2014.04.10
CBC cuts bad for ‘journalism, economy, society’
The budget and job cuts announced today by the CBC translate to a significant loss for the country as a whole.
CWA Canada Director Martin O'Hanlon said every Canadian should be concerned about the continuing erosion of such an important national institution.
Citing funding shortfalls and revenue losses, the CBC said it will cut $130 million from this year’s budget, which will mean the elimination of 657 jobs over two years. Many of those jobs will be lost in a “substantially” reduced sports department as the CBC will no longer compete for the rights to broadcast professional sports and will cover fewer amateur events.
English Services will cut $82 million and 334 full-time jobs, while news cuts amount to $13.3 million and 115 jobs.
"These cuts are bad for journalism, bad for the economy, and bad for our society," O'Hanlon said. "Fewer journalists mean less scrutiny of government at all levels and that weakens our democracy."
Friends of Canadian Broadcasting|
Carmel Smyth, national president of the Canadian Media Guild, CWA Canada’s largest Local, called the cuts “another short sighted crushing blow to a Canadian cultural gem. It is a stab in the heart to a cherished promoter of Canadian culture, talent and amateur sports. We will all feel the impact.”
O'Hanlon noted that these cuts come on top of thousands of previous job losses caused by government funding cuts over the years.
"The CBC is too important to our Canadian culture and identity to allow it to bleed to death and I urge all Canadians to rally behind our efforts to get the federal government to boost funding to offset CBC's lost revenue and ensure a vibrant public broadcaster,” said O’Hanlon.
"Everyone should remember that every job cut takes money out of the local economy, money that would go to support local businesses, groups and charities."
A Deloitte and Touche study released in 2011 found that CBC has a “substantial positive impact on the economy — well above its spending power — because it supports jobs and businesses across Canada.”
Deloitte reported that the CBC contributed $3.7 billion to the Canadian economy in 2010, a year in which its annual parliamentary allocation was $1.1 billion and overall expenditure was $1.7 billion.