Canada: Radio Canada International shuts down short wave broadcasts

Ottawa : Canada | Jul 08, 2012 at 3:51 PM PDT

By northsunm32

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Radio Canada International commercial (1983)

For 67 years Radio Canada International broadcast short wave programming around the world. The transmission from Sackville New Brunswick has now been shut down. Radio Canada International has had its budget cut by 80 per cent and has been reduced to a few staff and a weak web presence.
As with vinyl records no doubt many think shortwave radio a thing of the past. Yet there are still many strong stations. It is not expensive to provide. Many church groups use it.
Unlike the Internet which can often be disrupted short wave signals cannot easily be jammed. Many in the world just have no access to phones or electricity let alone the Internet. However battery and hand-cranked short wave radios are ubiquitous.
In spite of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation being a prominent presence in Canada, Canada is just 16th of 18 countries in per capita spending on public broadcasting. Only the U.S. and New Zealand spend less. Conservatives are supposed to respect and encourage tradition. However short wave radio does not bring in any bucks or support the Conservative agenda so it should go. For more see this article.

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The BBC's international World Service radio station turned 80 on Wednesday

northsunm32 is based in Brandon, Manitoba, Canada, and is an Anchor for Allvoices.

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Posted By

Karl Gotthardt | 11 months ago

The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation had a 10% cut of its $1.1 Billion budget. The choice to cut shortwave radio is one made by the management of CBC. I always watch in amazement when the public broadcaster houses itself in a luxury headquarters in Toronto and sends their anchors all over the world, although local reporters are already on the spot.

Generally I have no qualms with CBC and its broadcast, but everyone is being asked to tighten the belt a bit and the corporation has several cable networks, including Bold. Personally I think sometimes things can be done smarter.

Perhaps if CBC operated in accordance with their mandate, they could continue the service to remote regions of the country, along with their national news broadcasts and protect things like shortwave radio. Any additional programming can be funded by advertising money.

It is also well known that CBC fights disclosure of the salary of its top executives, including Peter Mansbridge, but are the first to criticize the government if it redacts information. I would think that the public has a right to know what a so-called broadcaster pays its executives.

Posted By

Adrian Holman | 11 months ago

Canada better not shut down your blog.

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The BBC's international World Service radio station turned 80 on Wednesday