with commercial radio is ridiculous.
I support this petition. I don't listen to Radio One anymore between 10-12 or 2-4. Michael Enright called Sunday Morning "radio for grown-ups" - sadly this cannot be said anymore of most Radio One programming.
I support this petition. I now turn off the radio from 2:00 to 4:00 to avoid Freestyle. Please don't try to copy top 40 radio. If i wanted to listen to that, I'd change my station.
Long live "the Roundup!" If I wanted cheezy, fake conversation and soft rock hits of the 70's, I'd tune into one of Mr. Rogers stations. The CBC is better than shows like "Freestyle". "The Roundup," nd the like, has set Radio 1 apart from the rest of the slop on the radio. Don't conform, CBC, be yourself!
Please, the CBC can't go chasing trends. The only way to survive is to differentiate from the competition. That's why I listen to CBC rather than other radio stations, and why the listening experience has become less satisfying than it used to be.
I support this petition. I am an avid listener to the CBC and am greatly saddened by the "dumbing down" of CBC One, in particular, and also to the lack of contemporary "serious" music that CBC Two has heped to foster in Canada.
I support this petition.
As a longtime supporter and listener to CBC, I still treasure Eric Friesen and Anna Marie tremoniti but 'switch' when I hear of playlists, etc. Where else can one find 'intellitent' reporting/questioning of world events? We need a questioning CANADIAN PERSPECTIVE and a showcase of Canadian talent!!!
As a former CBC listener, I will support this petition, simply to attempt to force a change in the programming of our "national broadcaster".
The recent changes to the schedule are manifest of a long-term decline in the content of Radio 1, the result of self-indulgent choices made by a largely unaccountable group of quasi-bureaucrats that make up CBC management and on-air personalities.
In my opinion, a "unifying voice" would reflect an increase in conversation with all levels of social, political and business leaders from across the country, and less on the challenges of being a folk festival emcee or the clothing choices of the teenage daughters of fashion writers. Canadians spend a tremendous amount of money on this service every year. We have a right to expect better in return.
CBC has gone to Hell! For one thing, it has watered down its commitment to world class Canadian talent in favor of pop music on radio and NHL hockey on TV! (Its French Network, Radio-Canada, cancelled its version of the program in 2003!) They should stop commercials and hockey and promote Canadian values!
I was aghast to tune into the Ontario Phone-in and find Freestyle in its place. When I want to listen to pop music, the CBC is last on my list of the hundreds of stations playing this gendre and that's the way it should be.
I support this petition.
There are plenty of pop stations. I have always treasured the CBC radio programming, especially the likes of Peter Gzowski, Andy Barry, Vicki Gaborough, Ideas – wherever you can hear intelligent conversation, in depth interviews and learn something new. Especially when it lets me know more about other parts of Canada. That's what it is for, isn't it? CBC is one of the reasons I like to live in Canada. When we visit the states, I can't wait to get back to tolerable radio. Please stop trying to homogenize it or make it commercial. Commercials would kill CBC radio.
I don't watch enough TV to comment on that side of things.
I support this petition.The classical playist and jazz, are not much to brag about....to be honest, I enjoyed listening to the cbc during the lockout...less talk, more music, standard rep...etc
I support this petition. While I don't usually listen to Radio 1, I listen to CBC Radio 2 and enjoy the programming on Saturday nights (Radio3) and Brave New Waves on weeknights, because it is different from commercial radio. The CBC should keep trying to be distinctive from the rest of the pack and pursue excellence and diversity, rather than trying to please the average mainstream listener.
I do listen to CBC radio. I prefer the music on the French version, hence it is clear to me that the person choosing the content makes a difference. I agree that the station should educate and enlighten and also brings us pleasure. With the "Canadian" coming from places scattered across the globe, it thus leaves plenty of room for international content. I also endorse the view that we are not USA, and that the global content should be far more diverse than just from south of the border. More in-depth news from this country and the ones we hail from, would be the best for me; and I can only speak for myself and my own desire and bias.
I support this petition. Frequently I just turn CBC off. Saturday and Sunday morning local programming in Saskatchewan is now like listening to commercial radio, with poor programming and even more banal banter from the host. As for CBC News, it has become disappointing. Does the first item broadcast on national news really need to be information on the NYC transit strike, or that 2 more Americans have been killed in Iraq? These poor choices show poor journalism and a lack of respect for your listeners. You are CANADIAN first and foremost, though it seems that you have forgotten that in terms of news and much of your programming.
I support this petition because the CBC programming is so eratic and often unpleasant to my ears, for the first time in years, I find myself changing the station, especially in the evenings!
I support this petition. I also strongly recommend that you remove "Promo-Girl", as this type of dumbed-down programming does not reflect the interests of the CBC listener, nor does it come close to meeting past standards of CBC radio.
I support this petition.
I no longer listen to CBC after 1pm. If I wanted to listen to music, I would tune into a station that plays the music I like to hear.
I support this petition. Please, bring back the intelligent talk shows that used to fill the mornings with Peter Z. and the afternoons with Vicki G. so brilliantly - they were so Canadian - they kept us in touch with who we were and who we were becoming! And stop broadcasting that mundane pop music and dull conversations that now shows up in the afternoon - it's so available everywhere else. Do you think people in offices are that numbed down and tuned out, that giving them more of what they can hear elsewhere will inspire them? They need the old CBC back. Please guard the CBC as a reflection of Canada's unique culture. Don't let it slip into being just another pop station!
Ever since CBC Radio started to "dumb down" its broadcasts, I have felt violated. This is our CBC and it does not exist to entertain It should educate and enlighten Canadians with truly Canadian content. If the CBC does not stop broadcasting mainstream pop music, I will no longer listen to the CBC and will ask my MP to stop funding the CBC. I support this petition.
I support this petition. Bring back morning radio drama originating in different parts of the country. Stop trying to be a "catch all" station and do what CBC does best - original drama that reflects the various cultures in Canada, good music and current afffairs by way of intelligent comments from Michael Enright. Drop everything on Radio One from 8:30 to noon - be informed not "with it".
I support this petition wholeheartedly. I work in an office and am already forced to listen to the rubbish on pop radio from the people around me. Canada has many talented artists and musicians, just waiting for an audience. It seems that when the strike happened, you have been playing more American rubbish and less Canadian content and your listeners deserve better. The right wing bias on the news now is very noticeable as well. And, yes where is Cross Country Checkup and all the good programs you used to have. Please please keep CBC Canadian and unique. It's one of the wonderful special things that separates us from the commercialized mass media of the USA.
I support this petition.The CBC needs to decide what it wants to be. Nothing makes me turn it off quicker than when they switch from classical to popular music. How they can assume they can please both types of audiences with this kind of mixture is beyond me. I'm also disturbed that they have some of the more intelectual programs on the two different stations. Why not put them all on one station? I often miss programs I wanted to listen to because I'm listening to the wrong CBC station.
I've been a CBC listener for 60 years. I'm beginning to wonder why it is supported by taxpayers.
