The Rural Voice, 2019-07, Page 14 There’s something wrong at CBC
Radio, hopefully an issue that
renewed investment into the
Canadian institution can fix.
As an avid listener for 30-odd
years, tuning in morning, noon and
night most days, I’ve learned much
over that time about Canada and the
world. It’s been my go-to place for
news, commentary and ideas; an
educational experience and, at times,
entertaining as well.
Yet of late, it’s often been with a
sense of trepidation rather than
anticipation that I’ve been tuning in.
The tone, too often, has been one of
shrill mean-spiritedness.
Among the recent low points was
the interview of a relative of the late
Ethel Merman (1908-1984). The
host, with melodramatic persistence,
portrayed the actress and songstress
as a racist – focusing on the lyrics of
a single song from the 1930s –
despite the overwhelming logic
behind the relative’s argument that
this was hardly the case.
It’s not that the CBC coverage of
issues related to racism, notably the
broadcaster’s groundbreaking work
concerning Canada’s indigenous
peoples, is unappreciated. Yet the
impression has been building that the
CBC is running out of things to say
about core issues it has focused on in
recent years, which includes its
coverage of marginalized groups like
women and the LGBT/non-
binary/two-spirited community.
I have listened with interest and
yet the coverage at times seems to
have only broadened the divisions
among Canadians rather than
bringing them together. All too often
what appears to be the accepted
opinion at CBC Radio is being
treated as fact and those who
disagree are targeted and chastised
rather than being allowed a voice.
Well-considered dissenting
opinion is something to be pursued,
at least in a small way.
The narrow focus of the CBC
Radio does, of course, come with a
flip side – the need to broaden its
coverage. For that to happen,
however, it needs money. Among the
36 Organization Economic Co-
operation and Development (OECD)
nations, the average per capita
funding for public broadcasting is
$90. At $34 per capita, Canada ranks
third-lowest on the list.
Bringing Canadians together is
something best exemplified on CBC
Radio through the Cross-Country
Checkup program (although it is also
in need of more resources for
research purposes before going to
air). When, for instance, the program
turns to subjects with a decided rural
connection – like the episode
concerning changes to the Canada
Food Guide – an air of
unpreparedness is evident, only to be
addressed when well-informed
listeners call in.
That’s nothing new, according to
Rex Murphy who, up until 2015,
hosted the program. I heard Murphy
speak to a gathering of Southwestern
farmers in London a year or so back
during which time he leveled a
barrage of criticism at the CBC for
its inadequate rural coverage.
Afterwards, I walked up to
Murphy, who appeared to sense my
approach with a degree of unease,
and uttered the observation, “They
have their heads up their arses.”
Murphy simply nodded in what I
took to be agreement but that may
have only been a stalling tactic to
contemplate the means to escape an
awkward conversation, perhaps by
poking me in the eye.
I stepped aside. He passed.
CBC Radio does occasionally
touch on things rural. Where the
broadcasting services fails, however,
is in fully appreciating the
importance of rural communities,
like the agricultural community, to
the rest of the nation and its
connection to the environment,
climate change, immigration, and
social justice. ◊
10 The Rural Voice
Mean spiritedness
seems to be taking
over CBC Radio
Jeff is a
freelance
journalist
based
in Dresden,
Ontario.
Jeff Carter
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