If you care about classical music on CBC Radio Two, sign the petition!

I'll take a break from the retrospective nature of this narrative (so far, I have only covered up to March 24 in describing my interactions with CBC Radio Two) to provide a more recent update.

I've started a petition, addressed to CBC Radio management, the House Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage and the CRTC to request that CBC Radio management conduct a series of public consultations on the changes made to the CBC Radio Two evening schedule. The petition is at Return Classical Music to CBC Radio.

In the petition, I've requested that CBC Radio management provide public forums where listeners may express their opinions on the new programming, including (but not limited to):

• a web page on the CBC Radio Two web site where all feedback submitted by CBC Radio Two listeners is presented for all to view, whether or not CBC Radio management agrees with the opinions expressed
• public meetings where CBC Radio Two listeners may express their opinions directly to CBC Radio management
• phone-in shows on CBC Radio One and Two where listeners may express their opinions and exchange views with CBC Radio management.

I've also requested that, if the weight of public opinion gathered from such public forums supports the return of classical music to the evening schedule, CBC Radio management implement these changes and the House Standing Committee on Canadian Culture and CRTC monitor the implementation.

Why such a convoluted request? Why not just demand that CBC Radio Two return to the previous programming; i.e. the "World at Six" at 6:00 PM, "Music for Awhile" at 6:30 PM and "In Performance" at 8:00 PM? Well, truth be told, this was my first inclination. This is what would make me happy. But the whole point of this blog has been to point out the lack of public consultation that preceded these most recent programming changes, so it only seemed democratic to request public consultation in returning to the previous programming. After all, if there is no public support for the previous programming then there is no point in returning to it.

There were many other points I could have made in this petition, but I decided to try and keep it as simple as possible. Other CBC Radio Two listeners have expressed their unhappiness at the cancellation of "Two New Hours", the reduced newscasts on CBC Radio Two as well as other program cancellations too numerous to mention here. I urge these listeners to write to CBC Radio management and the House Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage (see the links to the right) on these topics.

So, please visit Return Classical Music to CBC Radio and make your opinion known! Tell your friends! Tell your enemies! Tell your relatives and in-laws! Signing the petition only takes a few seonds and it's free!