tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-51627380000342023722024-03-14T10:46:14.204-04:00CBC Radio Two & MeJames Wootenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11932289702872433813noreply@blogger.comBlogger138125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5162738000034202372.post-81830850422923618062016-12-11T17:47:00.000-05:002016-12-11T17:47:18.056-05:00"Joy to the World", the Euroradio Christmas broadcast, on Radio 2 Dec. 18 2016<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The misguided boffins of CBC Radio have managed to decimate many of the beloved programs on CBC Radio 2 over the last nine years. One of the programs that has managed to escape their malicious meddling is "Joy to the World", the Euroradio broadcast of Christmas music that is broadcast from European countries in the weeks before Christmas.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Hmmm ... come to think of it, the only reason that it's managed to survive so long is (a) because it originates from Europe, out of the clutches of CBC management and (b) it means the CBC doesn't have to originate any programming of it's own that day.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">OK, enough griping. Sunday, December 18 2016 from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM on your local CBC Radio 2 station. Enjoy it while you can. It will probably be cut some day.</span>James Wootenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11932289702872433813noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5162738000034202372.post-29336300613452846022016-10-22T19:29:00.001-04:002016-10-22T19:29:06.725-04:00The Producers of "Q" Just Don't Get It<br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The CBC is re-launching "Q" on Monday October 24 with the new host, Tom Power. In fact, it would be more correct to say that this is the re-re-launch of "Q" (or is it "q"?) since the program was re-launched in 2015 with the now-departed host, Shad.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">In <a href="http://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/television/cbc-starting-with-clean-slate-as-q-relaunches-under-tom-power/article32472268/" target="_blank">this article</a> from the October 22 Globe and Mail, it is said that the audience for "Q" has declined by 28% since October 2014 when Jian Ghomeshi was still the host of Q. (Interesting note: Jian Ghomeshi was fired from the CBC on October 26, 2014. So the re-re-launch of "Q" nearly two years to the day of Ghomeshi's firing is eerily appropriate. Or not.) Even worse, only 120 U.S. radio stations feature the program, down from a high of 180 stations when Ghomeshi was host.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Why did the audience fall so far, so fast? Quite simply, the CBC just doesn't understand the audience for Q.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">When Ghomeshi was host the program consisted of a mix of programming, ranging from books to theatre to music to political commentary to sports. There was always something interesting to hear.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">In contrast, since Ghomeshi's departure, the program has focused ad nauseam on "new music". Tune in on any day of the week and chances are that you will hear some obscure group from Tickle Cove, Newfoundland expositing on their new album, followed by a live performance of their latest song. (Nothing against Tickle Cove, mind you. Just an example.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The thing is, we're just not interested. Just. Not. Interested. The audience decline might seem to confirm this.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">So what are the plans for the new-new "Q"? More new music! Yeah, right, it didn't work for the last two years, so let's just double-down and make an even heavier bet on "new music". To quote the new executive producer:</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>“You know how sometimes you have talk programs that are blocks of interviews – and some of them are terrific, but that’s not what we’re going for here. We want layered use of sound throughout the show, so that sonically it really does jump out.”</i></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Oh, great. Watch for the re-re-re-launch of "Q" in two years time.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Since newspaper articles have a habit of disappearing from the internet, here is the entire article:</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">CBC starting with ‘clean slate’ as Q relaunches under Tom Power</span></h1>
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<a href="http://www.theglobeandmail.com/authors/simon-houpt" style="background: transparent; color: #df0023; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Go to Simon Houpt’s author page"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">SIMON HOUPT</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Published <time datetime="2016-10-21T15:10:05EDT" itemprop="datePublished" pubdate="" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Friday, Oct. 21, 2016 3:16PM EDT</time></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Last updated <time class="updated" datetime="2016-10-21T15:10:05EDT" itemprop="dateModified" pubdate="" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Friday, Oct. 21, 2016 3:16PM EDT</time></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">It would be tempting, as CBC Radio’s flagship arts and entertainment show <em style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Q </em>takes yet another shot at relaunching next Monday with new host Tom Power, to focus on what is missing from the mix rather than on what is present: No Jian Ghomeshi, the ignominious original host who hasn’t been seen in public since his second trial for sexual assault was called off last May after he signed a peace bond; no Shad, the collegial rapper-turned-broadcaster who debuted to high hopes in April, 2015, but then limped along for 16 months before getting the vaudeville hook last August; no full-throttle two-hour live relaunch at the Glenn Gould Theatre in front of hundreds of invited guests, featuring appearances by Tanya Tagaq, Chilly Gonzalez, Marc Maron and a white-man rap by Peter “P. Manny” Mansbridge.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Also gone? The theme song penned by the musician Bahamas which was unveiled at that April, 2015, relaunch; a raft of regular contributors; and just about all of the show’s standing features, including both the pop culture and sports panels.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Many of the behind-the-scenes crew have left, too: About two-thirds of the show’s current staff of 18 were hired only within the past two months, after CBC summarily announced Shad was out in favour of Power. </span><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; text-align: center;">Still, focusing on what is gone may mean overlooking the intriguing process of reinvention that is underway.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">“We started with a clean slate,” explains Jennifer Moroz, the show’s new executive producer, who comes to <em style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Q</em> after well-respected stints at both <em style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The Hour with George Stroumboulopoulos</em> and CBC Radio’s <em style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The Current</em>. Sitting in her second-floor office at CBC’s Canadian Broadcasting Centre on Front Street earlier this week, she adds: “It’s not a new show, but it is a new show.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">“We have a new host who’s very different from the other two hosts in the last 10 years. We have an opportunity to build something – not only to [Power’s] strengths, but we really have a chance to play with the format a bit. Which, after 10 years, frankly – regardless of what was going to happen – is time to do it.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Power, 29, is a St. John’s born-and-bred folk musician (he still plays with his Newfoundland-based band, The Dardanelles, though he has lived in Toronto since 2012) who has been a charismatic presence on CBC’s airwaves for the past eight years, first as host of <em style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Deep Roots</em> and, since 2011, as host of Radio 2 Morning.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">He was on the short list of prospective hosts when Shad got the nod, but may have been lucky that he wasn’t tapped for <em style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Q</em>’s first post-Ghomeshi iteration, given the pressure at the time for the show to prove it could regain its footing so quickly after the crisis. Now, with the audience bottoming out, there is nowhere to go but up: The show’s average-minute audience last June was 168,000, down 28 per cent from two years earlier; only about 120 U.S. stations carry <em style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Q</em>, down from a high of about 180.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Within the CBC bureaucracy, responsibility for the new-new <em style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Q</em> has been moved from the Talk department to Music, reflecting a desire for a tighter focus on arts and entertainment rather than the broader notion of “culture,” Moroz says. The overall sound of the show will be “more musical,” with greater effort put into creating a distinctive sound that will stand out on the radio dial.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">While she doesn’t want to single out any particular influences on the new sound, Moroz acknowledges that slickly produced podcasts such as NPR’s<em style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Invisibilia</em> and <em style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">RadioLab</em>, as well as CBC’s <em style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Out in the Open</em>, hosted by Piya Chattopadhyay, are kindred spirits.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">And while the long-form interviews that were mainstays of <em style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Q</em> since the beginning aren’t going away, there will be fewer.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">“You know how sometimes you have talk programs that are blocks of interviews – and some of them are terrific, but that’s not what we’re going for here. We want layered use of sound throughout the show, so that sonically it really does jump out.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Still, she hopes <em style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Q</em> will be able to react to breaking arts stories as they unfold. “In a live daily show, everything can’t be really highly produced. But, to the extent possible, I’d like to sort of marry those two worlds, and bring in the layer of sound and production that you hear on those weekly podcasts that have high, high production values.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">The goal is to produce a show that is both accessible to casual listeners and still meaningful to hard-core fans of the artists who appear. Moroz says that, when the new staff conducted a “blue sky” brainstorming session last month, “one of the terms we came up with is, we want to be like an inclusive record store clerk.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">While she’s speaking, Power pops into Moroz’s office for a few minutes, on his way up to the studio to record an interview with members of the Sam Roberts Band, which will air in the first couple of weeks. He admits he’s not an expert in all of the subjects <em style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Q</em> will cover, but then, he’s only the face of a large team behind the scenes.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">“I felt some insecurity about my knowledge on certain things, walking into the show,” he says. “But I’ve surrounded myself with real experts here. The level of expertise on this show, in various forms, in various genres, is really remarkable. Creativity as well.” His job, he says, is to “ask questions that people will want to have answered: ‘Why does this matter to me? And what’s the humanity behind it? Why should I feel something and why should I listen to it? And why should I read it?’ ”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Moroz and Power head up to the studio, a secondary space that is normally used by CBC Music’s <em style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">First Play Live</em> recording series, with better acoustics than Studio Q. From now on, this is where they’ll do many of the interviews with musicians who come in to perform.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Power is in his element here, a quick-witted charmer who has an easy rapport with the guests. As the band plays, he stands off to the side of the studio, nodding his head in time to the music while glancing at the pages of prepared notes he holds in front of his chest, looking like a cross between an earnest undergrad debater and a boy-genius record producer. Every so often, a producer in the control room speaks into Power’s headset, and the host nods almost imperceptibly.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">In between tunes, Power probes the band’s leader Sam Roberts on the development of the new album, and the need for an artist to keep evolving; it sounds as if Power could be thinking about <em style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Q</em> itself.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">After three songs, it’s time to wrap up the segment. “Sam, I had such a great time talking to you,” Power says.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Roberts replies: “Same here. Good luck with this – the next chapter for you.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">“Yeah, Shelagh Rogers does <em style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The Next Chapter</em>,” Power quips, and the control room dissolves in laughter.</span></div>
James Wootenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11932289702872433813noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5162738000034202372.post-54929930415920897542016-07-27T18:19:00.002-04:002016-07-27T18:34:27.952-04:00New music! New Music! New Music! New Music!<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">New Music! New Music! New Music! New Music! New Music! New Music! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">After following the downhill trajectory of CBC Radio for the past seven years I've finally figured out where CBC Radio went wrong.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">If you listen to the announcers and read the pronouncements of CBC Radio executives you will come to realize something. Everyone currently working at the CBC is a failed musician, record producer, music industry has-been executive, music industry wanna-be or music industry groupie. Sorry to tell it like it is folks, but it is true.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">So what does this mean for CBC Radio? When the Jian Ghomeshi fiasco first erupted a newspaper article quoted a CBC Radio employee. The employee described how enjoyable it was (at first) to be working on the new programming at CBC Radio. The employee was quoted as saying that they would rather be programming shows with the so-called "new music" instead of programming classical music for seniors living in Saskatchewan. Yes, that's precisely what this person said. "Instead of programming classical music for seniors living in Saskatchewan." I would quote the newspaper article, but unfortunately Google is not co-operating with me in my search for the original article.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">There you have it, folks. At one time if you were a failed musician or music industry groupie and were otherwise unemployable, you could find yourself a job at Sam The Record Man or an HMV outlet. With those venues no longer being an option, what is the failed musician with no other marketable skills to do? Why, join the CBC, of course!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Once there, the failed musician - let's call him or her FM for short - decides that the old CBC is, well, boring. The CBC is programming Classical Music for seniors living in Saskatchewan! They know nothing about the indie bands erupting all over the country! They know nothing about the New Music! New Music! New Music! New Music!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">So what does the FM, now an aspiring programmer/producer/CBC executive/music industry has-been, do? Change the CBC, of course! Program more new music! Show Canadians what they're missing! Who cares if Canadians don't want it! They will learn to love it! The new programming on CBC Radio Two will "find it's audience", as CBC executives said many times.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In 2007 the CBC justified their programming changes with the elusive "Arts and Culture" survey, which purportedly found that Canadian seniors living in Saskatchewan didn't want their old CBC, but wanted a new, vibrant, culturally-aware CBC that programmed more new music. New Music! New Music! New Music!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Of course the CBC refused to release the infamous "Arts and Culture" survey to the great, unwashed public. But the survey found what the CBC Execs said it found. Trust us on this, they said. We know what's best.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">And so we all know what happened. Programs were axed, veteran announcers were let go, new programming was introduced and the CBC's market share slid. If you don't know about all this, start reading my blog entries beginning in 2007. You can read the whole sorry story there.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Which brings us to my latest rant. There's a new show on CBC Radio One on weekdays from 1:00 - 3:00 PM. Whereas previously this time slot was occupied by a variety of interesting programming, such as "Ideas", "Rewind" and even "Vinyl Cafe", it is now occupied by a program that can only be described as "Q Lite". And yes, it is chock-a-block full of New Music! New Music! New Music! And yes, I find it impossible to listen to.</span><br />
<br />James Wootenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11932289702872433813noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5162738000034202372.post-36824238315222350332016-07-27T18:19:00.001-04:002016-07-27T18:24:05.928-04:00New music! New Music! New Music! New Music!<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">New Music! New Music! New Music! New Music! New Music! New Music! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">After following the downhill trajectory of CBC Radio for the past seven years I've finally figured out where CBC Radio went wrong.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">If you listen to the announcers and read the pronouncements of CBC Radio executives you will come to realize something. Everyone currently working at the CBC is a failed musician, record producer, music industry has-been executive, music industry wanna-be or music industry groupie. Sorry to tell it like it is folks, but it is true.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">So what does this mean for CBC Radio? When the Jian Ghomeshi fiasco first erupted a newspaper article quoted a CBC Radio employee. The employee described how enjoyable it was (at first) to be working on the new programming at CBC Radio. The employee was quoted as saying that they would rather be programming shows with the so-called "new music" instead of programming classical music for seniors living in Saskatchewan. Yes, that's precisely what this person said. "Instead of programming classical music for seniors living in Saskatchewan." I would quote the newspaper article, but unfortunately Google is not co-operating with me in my search for the original article.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">There you have it, folks. At one time if you were a failed musician or music industry groupie and were otherwise unemployable, you could find yourself a job at Sam The Record Man or an HMV outlet. With those venues no longer being an option, what is the failed musician with no other marketable skills to do? Why, join the CBC, of course!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Once there, the failed musician - let's call him or her FM for short - decides that the old CBC is, well, boring. The CBC is programming Classical Music for seniors living in Saskatchewan! They know nothing about the indie bands erupting all over the country! They know nothing about the New Music! New Music! New Music! New Music!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">So what does the FM, now an aspiring programmer/producer/CBC executive/music industry has-been, do? Change the CBC, of course! Program more new music! Show Canadians what they're missing! Who cares if Canadians don't want it! They will learn to love it! The new programming on CBC Radio Two will "find it's audience", as CBC executives said many times.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In 2007 the CBC justified their programming changes with the elusive "Arts and Culture" survey, which purportedly found that Canadian seniors living in Saskatchewan didn't want their old CBC, but wanted a new, vibrant, culturally-aware CBC that programmed more new music. New Music! New Music! New Music!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">And so we all know what happened. Programs were axed, veteran announcers were let go, new programming was introduced and the CBC's market share slid. If you don't know about all this, start reading my blog entries beginning in 2007. You can read the whole sorry story there.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Which brings us to my latest rant. There's a new show on CBC Radio One on weekdays from 1:00 - 2:00 PM. Whereas previously this time slot was occupied by a variety of interesting programming, such as "Ideas", "Rewind" and even "Vinyl Cafe", it is not occupied by a program that can only be described as "Q Lite". And yes, it is chock-a-block full of New Music! New Music! New Music! And yes, I find it impossible to listen to.</span><br />
<br />James Wootenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11932289702872433813noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5162738000034202372.post-65404972079802032962016-07-27T18:19:00.000-04:002016-07-27T18:22:45.289-04:00New music! New Music! New Music! New Music!<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">New Music! New Music! New Music! New Music! New Music! New Music! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">After following the downhill trajectory of CBC Radio for the past seven years I've finally figured out where CBC Radio went wrong.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">If you listen to the announcers and read the pronouncements of CBC Radio executives you will come to realize something. Everyone currently working at the CBC is a failed musician, record producer, music industry has-been executive, music industry wanna-be or music industry groupie. Sorry to tell it like it is folks, but it is true.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">So what does this mean for CBC Radio? When the Jian Ghomeshi fiasco first erupted a newspaper article quoted a CBC Radio employee. The employee described how enjoyable it was (at first) to be working on the new programming at CBC Radio. The employee was quoted as saying that they would rather be programming shows with the so-called "new music" instead of programming classical music for seniors living in Saskatchewan. Yes, that's precisely what this person said. "Instead of programming classical music for seniors living in Saskatchewan." I would quote the newspaper article, but unfortunately Google is not co-operating with me in my search for the original article.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">There you have it, folks. At one time if you were a failed musician or music industry groupie and were otherwise unemployable, you could find yourself a job at Sam The Record Man or an HMV outlet. With those venues no longer being an option, what is the failed musician with no other marketable skills to do? Why, join the CBC, of course!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Once there, the failed musician - let's call him or her FM for short - decides that the old CBC is, well, boring. The CBC is programming Classical Music for seniors living in Saskatchewan! They know nothing about the indie bands erupting all over the country! They know nothing about the New Music! New Music! New Music! New Music!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">So what does the FM, now an aspiring programmer/producer/CBC executive/music industry has-been, do? Change the CBC, of course! Program more new music! Show Canadians what they're missing! Who cares if Canadians don't want it! They will learn to love it! The new programming on CBC Radio Two will "find it's audience", as CBC executives said many times.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In 2007 the CBC justified their programming changes with the elusive "Arts and Culture" survey, which purportedly found that Canadian seniors living in Saskatchewan didn't want their old CBC, but wanted a new, vibrant, culturally-aware CBC that programmed more new music. New Music! New Music! New Music!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">And so we all know what happened. Programs were axed, veteran announcers were let go, new programming was introduced and the CBC's market share slid. If you don't know about all this, start reading my blog entries beginning in 2007. You can read the whole sorry story there.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Which brings us to my latest rant. There's a new show on CBC Radio One on weekdays from 1:00 - 2:00 PM. Whereas previously this time slot was occupied by a variety of interesting programming, such as "Ideas", "Rewind" and even "Vinyl Cafe", it is not occupied by a program that can only be described as "Q Lite". And yes, it is chock-a-block full of New Music! New Music! New Music! And yes, I find it impossible to listen to.</span><br />
<br />James Wootenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11932289702872433813noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5162738000034202372.post-87485346563422436452016-07-16T11:36:00.000-04:002016-07-26T09:33:30.429-04:00The Spring 2016 Numeris (formerly BBM) Survey of CBC Radio Market Share<br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">This is our eleventh review of CBC Radio's market share since the CBC decided to restructure the programming of CBC Radio Two. Previous surveys can be seen in the sidebar to the right.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">This review summarizes the radio audience of CBC Radio Two stations in major cities, as surveyed by Numeris (formerly the Bureau of Broadcast Mesaurement). It compares the audience of CBC Radio Two stations both before and after the CBC restructured the programming of Radio Two.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The premise is simple. If the restructuring was successful, the audience would have increased. If unsuccessful, the audience would have decreased.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">We note that the audience for radio is declining. Even so, if the audience for CBC Radio Two decreased more than the general radio audience, then the restructuring was unsuccessful.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The results of these reviews have consistently shown that the audience for CBC Radio Two stations in the cities surveyed by Numeris declined following the Radio Two programming changes. An impartial observer would therefore have to conclude that the programming restructuring was, and continues to be, a resounding failure. Yet the CBC apparently refuses to recognize this.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">A summary of the findings: the overall radio audience declined by 22.3% while the audience for CBC Radio Two declined by 35.4% since the initial survey in 2007.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg295erc-x_TWksS7hyg2BPoijCd55RDa81c2ldJmkvuyWa6YMEl8NJtadsK5FCajngS4tLWm7CCumjBqoVAUO8wc_OlTCJhTNaGEY9hqW8tZVWfckC2uYEqa2wXm3jm_Kp9RNd8uTIa0c/s1600/Summary.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg295erc-x_TWksS7hyg2BPoijCd55RDa81c2ldJmkvuyWa6YMEl8NJtadsK5FCajngS4tLWm7CCumjBqoVAUO8wc_OlTCJhTNaGEY9hqW8tZVWfckC2uYEqa2wXm3jm_Kp9RNd8uTIa0c/s400/Summary.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">A graph of the CBC Radio One and Radio Two audience in Vancouver.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0JHk1pfIB8vB9VfM55ypLBPcAbWYI2oi2CyTXyFvvl0gHNlcg_MephpTeC1tS6ErvQjz6zc2TLoDWbQqIEhvEuCryGQboTdkXJzMiO-BmDwVp0mJhPLcG-q7vZovgW4hDu_HHxn-SIu4/s1600/Van.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="177" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0JHk1pfIB8vB9VfM55ypLBPcAbWYI2oi2CyTXyFvvl0gHNlcg_MephpTeC1tS6ErvQjz6zc2TLoDWbQqIEhvEuCryGQboTdkXJzMiO-BmDwVp0mJhPLcG-q7vZovgW4hDu_HHxn-SIu4/s400/Van.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Calgary:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb81UaCKuiaH3VPKgb4BwxnhAmQOST6PBfXdxXetWBIWY70HwKmSmK61yIqlqbDnO8fs0WZgXwp-VwuW25IVEycZ9HiGS5BnfIwElU9OujTrs-D6dIr08vsska9NOpy3Zq9oTxG9_G3nU/s1600/Cal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb81UaCKuiaH3VPKgb4BwxnhAmQOST6PBfXdxXetWBIWY70HwKmSmK61yIqlqbDnO8fs0WZgXwp-VwuW25IVEycZ9HiGS5BnfIwElU9OujTrs-D6dIr08vsska9NOpy3Zq9oTxG9_G3nU/s400/Cal.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Edmonton</span>:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoaAT4hOy2m3XFfI5ss4lekHwJ0v3wN0IppZBy176T6mVc7Izn5ZHS6ijpXzUXW00VaQgk57KAgT0oGkFJJZd3yn-24y1sLUjNrxYfXPnXYNZrrZdyhUO3mNeGByr1H8ECdqw7l5KTJIc/s1600/ED.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoaAT4hOy2m3XFfI5ss4lekHwJ0v3wN0IppZBy176T6mVc7Izn5ZHS6ijpXzUXW00VaQgk57KAgT0oGkFJJZd3yn-24y1sLUjNrxYfXPnXYNZrrZdyhUO3mNeGByr1H8ECdqw7l5KTJIc/s400/ED.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Winnipeg</span>:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTSGwMmTxsdQaGWCFZ4jXC8usG8jCEfNzhX0qpqYf89nkx-AOQx7sw7unf4VvgOIwOtqcFA0H3FnM6PkB69HJV0EWGnKySIlfTo4QCey_wZkRgf2DVrWkCJ59dk2_rbU_lH6KCgKdXEM8/s1600/WIN.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTSGwMmTxsdQaGWCFZ4jXC8usG8jCEfNzhX0qpqYf89nkx-AOQx7sw7unf4VvgOIwOtqcFA0H3FnM6PkB69HJV0EWGnKySIlfTo4QCey_wZkRgf2DVrWkCJ59dk2_rbU_lH6KCgKdXEM8/s400/WIN.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Toronto:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHjZECZ7AdIhun1MA4FawuAOXryIXBaP-SVeGRaqHTT4cYhQ66hEBzikHf_E4nIis1yPIj4RkSr_K-FOhyrocfW7_4Bg7vzz2vVw3U4DHYBBnzJnr7l_5NlEdXfYIA5fCA8TWqdkFd8J4/s1600/TO.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHjZECZ7AdIhun1MA4FawuAOXryIXBaP-SVeGRaqHTT4cYhQ66hEBzikHf_E4nIis1yPIj4RkSr_K-FOhyrocfW7_4Bg7vzz2vVw3U4DHYBBnzJnr7l_5NlEdXfYIA5fCA8TWqdkFd8J4/s400/TO.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Ottawa:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_w8UTrN33re8FMwYpj_zOMnRs9SQubROQkVltIazFNvM2-I8JMgsFV32PMk2wbjDrC0IFR2iyvwuZPRbIMj1SiTSPR6wJVpdMxZFpAM62H8PH90q-0vVQ8OTsU49dol6Cp4-5sulaONs/s1600/OTT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_w8UTrN33re8FMwYpj_zOMnRs9SQubROQkVltIazFNvM2-I8JMgsFV32PMk2wbjDrC0IFR2iyvwuZPRbIMj1SiTSPR6wJVpdMxZFpAM62H8PH90q-0vVQ8OTsU49dol6Cp4-5sulaONs/s400/OTT.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The results are clear. The CBC Radio Two programming changes have been a spectacular failure, in spite of repeated protestations from CBC management that the new programming would "find it's audience". The audience was never found, and listeners have abandoned CBC Radio in droves.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>James Wootenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11932289702872433813noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5162738000034202372.post-10856573285105646642016-06-12T13:53:00.001-04:002016-07-26T09:21:33.749-04:00My very brief guide to Sirius satellite radio<br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">If, like me, you are searching for an alternative to the old CBC Radio Two and prefer not to listen to classical music streamed over the internet, then Sirius/XM satellite radio may be for you.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">This is intended to be a very brief explanation of how to start listening to Sirius/XM satellite radio. There's probably more detailed descriptions to be found elsewhere.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">First, purchase a Sirius/XM satellite radio unit. In Canada, you can find them at Best Buy, among other stores:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">There are other models and other stores. The one above is just one example. Find it on Best Buy's web site <a href="http://www.bestbuy.ca/en-CA/product/siriusxm-siriusxm-stratus-6-radio-service-bundle-sv6ak1-sv6ak1/10370226.aspx?path=acf142e364107f6a93b73178953c5431en02" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Once you have purchased the SiriusXM receiver you will have to subscribe to the service. This is easily done by telephone, for periods of 6 months or longer.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Next you will require a home receiver kit. This can also be purchased from Best Buy, among other stores.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The home antenna kit can be found on Best Buy's web site <a href="http://www.bestbuy.ca/en-CA/product/siriusxm-siriusxm-xm-universal-home-kit-sxdh3kc-sxdh3kc/10322889.aspx?path=736a21ab9798c5b670506c0376a069e0en02" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Once your service is activated, all that you have to do is place the antenna on a window sill and connect it to the home kit base, plug the SiriusXM receiver into the home kit base and plug the base into a wall plug.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Tune your radio to an empty frequency (e.g. one with much static, and no overlap with other radio stations) and tune the SiriusXM transmitter frequency to the same frequency as your radio. You will have access to all of the stations on SiriusXM via your radio.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">If you do not get good reception using the indoor antenna that comes with the home kit, then you can purchase an outdoor antenna and mount it to your rooftop or other location outside the house. You can find the outdoor antenna <a href="http://www.crutchfield.com/S-DqSR6zsyxeW/p_220SXHA1/SiriusXM-SXHA1.html" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">If you want to add more SiriusXM receivers to your home and use the single outdoor antenna, SiriuxXM offers a repeater unit that will broadcast the signal received from the antenna to your various SiriusXM receiver units within your house.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">It's out of stock at SiriusXM at the time of writing, but you can also found it on Amazon.ca. Here is the link on SiriusXM site: <a href="https://shop.siriusxm.com/support/signal-repeater.html" target="_blank">link</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">With SiriusXM you can listen to Symphony Hall (all classical), the opera channel as well as the BBC, among the hundreds of other channels offered by SiriusXM.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">If you are buying a new car, I highly recommend that you purchase a built-in SiriusXM radio as an option on the new car. You will never have to fiddle with the radio stations again as you drive on long trips!</span>James Wootenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11932289702872433813noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5162738000034202372.post-66819034337129810082015-12-12T14:54:00.000-05:002015-12-12T14:54:23.893-05:00CBC Radio will broadcast Euroradio's "Joy to the World" special program on Sunday, Dec. 20 2015One of the few remaining reasons to listen to CBC Radio 2 is the annual broadcast on Euroradio's "Joy to the World" program in the weeks leading up to Christmas.<br />
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Further details to be released by the CBC on December 17.<br />
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Remember when you enjoyed listening to CBC Radio 2 every day, all year around, not just one day per year?<br />
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<br />James Wootenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11932289702872433813noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5162738000034202372.post-21270325828948983732015-04-24T18:37:00.001-04:002015-04-24T18:45:40.298-04:00Jurgen Gothe, former host of "Disc Drive", dead at the age of 71<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Jurgen Gothe was the comfortable, quirky host of CBC’s DiscDrive</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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ROD MICKLEBURGH<o:p></o:p></div>
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Special to The Globe and Mail<o:p></o:p></div>
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Published Wednesday, Apr. 22 2015, 8:17 PM EDT<o:p></o:p></div>
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Last updated Thursday, Apr. 23 2015, 2:04 PM EDT</div>
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There were the cats, the Willis Point Fire Department, much Mozart, and
there was Jurgen Gothe, the comfortable, conversational host of an eclectic mix
of music and often-quirky chat that made him an unlikely national figure and
his show DiscDrive a long-running institution on CBC Stereo (which became Radio
2).<o:p></o:p></div>
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For three hours each weekday afternoon, from “scenic, subterranean
Studio 20” in the depths of CBC’s concrete bunker of a building in Vancouver,
Mr. Gothe’s mellifluous voice would coax commuters home and soothe their
jangled nerves, while charming those at home. He was helped by musical
selections that went well beyond classical to dip into jazz, pop, New Age,
bluegrass and, on occasion, obscure, side-splitting cuts such as Don’t Fence Me
In, rendered by a pair of cowboy-hatted East Germans named Hein & Oss.<o:p></o:p></div>
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But it was really Mr. Gothe who made DiscDrive what it was.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Launched in 1985, at a time when classical music at CBC was serious
business, the preserve of announcers intoning gravely about rondos and sonatas
in E major, DiscDrive was revolutionary. Mr. Gothe chatted convivially about
the music and anything else that popped into his active mind. He seemed
engaged, hip to the world outside, someone you might want to share a glass of
wine with. And Mr. Gothe did know his wine.<o:p></o:p></div>
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His personable, knowledgeable columns on food and particularly wine
were regular features of numerous newspapers and magazines for years. For
someone who projected such an urbane, laid-back persona over the air, Mr. Gothe
had tremendous energy. He ran a corporate communications business, wrote books,
cooked up a storm, pounded out columns, and dabbled in unpublished, trashy
mystery novels. He also penned a Monty Pythonesque, six-part radio series about
the adventures of a fictitious Mozart named Wolfie Amadeus and a cast of characters
hanging out at a pub in Vienna known as The Dog and Trombone. It remains a
much-loved cult classic.<o:p></o:p></div>
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But what rocketed him to cross-country prominence was DiscDrive. With
half a million regular listeners across the country, the program soon had the
highest ratings of any radio show on CBC’s FM network. In Vancouver, DiscDrive
topped most private AM offerings, too. It dominated Canada’s FM airways until
2008, when CBC brass abruptly cancelled the show after 23 years, as part of the
network’s controversial makeover to attract a younger demographic.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Mr. Gothe, who died of cancer on April 9, a few days after turning 71,
was an unlikely choice to front a show on CBC. A high school dropout, he had
spent much of his working life in private radio on the advertising side, where
his talent for writing clear, sometimes funny commercials brought him steady
employment. He had made only sporadic appearances on air, reviewing wines and
cultural events. One of his reviews nearly sparked a riot at Vancouver’s Schnitzel
House, which sponsored the arts roundup. When Mr. Gothe panned the film Battle
of Britain and the bomber jackets worn by a number of RAF veterans who had
attended the movie premiere, the flyboys took offence. They went down to the
Schnitzel House, threatening to dismantle the German restaurant’s furniture,
before peace was eventually reached .<o:p></o:p></div>
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Meanwhile, Mr. Gothe had been acquiring an encyclopaedic knowledge of
recordings, cramming his living space with thousands of albums. He first got
his foot in the door at CBC in 1984, contracted to host Front Row, a
straightforward Sunday afternoon concert series. A year later, CBC producer Tom
Deacon was looking for someone with the gift of intelligent gab to preside over
an innovative new FM show based in Vancouver, aimed at a drive-home audience
with little interest in long symphonies. The aim was to relax FM’s traditional
format and make highbrow music more accessible. Hired after a brief audition,
Mr. Gothe made the show his own. “It needed a certain personality to carry it
off, and Jurgen was the right man for the job from the get-go,” long-time
producer Janet Lea said.<o:p></o:p></div>
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To the consternation of CBC producers in Toronto, Mr. Gothe worked
without a script. He told stories, not all of which were true. He interjected
whimsy on the fly, imagining at one point a Vivaldi Works factory churning out
Vivaldi pieces by assembly line. The credits at the end of the week regularly
included a nod by Mr. Gothe to the Willis Point Fire Department, a volunteer
brigade for the small enclave outside Victoria where he used to live.<o:p></o:p></div>
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And there was his succession of cats. Mr. Gothe talked frequently about
them on air. There was Quincy, after whom he named his consulting company.
There was Fred. When Fred died, Mr. Gothe commissioned a commemorative piece
from Seattle composer Alan Hovhaness, titled Fred the Cat Flies to Heaven. But
most of all, there was Herbie. He became such a part of DiscDrive that its
annual list of best recordings were known as the Herbie Awards. On Herbie’s
death, the final hour of the show was turned over to music the dead cat might
have appreciated.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The abundance of chatty hosts on CBC Radio’s FM network today owes much
to the trailblazing of Mr. Gothe and DiscDrive. Before that, said CBC
personality Shelagh Rogers, “most CBC music shows were good for you, like
All-Bran. With Jurgen, there was fun. Deep fun.” But DiscDrive was not A
Prairie Home Companion. It was still a show of satisfying music, which was not
always to Mr. Gothe’s own liking. Once, after listening to Andrea Bocelli
perform his hit Con te partiro, Mr. Gothe moved in close to the mike and
observed: “Ahh, the wonderful sound of money.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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Mr. Gothe was highly regarded south of the border. Many NPR stations
picked up DiscDrive, and he won the Gold Medal at the New York International
Radio Festival an unprecedented three times as best network radio personality.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Mr. Gothe was born in Berlin on April 4, 1944, or 4-4-44 as he liked to
tell people. The elder of two children born to Charlotte and Walter, a baker
who survived a stint as a medic on the Russian Front, he grew up in a city
devastated by bombing and postwar hardships. But it was there that young Jurgen
first experienced radio, performing as a child actor and singer on a Berlin
kids show on an American-financed station in the divided city. Seeking a better
life, the Gothes moved to Canada in 1954.<o:p></o:p></div>
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They landed in Medicine Hat. Despite the shock of going from urban
Berlin to prairie Alberta, Mr. Gothe made the best of his new surroundings. A
precocious teenager, he acted in community theatre, set up a basement gathering
place called The Ember for the small city’s few young hipsters, and, at 15,
wangled a late night, one-hour gig playing jazz records on “the voice of the
Gas City,” radio station CHAT. “He was Medicine Hat’s avant-garde man,” former
station employee Wayne Craven told the local newspaper. “I didn’t think he’d be
in Medicine Hat very long.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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Indeed, Mr. Gothe was bored and restless by the time he hit Grade 10.
Figuring he could learn far more on his own, he quit school. After working
briefly for the Medicine Hat Brick and Tile Co., he lit out for Manitoba and a
series of odd jobs, including pumping gas. By 18, he was in Vancouver, looking
for radio work. He was soon hired by CHQM, a popular easy listening station
that Time magazine once called “probably the best private radio station in
North America.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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Meanwhile, he was building a record collection of classic proportions
and becoming a sophisticated, self-taught connoisseur of wine and food. He
loved celebrating good wines, while purposefully puncturing the snobbery that
often shrouded the wine world. His final wine column, written last August for
The Georgia Straight, was a typical ratings roundup of decent wines under $20 a
bottle. “Ordinary people don’t taste wine,” he once said. “They drink it.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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Mr. Gothe bounced around several radio stations from Victoria to the
Okanagan before making it big at CBC, but mostly, he was at CHQM, working his
way from ad writer to music librarian to copy chief. There were also tenures at
various ad agencies around town. Mr. Gothe’s talent and creative, offbeat way
of looking at the world never left him short of employment.<o:p></o:p></div>
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At home, Mr. Gothe liked to throw dinner parties, usually doing all the
cooking and washing up himself. An early fan of Monty Python, he invited the
wacky troupe to his house on their first trip to Vancouver for a memorable
all-nighter.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Mr. Gothe had several long-term relationships, including a marriage to
fashion designer Marilyn Janis that ended in divorce, before meeting Victoria
photographer Kate Williams on a blind date. They married a year later, in 1991.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Known for his private reserve, Mr. Gothe was caught off guard by the
long-running public spotlight that came with the success of DiscDrive. Yet he
came to enjoy his interaction with audiences when the show toured across the
country and occasionally south of the border, talking affably to thrilled
listeners between cuts of music.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Throughout most of DiscDrive’s lengthy run, Mr. Gothe would grouse to
close friends that he would do one more year then retire to the Gulf Islands
and write mysteries. But when the end came after 23 years, he was bitter at
being cut loose so close to the show’s 25th anniversary. He agreed to do a
one-hour Sunday afternoon program called Farrago, featuring his favourite CDs.
It lasted but a year. “Nobody’s heart was in it,” Ms. Lea said.<o:p></o:p></div>
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After leaving the CBC, Mr. Gothe kept busy parlaying his extensive
epicurean experiences into teaching, consulting, judging and just plain tasting
of the wine and food he enjoyed so much. Few mourned his passing more than
those in the now celebrated B.C. wine industry. Mr. Gothe had supported and
encouraged the industry from its early days, when tasting many B.C. wines was
considered, in the words of fellow oenophile Anthony Gismondi, “a painful
experience.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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Mr. Gothe was an original throughout his life, said former CHQM
executive Lyndon Grove, who had watched him mature from an 18-year-old hopeful
to the gifted force he became. “He always had this great sense of confidence,”
Mr. Grove said. “He was just there, ready for the world to catch up.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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Mr. Gothe leaves his wife, Kate; stepdaughter, Colette; brother, Peter;
nephew, Jordan; and niece, Kelsey.</div>
James Wootenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11932289702872433813noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5162738000034202372.post-41837903562877715652015-02-22T09:52:00.001-05:002015-02-22T09:53:00.762-05:00Tom Mulcair on the CBC<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Listen to Tom Mulcair's views on reviving the CBC from the Sunday, February 15 2015 edition of "The Sunday Edition":</span><br />
<br />
<a href="http://tom%20mulcair%20on%20the%20cbc/" target="_blank">Tom Mulcair on the CBC</a><br />
<br />
<br />James Wootenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11932289702872433813noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5162738000034202372.post-74023606576999036932015-02-08T11:21:00.004-05:002015-02-22T09:54:11.384-05:00The Liberal Party of Canada's vision for the CBC - Stéphane Dion<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">From the Sunday February 1st edition of "The Sunday Report" on CBC Radio One:</span><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.cbc.ca/radio_template_2012/audiopop.html?autoPlay=true&clipIds=2651074004" target="_blank">Listen to the episode here.</a><br />
<br />James Wootenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11932289702872433813noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5162738000034202372.post-72391730526517287112015-01-08T13:39:00.000-05:002015-01-11T15:41:07.864-05:00The latest survey of CBC Radio 2 market share - not so good, eh?<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you have been following the intermittent posts of this
blog then you will know that we analyze the market share of CBC Radio 2
stations from time to time. We use the data provided by “Numeris” (formerly the
Bureau of Broadcast Measurement, or “BBM”) to compare the audience share of CBC
Radio 2 stations to 2007, just before the CBC embarked on their disastrous
attempt to revamp the CBC Radio 2 programming. The BBM survey that measured the
radio audience in various Canadian cities before the CBC made their changes to
CBC Radio 2 was termed S1 2007; i.e. the first survey of 2007.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The rationale for this comparison is we want to perform an
apples-to-apples comparison. How much did the CBC Radio 2 audience increase (or
decrease) after the changes were made? The only way to do that is to compare
the current CBC Radio 2 audience with that that existed in 2007, before the
changes were made.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The latest survey available from Numeris is the survey
spanning the period Sept. 1 2014 – November 30 2014. To be consistent with
previous terminology from Numeris we call this survey S3 2014; i.e. the third
survey for 2014. Note that these surveys use PPM data. “PPM” is an abbreviation
for “Portable People Meter”. Ottawa and Winnipeg are not included in the S3
2014 survey since these cities are still surveyed using Radio Diary data.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So, onto the results. In spite of an increase in the total
radio listening audience in Montreal by 4% since S1 2007, the audience share
for CBC Radio 2 has declined by a whopping 42.1%. Not good.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In Toronto the total radio audience has declined 14.5%. CBC Radio
2 has declined 33.9%. Not good either.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In Vancouver the total radio audience has declined 18.5%.
The audience for CBC Radio 2 has declined 52.9%. Even worse.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In Calgary the total radio audience has declined 16.6%. The
audience for CBC Radio 2 has dropped 49.5%.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In Edmonton the total radio audience has declined 13.3%. The
audience for CBC Radio 2 has fallen 62.0%.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In summary, the total radio market in these cities has
declined by 12.5% since S1 2007. Yet the market share for CBC Radio 2 stations
in these cities has declined by 39.5%, or a total of 280,500 listeners.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">280,500 listeners can’t all be wrong.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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James Wootenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11932289702872433813noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5162738000034202372.post-45882610935886685992014-06-04T18:12:00.000-04:002014-06-04T18:12:35.855-04:00The CBC Survey on the future of the CBC<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The CBC is conducting a survey of its viewers and listeners concerning the future of the CBC. You can find the survey<a href="http://www.cbc.radio-canada.ca/en/explore/strategies/survey/" target="_blank"> here</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I suspect the CBC is paying lip service to the concept of soliciting the opinions of the viewers and listeners. I suspect they've made up their small, feeble little minds about what they intend to do already. But if you want to participate in the survey, go right ahead.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Just to give you some idea of what to expect, here are the survey questions:</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Q1: In your opinion, how important is it for Canada to have a national public broadcaster like CBC/Radio-Canada?</span><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Very important</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Important</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Somewhat important</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Not important at all</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<i style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">The broadcasting landscape has changed significantly over the last decade, with media convergence (merging media companies and merging media technologies), the proliferation of new technologies, the availability of more content choices than ever before, and more ways of having access to content.</i><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Q2: Considering these changes, in your view is it now more important or less important for Canada to have a national public broadcaster in the future?</span><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Much more important</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Somewhat more important</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">No more or less important</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Somewhat less important</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Much less important</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i>Conventional television is changing. Across the industry advertising is moving from over-the-air television to specialty channels and digital. Finding a viable, economic model for local television is particularly challenging for all broadcasters.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Q3: Looking towards 2020, what services do you think CBC/Radio-Canada should continue to provide in the regions?</span><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">CBC/Radio-Canada should continue to provide local television, online and radio services in the regions.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">CBC/Radio-Canada should drop its local television service in some regions, but continue local radio and online coverage.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">CBC/Radio-Canada should provide the services which are most appropriate to a region, whether they be online, radio, television, or a combination of all or some.</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><i>Many Canadians are consuming news online and on mobile devices now, and consumer trends suggest that by 2020, more will consume it that way, rather than via conventional television or radio.</i></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Q4: Looking towards 2020, would you prefer to receive news in the form of traditional long-form newscasts or online short-form content?</span><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Traditional newscasts on conventional media.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Online short-form content.</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<i style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Over 70% of music listening in Canada is currently via radio, but there is a downward trend in conventional radio and a move towards consuming music online.</i><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Q5: Looking towards 2020, if you had a choice about how you would consume music, would you prefer online distribution or traditional over-the-air radio?</span><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Online music.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Music via radio.</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><i>Children are increasingly consuming television content online.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Q6: Looking towards 2020, do you think that our children’s programming should remain on conventional television or be available online only?</span><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Keep it on the conventional television service.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Move all children’s programming online.</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><i>Some consumers enjoy watching television that is delivered over the Internet (called Over-the-Top Television, or OTT). Two examples of this are Netflix and ICI Tou.tv. This “television” content can be viewed on a computer, smartphone, tablet, or an Internet-connected television set.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Q7: In 2020, how would you like to receive your television content?</span><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Online through services like Netflix or ICI Tou.tv.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">On conventional television channels as we have now.</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><i>Of 18 Western countries, Canada is the third-lowest in terms of per-capita public funding for their public broadcaster. Currently, Canadians pay just $29 for our combined services annually, while the average for the 18 countries is $82.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Q8: As a taxpayer, would you be willing to pay</span><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">More than $29 a year?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Less than $29 a year?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">The same amount: $29 a year?</span></li>
</ul>
<div>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The final question was a request for "any other comments". Here is the comment that I submitted:</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">It's commendable that the CBC is soliciting the opinions of viewers and listeners, but this initiative has come far, far too late. In 2007 the CBC constantly referred to the infamous "arts and culture" survey in justifying the decision to revamp the CBC Radio 2 programming, yet refused to release the results of the survey, holding on to it with a Kremlin-like grip that should have astonished members of the public. In the face of public opposition to these programming changes the CBC persisted in driving ahead with bull-dog like obstinacy, only to watch CBC Radio 2 listenership decline. So, having already destroyed CBC Radio 2, is it any wonder that we, the viewers and listeners of CBC radio and television, should have no confidence in the ability of CBC management to steer the CBC ship through choppy waters of future changes in the broadcasting ocean?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Note the use of leading descriptions prior to the actual question of the survey. Such as:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<i style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Of 18 Western countries, Canada is the third-lowest in terms of per-capita public funding for their public broadcaster. Currently, Canadians pay just $29 for our combined services annually, while the average for the 18 countries is $82.</i><br />
<i style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></i>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">After reading this little blurb, of course people are going to choose "More than $29 a year?"! Who wants to be a piker in the world of international broadcasting? But, the survey is what it is. Have fun!</span>James Wootenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11932289702872433813noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5162738000034202372.post-71740511168109453652014-04-21T13:21:00.001-04:002014-04-21T13:22:26.293-04:00Globe and Mail article on the CBC by Konrad Yakabuski April 21 2014<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">From The Globe and Mail, </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Monday April 21 2014</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><b>No, the CBC’s not cool. Nor should it be</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">KONRAD YAKABUSKI<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: x-small;">The Globe and Mail<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Published Monday, Apr. 21 2014, 6:00 AM EDT</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">“Well, here we are again,” a wistful CBC president Hubert
Lacroix began as he outlined the latest round of cuts – $130-million and 657
jobs in all – to afflict the national public broadcaster. And off we’ve gone
again into another round of CBC-bashing and rehashing the network’s many
failings.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">It must be alternately infuriating and demoralizing to work
for the CBC. The English-language television broadcaster gets zero public
praise. Everyone’s a critic and the private media seem out to delegitimize your
very existence. But that’s what you sign up for when you take a job at an
institution Canadians not only own, but delight in “reimagining.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">It would all be easier if the broadcaster’s leaders, past
and present, weren’t still stuck in some alternate reality, deluded by visions
of grandeur and budget envy. They think that, if only Canadians funded their
public network the way the British and French fund theirs, the CBC could be all
things to all people and ne’er a disparaging word would be heard. In other
words, it’s not their fault; it’s ours.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">“The CBC, despite the fact that it faces arguably the
largest cultural challenge, is the worst financed public broadcaster,” the
network’s former head of English services, Richard Stursberg, told a Senate
committee this month. “I don’t see any reason why a CBC that is properly
focused and properly funded can’t compete.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">The first problem with this idea is that it completely
ignores the circumstances in which overseas public broadcasters operate. The
British Broadcasting Corp. and France Télévisions are empires under siege, but
they are still empires. They have built up powerful political constituencies
and set up countless sister networks, on multiple platforms, precisely to keep
private competitors out of their space. They face nowhere near the same direct
threat from American fare as the English CBC does, and have been able to shape
and satisfy public expectations as a result.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">The second problem with Mr. Stursberg’s analysis is that it
assumes the CBC’s mission is to “compete.” He is hardly alone in thinking that
the CBC must chase ratings. That mindset prevails all the way up the food
chain. “It is declining viewership that is causing their challenges,” a
spokeswoman for Heritage Minister Shelley Glover told Sun News. “It is up to
the CBC to provide programming that Canadians actually want to watch.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">With Ottawa sending that message, it’s little wonder
programmers fear that the failure to boost ratings will only give politicians
further ammunition to cut their funding. So, next season, Canadians will be
treated to Schitt’s Creek and Strange Empire as a CBC desperate to create any
buzz it can risks taxpayer money on an “edgier” lineup designed to attract a
younger demographic.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Hopeless. It’s not the occasional popular “hit” that is
going to make the CBC viable and necessary. It does not have the means or the
talent pool to deliver consistently high-quality dramas or comedies that can
lure English Canadians back from their constantly improving American
favourites.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">The CBC claims a share of English TV ratings of about 8 per
cent. Without pro hockey, which it will soon lose, the share may be half that.
Its comparative advantages lie elsewhere, in public affairs programming that
actually reflects the country we live in, not some programmer’s fantasy world.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Thankfully, someone at the CBC gets it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">The same day Mr. Lacroix announced his cuts, the CBC
broadcast, in prime time, an in-house documentary that purported to solve the
mystery of the Bell of Batoche, a 130-year-old symbol of Métis pride. It
encapsulated the history of the North-West Rebellion, Louis Riel and the very
reason 19,000 francophones still live in Saskatchewan. These are stories we
should all know to appreciate the country we have become. It’s an illustration
of the CBC actually fulfilling its mandate, for a change.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">It may not be as “cool” as some self-anointed fixers would
like. But I shudder at the thought of what a CBC that tries to be any cooler
than George Stroumboulopoulos would look like. The ultimate arbiters of cool
will never be impressed because cool, by definition, is ephemeral.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Ephemeral is the opposite of what the CBC needs. It needs
stable funding, of course. But it also needs managers committed to public
broadcasting, rather than imitating entertainment networks in the hopes of
landing a better job at one of them. Frankly, it needs to gets serious.</span>James Wootenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11932289702872433813noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5162738000034202372.post-86633386583062404002014-01-17T14:43:00.002-05:002014-01-17T14:43:49.330-05:00Friday afternoon, once again ... and "Canada Live" is still being inflicted upon unwary Canadians<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It still remains a mystery to me why the good folks at CBC would think we want to hear mediocre, whining performers on CBC Radio One at 2:00 PM on Friday afternoon. If we wanted to hear mediocre, whining performers then we would tune in to CBC Radio Two, wouldn't we?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It is now 2:42 PM on Friday, January 17 as I write this. And I wish something worth listening to was on CBC Radio One.</span>James Wootenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11932289702872433813noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5162738000034202372.post-78382556003404923472013-12-13T15:02:00.001-05:002013-12-13T15:03:49.582-05:00Do we really need (or want) "Canada Live" on CBC Radio 1?<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Many of us are Radio 2 refugees. What is a “Radio 2 refugee”,
you might ask? Well, I’ll tell you. It is a former listener of Radio 2 who has
had to turn to other radio stations for their daily classical music fix.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I discussed alternatives to CBC Radio 2 in other posts. I
did not mention in those posts, however, my almost traitorous decision to start
listening to CBC Radio 1. Yes, I am a recidivist CBC radio listener.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I listen to CBC Radio 1 in the car, while working in my
basement workshop, while painting walls. Any place where I require radio
entertainment.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Yet I notice recently that the boys and girls in short pants
that ruined Radio 2 seem to be trying to work their magic on Radio 1. What,
specifically, am I referring to? Funny you should ask. It’s “Canada Live”.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">“Canada Live” was first introduced on Radio 2 to replace “In
Performance”, if I recall correctly, in 2007. Who was the bright light at the
CBC who decided that what Canadians really, really wanted was to listen to
mediocre performers performing across Canada, live and in performance? Well,
not live, really. Recorded. But they were live when performing. We think.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Now the CBC, in its infinite wisdom, has decided that what CBC
Radio 1 listeners really, really, REALLY want is to listen to mediocre
performers performing … well, you know what I’m going to say next. Yes, CBC
Radio 1 now has “Canada Live” on its schedule at 2:00 PM on Friday afternoons.
Why? Why, I ask? Did I ask for this? Did you ask for this? Wouldn’t you really
rather have another segment of “Ideas”? Or, God forbid, at least another
episode of “Rewind”? But no. You have to listen to “Canada Live”. And if you’re
not willing to listen to it on CBC Radio 2, well then, by God, you will damn
well listen to it on Radio 1!</span></div>
James Wootenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11932289702872433813noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5162738000034202372.post-66554433555993831782013-12-07T10:55:00.001-05:002013-12-07T10:55:52.727-05:00"Joy to the World", the annual broadcast from the European Radio Union, Dec. 22 2013<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">One of the few remaining quality broadcasts remaining on CBC Radio 2 is "Joy to the World", the annual broadcast from the European Radio Union of Christmas music.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This year the broadcast is on December 22 2013, beginning at 9:00 AM.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I notice in the spirit of modern-day political correctness, the CBC does not refer to this broadcast as being one of "Christmas" music; instead, it is "holiday music" for the "holiday season". Sigh. One wonders how much longer this musical tradition will endure until the boys and girls in short pants who run the CBC decide that such a program is not sufficiently "inclusive".</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Sunday, Dec. 22</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>9 a.m.: Vatroslav Lisinski Concert Hall, Zagreb, Croatia</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Your morning begins with the Croatian Radio and Television Symphony Orchestra and conductor Tonči Bilić in the nation’s capital city. They’ll perform Ottorino Respighi’s Gli Uccelli (The Birds) before being joined by the Croatian Radio and Television Chorus and soloists for a performance of J.S. Bach’s glorious Magnificat.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>10 a.m.: St. Martin in the Wall Church, Prague, Czech Republic</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Czech baroque specialists Ensemble Inégal give a concert dedicated to the music of Bohemian composer Samuel Capricornus. Known for his vast output and short life, Capricornus is one of the most important composers of the 17th century. Ensemble Inégal, led by Adam Viktora, is giving the world premiere on period instruments of Capricornus’s Missa Nativitatis Domini.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>11 a.m.: Béla Bartók National Concert Hall, Budapest, Hungary</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On Mahler’s copy of the score for Bruckner’s Te Deum, he scratched out "for chorus, solos, orchestra and organ ad libitum" and wrote "for the tongues of angels, heaven-blest, chastened hearts and souls purified in the fire!" Hungarian Radio Chorus and Symphony Orchestra join together to perform this jubilant work under conductor Gregory Vajda. The performance continues with the scherzo from Bruckner’s Symphony No. 1 and concludes with evocative music from Hungarian composer Miklós Kocsár entitled O wunderbare geheimnisvolle Nacht.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Noon: Barbican Hall, London, England</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The hectic streets outside London’s Barbican Concert Hall are packed with last-minute shoppers, but we’ll travel inside the hall for Hector Berlioz’s reflective and luminous retelling of the Christmas story. The BBC Symphony Orchestra and Chorus are led by François-Xavier Roth and joined by Trinity Laban Chamber Choir and four soloists for Berlioz’s L’enfance du Christ oratorio.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>1:45 p.m.: Blauwe Zaal, deSingel, Antwerp, Belgium</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Enjoy an all-Bach program from Belgium, with festive music from the Ricercar Consort and soloists led by Philippe Pierlot. You’ll hear two less famous Christmas cantatas by Bach. The icing on the cake is the bombastic and exuberant opening from a third cantata, which features dazzling timpani and trumpets.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>3 p.m.: Kallio Church, Helsinki, Finland</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It’s off to the heart of the Finnish capital for the eight-voiced Lumen Valo. They’ll be performing unaccompanied music from the Middle Ages right through to present day. Included on the program is music by Gabrieli, Palestrina, Praetorius and a new Christmas carol by composer Matthew Whittall, who came to Finland from Canada some 10 years ago.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>4 p.m.: Studio 1, Bayerischer Rundfunk, Munich, Germany</b> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Bavarian Radio Chorus and members of the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra and the Munich Radio Orchestra bring you two sacred choral works with orchestra: Ceremony of Carols by Benjamin Britten, preceded by Lauda per la natività del Signore by Ottorino Respighi. The performance will conclude with a rousing chorale by J.S. Bach.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>5 p.m.: Church of St. Andrew and St. Paul, Montreal, Que.</b> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A wildly popular Montreal tradition since 1980, the annual CBC Sing-In celebrates the season with your favourite Christmas tunes performed by the Choir of the Church of St. Andrew and St. Paul, the Sing-In Brass, organist Jonathan Oldengarm, conductor Jordan de Souza and more than 1,500 carollers singing along.</span>James Wootenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11932289702872433813noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5162738000034202372.post-58118428027203107542013-12-04T09:02:00.004-05:002013-12-09T10:41:48.719-05:00A Globe and Mail editorial on the CBC.<h2>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">The CBC: What’s it good for, without hockey?</span></h2>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">The Globe and Mail</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Published Friday, Nov. 29 2013, 7:30 PM EST</span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">In the beginning was The Hockey. And The Hockey was with the CBC. And The Hockey was the CBC.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">This week’s news that Rogers Communications will pay $5.2-billion for the main National Hockey League programming rights for the next 12 years, displacing the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, marks the loss of the CBC’s most popular program. Hockey Night in Canada is one of the CBC’s biggest money-makers, and also one of its biggest expenses. Under the terms of the Rogers deal, CBC will continue to carry HNIC for the next four years, but Rogers is essentially just borrowing the public broadcaster’s airwaves. Rogers will pay the bills, have creative control – and keep the revenue. CBC head Hubert Lacroix put on a brave face, but he and almost everyone else who weighed in sounded as if they believed this is a crushing defeat for the corporation, and possibly a fatal one.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">It is not. Losing hockey is the best thing that could have happened to the CBC. A national institution that long ago lost its way has been given the chance – possibly its last chance – to find its soul. NHL hockey, the most popular pastime in this country, doesn’t need the CBC. And the CBC, if it’s to be what a public broadcaster should be, doesn’t need the NHL.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">If the CBC did not exist, would we create it? And to do what?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">The strongest argument for the CBC goes something like this: There are some public goods that the free market will not deliver, or will not deliver well enough, and so we create public institutions to do the job. Think of museums, libraries and parks. These would be very different without public support, and in some cases they might not exist at all. There’s a compelling logic to taxpayer backing for the National Gallery of Canada or the Canadian War Museum, or hundreds of other cultural institutions and historical sites. The CBC is, in part, such an institution.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">But what about the things that if we were designing a public broadcaster from scratch, we wouldn’t want it doing? Consider the following hypothetical: Should taxpayer dollars be spent building a national network of cinemas showing the latest Hollywood movies? The private sector already does a pretty good job of running multiplexes.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">And yet the CBC has often seen the television equivalent as a core part of its mandate. Popular American programs already filling the private airwaves – Jeopardy, Wheel of Fortune, reruns of situation comedies like The Simpsons, and lots of Hollywood movies – became a network staple. And hockey? Oh yes, and hockey.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Hockey is just about the most stereotypically Canadian thing you can put on television. It’s also the most popular. That’s not an argument in favour of hockey on the CBC – on the contrary, it’s the best argument against it. That Rogers was willing to pay $5.2-billion for the rights testifies to the fact that NHL hockey is a ridiculously successful business, and putting those games on the nation’s screens is the most competitive, in-demand entertainment in the country. If the CBC didn’t exist, there would still be NHL hockey on TV; in fact, Rogers appears to be intent on showing far more hours of hockey, on more platforms, than the CBC ever did. The market works! NHL hockey needs a taxpayer-supported public broadcaster like a fish needs a goalie mask.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Hockey reveals what should have been obvious all along: Popular programming doesn’t need taxpayer support. We don’t need a CBC to compete with the private sector. We need a CBC that goes where the private sector isn’t, doing important things that are necessary but may be less popular.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Consider arts and cultural programming – something that CBC television used to do a lot more of, and then in recent years stepped back from. Or educational and children’s programming. Documentaries. Regional programming. Producing intellectually ambitious Canadian dramas and movies. CBC TV has, in recent years, overwhelmingly focused its efforts on competing with private broadcasters, going down-market, and aiming the same sorts of programs at the same audience. The strategy is an expensive dead end.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">And as part of the quest to bring in more money, the CBC has also introduced advertising to radio. Over time, that step will likely push the often excellent CBC Radio One and 2 into making programming decisions that ape the moves of private broadcasters – just like the considerably less excellent CBC TV.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">So here’s a radical proposal to ensure that the CBC retains the spirit of a public broadcaster: Get rid of advertising. No ads on radio, no ads on TV, no ads on the website.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">The bulk of the CBC’s funding already comes from the taxpayer: Last year, it received a subsidy of $1.1-billion from the federal government. Only $330-million of the corporation’s revenues came from advertising. And yet the chase for dollars consumes the CBC’s energies, generates new expenses and compels it to produce programs that shouldn’t be on a public network, undermining its public-service mission.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">The CBC needs a rethink. Rogers and the NHL did it, and us, a favour. What if it stopped being a public broadcaster with private tendencies and became instead a pure public service? The CBC’s most recent annual report is titled “Challenging the Status Quo.” If only it would.</span>James Wootenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11932289702872433813noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5162738000034202372.post-59140805655409410852013-06-12T10:29:00.001-04:002013-06-12T10:34:11.005-04:00The Radio-Canada "Ici" controversy: Why all the surprise?<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The latest controversy to engulf the beleaguered CBC is the “Ici”
debacle. For those who haven’t been following this soap opera, the CBC
announced on June 5 2013 that the French radio news and broadcasting arm of the
CBC would be re-named “Ici Première”, replacing the venerable “Radio-Canada”.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Alarmists nation-wide saw this as the work of <i>péquistes</i>
within the French-language CBC to distance the French-language service from
Canada. A firestorm of controversy ensued. A mere five days later, the President
and CEO of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, Hubert Lacroix, apologized to
the nation and announced that the CBC was reversing its decision to rename the
French-language service. Instead, the radio service will be called “Ici
Radio-Canada Première” and the television service will be called “Ici
Radio-Canada Télé”. Once again, the nation has been saved!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The only surprising thing about this minor episode in the
life of the CBC is that anyone was surprised. The CBC has an unfortunate
history of imposing decisions on an unsuspecting public who, after all, are the
owners of the CBC. An unfortunate history that goes all the way back to the
summer of 2006 when the CBC, in a stealth attack on the CBC radio audience that
even a hardened terrorist could appreciate, replaced the Friday evening
broadcast of “In Performance” with a mish-mash of unlistenable pop/folk/country/rock/hip-hop concerts. One might have thought that this was
just a summer-time replacement, a bit of vacation for Eric Friesen, the host of
“In Performance” at the time. But no, it was the sly method of the CBC of
imposing change on the listening public. Introduce a small change. See if
anyone complains. If they don’t, then forge ahead with a blitzkrieg attack on
the listening public at a later date.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Long-time CBC watchers will remember that this blitzkrieg
attack came on March 19 2007 when “The World at Six” was removed from CBC Radio
Two, to be replaced by a five-minute news broadcast. “Music for a while” with
Danielle Charbonneau was replaced by the crapulent “Tonic”. “In Performance”
was replaced by the even more repellant “Canada Live”. “The Arts Report” with
Joe Cummings was axed from “Music and Company”. “Two New Hours”, “Northern
Lights” and “Brave New Waves” were consigned to the dungeons of the CBC
recording vaults, never to be heard from again.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The CBC didn’t announce these changes in advance. They didn’t
ask the owners of the CBC, you, the listening audience, whether they approved
of these changes. No, they simply foisted these programming changes on the
listening audience, much in the same way as the CBC has, six years later, charged
ahead with the CBC Radio-Canada re-naming. The CBC claimed that there was an
ultra-secret “Arts and Culture Survey” that purported to support the
programming changes. However, this survey was never released to those who paid
for it; i.e. the owners of the CBC, you and me. It remains secret to this day.
Perhaps languishing in the CBC dungeons, next to ancient recordings of “Brave
New Waves”.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">But wait! There was more to come! In September 2007 “Symphony
Hall” was cancelled. “The Singer and the Song” was cancelled. Howard Dyck was
unceremoniously dumped from “Saturday Afternoon at the Opera”. It seemed like
the CBC was conducting a purge of its most venerable programs and announcers
that would have made Iosif Vissarionovich Stalin blush. Once again, all of this
was done without any public consultation, prior notice or fanfare. Simply
imposed upon the listening audience.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">If Radio Two had not already been sufficiently decimated,
the CBC had even greater plans for its destruction. In September 2008 “Music
and Company” was replaced by “Radio 2 Morning”. “Here’s to You” with Catherine
Belyea was cancelled. “Studio Sparks” was cancelled. Eric Friesen was put out
to pasture. The much-loved “Disc Drive” with Jurgen Goethe was replaced by the
irritating “Radio 2 Drive”. Jurgen Gothe was exiled to the Siberia-like time
slot of 5:00 PM on Sunday with a new show, “Farrago”, but this was short-lived.
“Sound Advice”, with the excellent Rick Phillips, was soundly trounced, not on
the advice of its listeners.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Once again, all of these changes were imposed on the CBC
Radio Two listening audience, without consultation, prior warning or any
pretence at being interested in the opinion of their customers, the CBC Radio
Two listening audience. And the CBC has gotten away with it for the past six years.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">So is it any wonder that no one should be surprised at the “Ici”
controversy?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span>James Wootenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11932289702872433813noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5162738000034202372.post-84644272881454412152012-12-09T09:55:00.001-05:002012-12-09T09:58:29.961-05:00Joy to the World, Sunday December 16 2012<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">One of the few remaining traditions from CBC Radio Two is "Joy to the World", the holiday music programming from the European Broadcasting Union. Luckily, the program is produced by the EBU; otherwise, the CBC would likely have killed it along with many of the other programs that we came to know and love during the glory days of CBC Radio Two.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Forthwith, here is the schedule as noted on the <a href="http://music.cbc.ca/#/blogs/2012/12/Joy-to-the-World-a-Euroradio-holiday-music-special-on-CBC-Radio-2" target="_blank">CBC Radio Two blog</a>:</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="border: none; color: #333333; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 17px; padding: 0px;">
<strong style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Sunday, Dec. 16, 2012</span></strong></div>
<div style="border: none; color: #333333; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 17px; padding: 0px;">
<strong style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">9 a.m.: Kallio Church, Helsinki</span></strong></div>
<div style="border: none; color: #333333; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 17px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">The day gets off to an energetic start with an all-Vivaldi concert from the Baroque Ensemble of the <a href="http://yle.fi/musiikki/klassinen/rso/english/orchestra/" style="border: 0px; color: #006699; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" target="_blank">Finnish Radio Orchestra</a>. They'll play Vivaldi's Concerto for violin and strings,<em style="border: 0px; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Il riposo, per il santissimo natale</em>. And soprano Tuuli Lindeberg joins the orchestra for the motet <em style="border: 0px; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Salve Regina</em>.</span></span></div>
<div style="border: none; color: #333333; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 17px; padding: 0px;">
<strong style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">10 a.m.: Garrison Church, Copenhagen</span></strong></div>
<div style="border: none; color: #333333; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 17px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Inaugurated in 1706 as a parish for Copenhagen's militia, the Garrison Church is a popular concert venue. The Ars Nova Vocal Ensemble, directed by <a href="http://www.paulhillier.net/" style="border: 0px; color: #006699; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" target="_blank">Paul Hillier</a>, will perform a program of antiphons and carol, including <em style="border: 0px; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Adam Lay ybounden</em>, <em style="border: 0px; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Es ist ein Ros</em> <em style="border: 0px; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">entsprungen</em> and <em style="border: 0px; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Ding Dong Merrily on High</em>.</span></span></div>
<div style="border: none; color: #333333; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 17px; padding: 0px;">
<strong style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">11 a.m.: Small Guildhall, Riga</span></strong></div>
<div style="border: none; color: #333333; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 17px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Conductor <a href="http://www.earlymusic.lv/Earlymusic_engl/Maris_Kupcs.html" style="border: 0px; color: #006699; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" target="_blank">Maris Kupcs</a> leads the Collegium Musicum Riga Baroque Orchestra, choir and a quartet of soloists in a concert of 18th-century music, the centrepiece being Telemann's <em style="border: 0px; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Missa sopra 'ein kindelein so lobelich.' </em>Riga's historic <a href="http://www.virtualriga.com/architecture/small-guildhall/" style="border: 0px; color: #006699; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" target="_blank">Small Guild Hall</a> is mostly used nowadays for conferences and the occasional disco, but serves on this occasion as a concert venue for baroque music.</span></span></div>
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<strong style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">12 p.m.: Vzlet Culture House, Prague</span></strong></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Off to Prague for Bohemian seasonal music from the Czech Radio Children’s Choir and the Brno Radio Folk Instruments Ensemble under the direction of Frantisek Cerny. The concert includes highlights from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harmonia_Caelestis" style="border: 0px; color: #006699; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" target="_blank"><em style="border: 0px; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Harmonia Caelestis</em></a>, a cycle of cantatas composed by Paul I, Prince Esterházy of Galántha and published in 1711.</span></span></div>
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<strong style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">1 p.m.: Northern Lights Hall, Reykjavik</span></strong></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">This concert features a jazz trio comprised of pianist Kjartan Valdimarsson, bassist Valdimar K. Sigurjonsson and drummer<a href="http://www.myspace.com/einarscheving" style="border: 0px; color: #006699; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" target="_blank">Einar Valur Scheving</a>. They join vocalist Sigridur Thorlacius and other winners from the annual Icelandic Music Awards for traditional Icelandic and international Christmas songs.</span></span></div>
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<strong style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">2 p.m.: Christinae Church, Gothenburg</span></strong></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">The <a href="http://www.svenskakammarkoren.se/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=28" style="border: 0px; color: #006699; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" target="_blank">Swedish Chamber Choir</a> won the 2011 <a href="http://www.ebu.ch/en/radio/competitions/ltps_index.php" style="border: 0px; color: #006699; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" target="_blank"><em style="border: 0px; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Let the Peoples Sing</em></a> Euroradio Choral Competition. They're featured today singing music by Poulenc, Part, Alfven, Liljefors, Ohlsson, Sandstrom, Nordqvist, Rosenburg, Ohrwall, Nielsen, Mealor and Lange-Muller. Simon Phipps conducts.</span></span></div>
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<strong style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">3 p.m.: German National Museum, Nuremburg</span></strong></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">A mix of 17th-century baroque music and traditional carols with <a href="http://www.neobarock.de/english/Portraet/portraet.html" style="border: 0px; color: #006699; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" target="_blank">Ensemble NeoBarock </a>and the Eismannsberger Strings and Women Singers. The German National Museum is the largest museum of cultural history in Germany.</span></span></div>
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<strong style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">4 p.m.: Tbilisi State Conservatory Grand Hall, Tblisi</span></strong></div>
<div style="border: none; color: #333333; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 17px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">A program of traditional Georgian carols, songs and hymns performed by a number of groups, including <a href="http://www.myspace.com/savnabada" style="border: 0px; color: #006699; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" target="_blank">Shavnabada</a>, Didgori, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aCStYt46NWM" style="border: 0px; color: #006699; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" target="_blank">Shalva Chemo</a> and the Tbilisi Holy Trinity Cathedral Choir.</span></span></div>
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<strong style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">5 p.m.: Church of St. Andrew and St. Paul, Montreal</span></strong></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">A CBC tradition "with heart and soul and voice," the 33rd annual <a href="http://music.cbc.ca/The-CBC-Christmas-Sing-In" style="border: 0px; color: #006699; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" target="_blank">CBC Christmas Sing-In</a> features carols and other music for the season performed by choir, organ, brass and percussion, and an audience of over 1,000 singing along at the Church of St. Andrew and St. Paul in Montreal.</span></span></div>
James Wootenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11932289702872433813noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5162738000034202372.post-67674885438770293822012-11-20T16:55:00.000-05:002012-11-20T16:57:39.281-05:00Radio salvation for drivers!<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Life used to be so simple when driving. Turn on the radio to
CBC Radio Two and you could be guaranteed of some pleasant listening while you
drove. Not anymore. CBC Radio Two is such a hodge-podge of music formats, not to
mention annoying hosts, that I don’t even bother trying any more.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">CBC Radio One is often an alternative, but once again there
are times when I can’t stand listening to Radio One. During “The Debaters”, for
example. “All in a Day (Ottawa)” is bearable, but there are times when I have
to turn the radio off because the music that is being played is just too
annoying. I could go on.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">But I have found radio salvation! It is <a href="http://www.1310news.com/" target="_blank">1310 News</a>, All News
Radio on the AM dial in Ottawa. News, weather, sports, commercials, news,
weather, sports, commercials, news, weather, sports, commercials ad infinitum.
But I love it! I never get bored or annoyed, even if I’ve heard the same news
story for the third or fourth time that day.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">When was the last time you tried listening to AM radio? Give
it a try. You might like it!</span></div>
James Wootenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11932289702872433813noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5162738000034202372.post-88343213440092315092012-10-12T12:25:00.000-04:002012-10-12T12:26:42.169-04:00The CBC, intent on further destruction!<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 1.25;">The management of CBC, not being content to have destroyed CBC Radio 2, now seem intent on obliterating the on-line music industry by offering a taxpayer-subsidized service that undercuts the commercial services.</span><br />
<div style="line-height: 1.5;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 1.5;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-weight: normal;">The CBC argues that it is within their mandate to offer on-line services to Canadians. The on-line music industry claims that the CBC, by offering the service for free, draws subscribers away from the services that require a subscription. Who is right?</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 1.5;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 1.5;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-weight: normal;">Let's consider broadcast radio. Broadcast radio is free - one only has to own a radio to receive the content. Commercial broadcasters funded their operations through advertising. The CBC funded its operations through government support. The playing field was level.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 1.5;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">That is not the case with the on-line music industry. The on-line service providers rely on subscription fees from users to fund their operations, not advertising. The CBC still relies on government funding to fund their operations, and hence have an unfair advantage. The playing field is not level.</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">The CBC should be allowed to offer on-line services, but it should be required to follow the same business model as the on-line service providers; i.e. subscribers should pay for the service. To do otherwise risks the destruction of the on-line music industry.</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">But then, the CBC has quite a lot of experience in destruction, doesn't it?</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">This article appeared in the October 12, 2012 edition of The Globe and Mail:</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://www.theglobeandmail.com/technology/business-technology/cbc-music-losing-millions-as-content-costs-surpass-revenue/article4607689/" target="_blank">CBC Music losing millions as content costs surpass revenue</a></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I've reproduced the content of the article below, for posterity.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<h1 class="entry-title" style="border: 0px; font-size: 25px; line-height: 1.25; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" title="CBC Music was launched in February just as the broadcaster was bracing for deep budget cuts that would lead to the loss of 650 jobs">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">CBC Music losing millions as content costs surpass revenue</span></h1>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">STEVE LADURANTAYE <span class="beat" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: black; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">- MEDIA REPORTER</span></span></div>
<div class="creditline source-org vcard" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">The Globe and Mail</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Published <time datetime="2012-37-11T23:10:24Z" pubdate="" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Thursday, Oct. 11 2012, 7:37 PM EDT</time></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5;">Last updated</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5;"> </span><time class="updated" datetime="2012-34-12T15:10:00Z" pubdate="" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Friday, Oct. 12 2012, 11:34 AM EDT</time></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">The Canadian Broadcasting Corp. will lose millions of dollars a year on its free music service for the foreseeable future, as the high cost of content surpasses the advertising revenue the service earns.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">CBC Music was launched in February just as the broadcaster was bracing for deep budget cuts that would lead to the loss of 650 jobs and prompt the CBC to request permission to sell advertising on its Radio 2 service.</span></div>
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<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Private companies who charge for digital music services have complained about the CBC’s encroachment, arguing the public broadcaster uses taxpayer money to run a service that will put them out of business.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">The stakes are high: Canadians spend about $500-million a year on music and digital sales account for about 34 per cent of the market. Dozens of competing services such as Rdio and Galaxie are trying to woo consumers to their sites, hoping to take a bigger piece of that spending away from traditional retailers.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Chris Boyce, executive director of radio and audio for CBC English services, said the broadcaster is providing a unique service to Canadians. That means plenty of Canadian content, including interviews and live concerts in addition to the actual 40 channels of music.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">“We have a very different business model than a for-profit company focused on the shareholder bottom line,” Mr. Boyce said. “Revenue is important to us, in that it allows us to reinvest in Canadian content and deliver on our mandate as a public broadcaster.”</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">The service has been hugely successful from a listener perspective, with 7.8 million visits on the web since launching. Users have streamed 17.6 million hours of music – the equivalent of listening to Carly Rae Jepsen’s<em style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Call Me Maybe</em> on repeat 880,000 times.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">But despite its popularity, the broadcaster only expects to sell about $750,000 in advertisements this year to help offset more than $6-million in costs (some of those are one-time costs associated with launching the service).</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">While it expects costs to go down marginally, much of the money it spends is to pay musicians and producers royalties and to produce programming. Other companies operating in the space estimate it costs about $6 a customer to run an online service, once copyright fees, infrastructure and marketing costs are considered.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">“We do expect that expenses will continue to be larger than costs for some time, largely because of the cost of creating all the rich content on the site,” Mr. Boyce said. “Though we expect ad revenue to continue to grow and the gap to close.”</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Monetizing music is a problem affecting much of the online music industry. Pandora, one of the largest services in the world, lost $5.4-million in its last quarter even as more subscribers joined. Sirius Canada Inc., which charges users a monthly fee, has never posted a quarterly profit despite having more than 2 million Canadian users.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Eric Boyko, whose Montreal-based Stingray Digital is one of the largest music companies in the world with more than 75 million subscribers for its Galaxie music service, has been one of the CBC’s most vocal critics. It’s not the service he has a problem with, it’s the broadcaster’s refusal to charge for a service that he thinks has value.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">“If music is given away for free then people will say that it’s free,” Mr. Boyko said in a recent interview. “It will upset the market. That remains a threat, and that is why I’m mad at the CBC – someone is always paying.”</span></div>
<br />James Wootenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11932289702872433813noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5162738000034202372.post-24559218474401655002012-08-24T19:17:00.000-04:002012-08-24T19:22:26.785-04:00"Taking Responsibility" - the Spring 2012 CBC Radio Two audience survey<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">One of the popular buzz-phrases these days seems to be “take
responsibility”. People are being urged to “take responsibility” for their
actions, or are stepping up to “take responsibility” for what they’ve done,
even when it seems there is no need to do so.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">For example, Jared Connaughton, the member of the Canadian 4
x 100 metre relay team who caused the Canadian team to be disqualified, was
quoted as saying “he had to step up and take responsibility” for the
disqualification. Teammates were quoted as praising Mr. Connaughton for
stepping up and “taking responsibility” for the disqualification.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Why was it necessary for Mr. Connaughton to “take
responsibility”? It was an accident. I very much doubt that he deliberately
stepped on a lane line to disqualify the team. Stuff happens. There was no need
to “take responsibility”.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Michael Bryant, the former Attorney-General for Ontario who
was involved in the accidental death of Darcy Allen Sheppard, recently appeared
on “<a href="http://www.cbc.ca/thecurrent/episode/2012/08/21/michael-bryant-28-seconds/" target="_blank">The Current</a>” on CBC Radio One. Listeners subsequently castigated Mr. Bryant
for not “taking responsibility” for his actions. What actions? He attempted to
flee from an individual who was attacking him and, in doing so, Mr. Sheppard
died. There was no evidence that Mr. Bryant acted in a deliberate manner to
harm Mr. Sheppard. It was an accident. What does it mean for Mr. Bryant to
“take responsibility” for an accident?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I’m sure pundits, critics and media commentators will be
urging Lance Armstrong to “take responsibility” for his alleged doping
infractions. But Mr. Armstrong denies the allegations. What should he be “taking
responsibility” for?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It’s one thing to be told to “take responsibility” for
something that you didn’t do, had no intention of doing or was an accident, and
quite another thing to “take responsibility” for something that you knowingly,
deliberately did.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Which brings us to the CBC and the latest BBM radio survey
data. When will someone from the CBC step up to the plate, belly up to the bar,
[insert favourite saying here] and “take responsibility” for the CBC Radio Two
restructuring fiasco?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Without further ado, here is the table summarizing the
decline in the CBC Radio Two listening audience since the CBC embarked on their
audacious plan to “restructure” Radio Two. As can be seen from the table, the audience for CBC Radio Two has been decimated in Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton since the restructuring effort was initiated. Anyone willing to “take
responsibility” for this fiasco?</span></div>
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James Wootenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11932289702872433813noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5162738000034202372.post-81340006103658183822012-05-28T18:47:00.000-04:002012-05-28T18:48:59.485-04:00To mark the fifth anniversary of the death of Radio Two<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I unfortunately let several anniversaries slip by the notice of this blog. The first was the fifth anniversary of the beginning of the end of the old CBC Radio Two. This was, of course, March 19. It was on this date in 2007 that the CBC launched their stealth attack against the CBC Radio Two listening audience by cutting “The World at Six” from its 6:00 PM time slot, cancelling Danielle Charbonneau and the much-loved “Music for a While” and replacing “In Performance” with Eric Friesen with the reviled “Canada Live”. Oh yes, I forgot to mention: “Two New Hours”, “Brave New Waves” and “Northern Lights” were also cancelled. But it is easy to overlook these changes in the general slaughter that took place.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Of course, that was just the beginning. Even more drastic changes to the programming schedule were about to take place, commencing in September 2007 and finally being completed in September 2008. But for many of us, March 19 2007 was the day that the music died on CBC Radio Two.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">So I thought it would be fun to mark the fifth anniversary of this blog by listing here all of the letters and correspondence that I sent to various individuals (and in some cases, the replies I received) during the course of my five-year protest against the changes that were made to CBC Radio Two. For those of you who have just discovered this blog, it’s an easy way to catch up on what has happened during the last five years. For those of you who have been following along, it’s a handy summary of what has taken place in the past five years.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The list is in the format of links to previous blog entries. Here goes:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://cbcradiotwoandme.blogspot.ca/2007/04/first-week-is-over-time-to-express.html">Post to Jowi Taylor’s Blog, March 21 2007</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://cbcradiotwoandme.blogspot.ca/2007/05/tuwyt-tell-us-what-you-think.html">Letter to Tell Us What You Think, March 24 2007</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://cbcradiotwoandme.blogspot.ca/2007/05/moving-up-cbc-radio-hierarchy.html">Letter to Jennifer McGuire, Executive Director of Programming and Jane Chalmers, Vice-President of CBC Radio</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://cbcradiotwoandme.blogspot.ca/2007/05/my-letter-to-mr-robert-rabinovitch.html">Letter to Robert Rabinovich, President and CEO of the CBC</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://cbcradiotwoandme.blogspot.ca/2007/05/house-standing-committee-on-canadian.html">Letter to Gary Schellenberger, Chair of the House Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://cbcradiotwoandme.blogspot.ca/2007/05/letter-to-hon-bev-oda-minister-of.html">Letter to Bev Oda, Minister of Heritage</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://cbcradiotwoandme.blogspot.ca/2007/05/response-from-minister-of-heritages.html">Response from the office of the Minister of Heritage</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://cbcradiotwoandme.blogspot.ca/2007/06/reply-from-ms-jennifer-mcguire.html">Response from Jennifer McGuire, Executive Director of Programming</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://cbcradiotwoandme.blogspot.ca/2007/06/reply-to-ms-jennifer-mcguires-letter-of.html">A second letter to Jennifer McGuire, Executive Director of Programming</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://cbcradiotwoandme.blogspot.ca/2007/07/reply-from-minister-of-heritage-hon-bev.html">A second response from the office of the Minister of Heritage</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://cbcradiotwoandme.blogspot.ca/2007/08/response-from-cbc-to-my-letter-to-ms.html">A second response from Jennifer McGuire, Executive Director of Programming</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://cbcradiotwoandme.blogspot.ca/2008/05/my-letter-to-members-of-house-standing.html">Letters to the members of the House Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://cbcradiotwoandme.blogspot.ca/2008/09/question-for-candidates-in-carleton.html">Open letters to the candidates in Carleton-Mississippi Mills during the 2008 election</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://cbcradiotwoandme.blogspot.ca/2008/10/this-just-in-responses-from-all-four.html">Replies from the candidates in Carleton-Mississippi Mills during the 2008 election</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Of course, we can’t forget the nation-wide protest that took place on April 11 2008 in response to the disbanding of the CBC Radio Orchestra and the Radio Two changes that were announced at that time:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://cbcradiotwoandme.blogspot.ca/2008/10/scenes-from-protest-cbc-radio-2-protest.html">Scenes from a Protest</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Although it wasn't in the form of a letter received from these two individuals, I thought the interview conducted with Mark Steinmetz and Chris Boyce (</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">the CBC Radio Director of Music</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> and the </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">CBC Radio Director of Programming</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">, respectively, </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">at the time of the interview) was interesting for what it revealed about the CBC:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://cbcradiotwoandme.blogspot.ca/2008/05/interview-with-mark-steinmetz-and-chris.html">Interview with Mark Steinmetz and Chris Boyce</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">In a subsequent post I’ll attempt to answer the question “Where are they now”, to track the careers of some of the major players in the CBC Radio Two restructuring debacle.
</span>James Wootenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11932289702872433813noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5162738000034202372.post-55838324273381999612012-02-14T08:30:00.001-05:002012-02-14T08:31:23.402-05:00The CBC: running madly off in all directions<br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">This article appeared in the Feb. 14 2012 edition of the Globe and Mail, and on-line <a href="http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/arts/music/cbc-enters-digital-music-arena/article2337036/">here</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">One has to wonder what's going on in the CBC. First, CBC management decimates the Radio 2 audience by making some ill-considered changes to the programming, then runs madly off in all directions by launching digital music channels that only a small percentage of Canadians are likely to listen to. What happened to the concept of serving all Canadians, not just those with high-speed internet connections?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>CBC enters digital-music arena</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">GUY DIXON</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">From Tuesday's Globe and Mail</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Published Monday, Feb. 13, 2012 6:00PM EST</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Last updated Monday, Feb. 13, 2012 6:22PM EST</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">The CBC has taken a giant new step into the competitive digital-music arena. On Monday, the public broadcaster unveiled CBC Music, a website and mobile app with 40 radio stations covering genres from indie rock to classical. To keep listeners coming back (that all-important “stickiness” in digi-speak), the service also includes create-your-own playlists and selections of songs by young artists such as Toronto’s Austra and Montreal’s Plants and Animals.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">It’s not only a bid to attract more listeners, but also opens up “a whole bunch of ways to connect with them that [was] difficult to do on terrestrial radio,” said Chris Boyce, CBC’s executive director of radio and audio.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">This comes as broadcasters are increasing their presence in the world of apps: Astral recently launched new mobile apps for its radio stations, with bonuses such as exclusive in-studio performances. Meanwhile, subscription streaming services such as Rdio are once again on the rise, offering users access to massive libraries of streaming music for a fee.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">“Gone are the days when people first heard a new track of music on the radio,” Boyce said.The CBC isn’t trying to compete with online music retailers such as Apple’s iTunes, though. Instead, the site links to iTunes. And no, it doesn’t replace CBC’s on-air music. There are currently no plans to eliminate the Radio 2 music station, Boyce said.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>The win</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">The CBC attracts savvy programmers. CBC’s independently spirited Radio </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">3, for example, brings listeners everything from singer-songwriter </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Kathleen Edwards to local Charlottetown band, Milks and Rectangles. Now </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">that expertise can be applied to a broad spectrum of genres, with </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">streams devoted to Canadian classical composers, some of the best </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">homegrown jazz and alt pop. CBC Music could become a key arbiter of the </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">best, if lesser-heard, music out there.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>The miss</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">It’s still radio: You can’t jump ahead to the next song when listening </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">to a stream. So while CBC Music caters to the new-media crowd, it </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">requires old-media patience. You can jump forward or back while </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">listening to playlists though. (Radio 3 host Lana Gay’s colourful list, </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">including The Gruesome’s garage rocker Hey, is a highlight at the moment</span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">). Still, the nascent service only has a precious few playlists so far. </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">And features of individual artists have a grand total of seven acts </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">right now.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>The competition</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">The pay service Rdio gives users access to a huge library of music for a </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">monthly fee. Astral’s free apps are an extension of its stations, with </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">added content such as app-only performances of hot acts. In comparison, </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">CBC Music feels like the CBC – with a wider cross-section of music, </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">unencumbered by the tight programming formats of private radio stations.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>The next big thing</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Spotify, officially unavailable in Canada, is nevertheless seen as a </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">standard bearer with its personalized playlists (Obama just posted his) </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">and its highly searchable library of artists. CBC Music, by comparison, </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">is more like enhanced radio. Yet some digital radio sites, like American </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">public broadcaster NPR, have taken a sharp direction toward nuanced, </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">esoteric music. The question is whether users will want more breadth or </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">more eclecticism? More searchability or more of a curated radio feel? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">What the CBC and the industry knows for sure is that we always want more </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">music.</span><br />
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<em style="background-color: white; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;">With files from Steve Ladurantaye</em>
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<br />James Wootenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11932289702872433813noreply@blogger.com4