In Knolton Nash's 'Don't You Guys Realize what's at stake' (From the Globe and Mail, August 24) Nash states: "The CBC was the dream of the visionary founders of public broadcasting in Canada such as Graham Spry and Alan Plaunt in the 1930s. They wanted a CBC that told our stories and strengthened our sense of nationhood. It was to be a fundamental building block for a united, thriving, self-aware Canada. All this, it was dreamt, to be produced by idealistic creators more missionary than businesslike..."
If this is the case. If the CBC is a dream; more of an idea than a building, or a corporation then the torch for that idea has certainly passed to CBCUnplugged.com. While the Corp, those who control the keys to the building and the budget air reruns and news imported from abroad, the people at Unplugged (which is still in it's embryonic stages) is getting ready to do what the CBC is mandated to do. Once it is fully up and running it will be broadcast professionals, decidated to public broadcasting, telling Canadian stories to Canadians.
I was at a meeting earlier this week with some of these people. For nearly two hours I listened while they brushed aside concerns about whether it was good stragegy or not (to provide for free what they've always been paid for). The answer was always the same. These people have dedicated their lives to public broadcasting, they feel that they provide a real and valuable service and their desire to do their job and provide that service is strong enough that they will continue, even if they aren't being paid for it.
I hope Mr. Nash knows how to download a podcast. The dream and the idea of the CBC hasn't died, it's merely going to operate from a new building for awhile until those who think of it as a business, a television station like any other, remember what they are supposed to be there for.
No comments:
Post a Comment