Thursday, November 10, 2011

Massive Support For CBC

A Harris Decima poll finds overwhelming support for the CBC:
A Harris-Decima survey conducted for The Canadian Press suggests 46 per cent of Canadians would like the CBC's funding to stay at the current level and 23 per cent would like it to be increased.

On the flip side, 22 per cent say funding should be cut, while 12 per cent say it should be eliminated altogether.

A full 69% want funding for the CBC maintained or increased, representing massive support for the broadcaster. Given the present air of "austerity", deficits, need for cutbacks, that 7 in 10 of us are fine with status quo or even more funding, a very conclusive finding. In fact, as many people want funding increased as decreased, with a very marginal number wanting CBC funding eliminated.

This poll is very instructive, because it provides some grounding to the supposed intense CBC debate we keep hearing about. In fact, there is no controversy at all, Canadians see the value of the CBC, they want it maintained, PERIOD, it's a slam dunk, ignore the disproportionate shrieks from the misfit contingent. Interesting too, despite all the manufactured outrage, clearly the JIHAD isn't resonating outside of a very knee jerk, narrow base.

38 comments:

bigcitylib said...

Profoundly unsurprising. Any regionals? Since the attack on CBC is largely channeled through Quebecor, it would be interesting to see how this has all played out in Que. (also Ont.).

Steve V said...

Not sure, haven't seen yet? Check out Levant and Lilley on twitter basically accusing HD of a biased poll. These guys are incredible.

bigcitylib said...

Any honest poll will show pretty much the same thing.

Anonymous said...

Awesome. Since such a large number of people are in support of maintaining CBC's funding perhaps they can pay my share. Another case of corporate welfare pure and simple.

Steve V said...

Oh, so we only pay for things we like personally. What a crock of shit argument.

weeble said...

Hey on Way Way Up's thought pattern...he can pay my share for the prisons, or for the F35 and for the military in general as I don't support Canada's increased use of the military in combat missions.
The CBC would be cheap by comparison

ridenrain said...

Why are these numbers not reflected by actual viewers then? Keep in mind there is a huge gap between potential viewers and actual viewers.

Gene Rayburn said...

Just like the gap between you and reality ridofbrain?

Anonymous said...

Figures. Throw out an honest opinion and Lefties spew personal insults and attacks. Classy.

A Eliz. said...

I am beginning to think the CBC has earned it's years of being so entertaining, a few stations could learn a great deal. and Newsworld, the new Babe is very interesting with its documentaries. I guess the illiterate don't tune in.

Steve V said...

Poor righties, so sensitive.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for proving my point.

Anonymous said...

Defunding the CBC automatically means I support more prisons and fighter jets?? Um...ok.

Gene Rayburn said...

No more likely that you jump to conclusions and play the victim card.

marie said...

Grow up Waywayup. You are really a pathetic spoiled bully brat.You don't have a clue what reality means. A dip stick as well.

Yep, he can also pay my share for the prisons, the fighter jets

Ditto Gene

Way way Up, you have no idea what honesty is because you are so blind sided by your own views you have no idea the difference between truth or fiction.

Gene Rayburn said...

Marie, I've always been a CBC supporter. Heck I still have VHS copies of Seeing Things.

Fred from BC said...

Marpman said...

Hey on Way Way Up's thought pattern...he can pay my share for the prisons, or for the F35 and for the military in general as I don't support Canada's increased use of the military in combat missions.

If government responsibility for necessary military and justice matters were in any way comparable to the very optional existence of a national public broadcaster, you might have a point. But they're not.

And you don't get to choose what your tax dollars support any more than the rest of us, otherwise there would be no more bilingualism in this country either...

Fred from BC said...

Way Way Up said...

Figures. Throw out an honest opinion and Lefties spew personal insults and attacks. Classy.


They can't help themselves. The myth of the "progressive, tolerant left" comes crashing down as soon as they are exposed to a contrary opinion (and yet they consider us to be the 'bigots', believe it or not). As long as everyone here either expresses the same beliefs or heartily agrees with them, everyone gets along just fine. And they wonder why their political party is in such sad shape?...

wordsmatter said...

What questions were asked to get this result? I haven't seen the actual survey posted anywhere. It's easy to get the results you want by asking the right questions. I know from experience based on a telephone survey I answered about hydro in Ontario.

The most interesting quote from the article is: "The biggest conclusion that I drew is that for the most part, the public seemed to be saying steady as it goes and half of them basically are saying, I'm more comfortable given these options to keep the funding as it is,"

What were the options presented to those answering the survey? You can imagine the response if the options were along the lines "The CBC is an important part of Canadian culture and the shared experience of Canadians. If cutting funding to the CBC results in a reduction of Canadian values and a less unified country do you: a) support an increase in funding b) support maintaining current funding c) support a cut in funding d) support the elimination of funding

That's exactly how the hydro survey was conducted. They asked questions to get the answer they wanted.

So where can we find the questions which were asked? If they're not made public then the survey is FUD.

Jerry Prager said...

when have statistics ever stopped Harper from doing what the majority of Canadians don't want ?

Jerry Prager said...

My guess is 99% of Canadians wanted to see more democracy, transparency and accountability, and Harper hasn't delivered anything on any of those files since easily end run accountability act that he never keeps in 5 years of lies and bafflegab.

CBC radio probably accounts for the largest support for the CBC.

sassy said...

I've found the article in the Globe & Mail here but can't find any mention of this poll on any of the Sun sites, which I find rather unusual as the Sun usually carries some article or another about the CBC. How could the Sun have missed this one???

marie said...

Gene, My remarks pertained to Way way UP but seeing his handle, one can see where his head & mind is. Certainly not in our reality world where people have a right to have their own opinion based on facts & not childish immature words that make absolutely no sense. WWU being devoid of having any common sense. Gene,I merely agreed with you. Enough said

Sassy, you ask how the sun missed this. Simply because they are a CON rag and my answer would be, intentionally. After all to comment on the survey questions might seem to show support for the CBC. IMO, they did not want to see the questions & answers provided by Canadians who do support CBC.We are all aware how partisan and how the Con Media work.

Anonymous said...

How many of those respondents actually knew beforehand how much the CBC actually gets through public funding? Curious that this information was never initially disclosed to the respondents of the poll for a proper frame to their responses. I wonder how the responses might have differed had they known how much the CBC actually gets. That could have changed the whole flavouring of the poll.

To provide contrast, Sun News contracted Abacus Data for another poll only this September. Abacus found that "most don’t know how much money CBC receives — $1.1 billion — and when told, most (60%) found that amount to be too much."

Steve V said...

Man, I love you conbots and your inability to just accept the finding. Hilarious, and SAD, all in one.

Steve V said...

Poll also found 54% of Con supporters don't want the CBC cut.

weeble said...

I would love to go back to the days of the commercial free CBC....can we have a true public broadcaster.
Ultimately Fred, and WayWay the amount of money that the CBC requires is tiny compared to the massive spending projects that your government has decided. You can argue that they were elected on that platform, true that these items were published platform items, however you can also chose to stand back and reconsider them. Our crime rate is going down and the increased mandatory sentence argument has been tried in other jurisdictions and has not proven successful in its primary goal, the reduction in crime. The F35 has been deemed a class-A fighter...do we need one? It does not even meet the purchase requirements of the original F18...but yet we continue down these paths.
What we argue against is a government who is purely ideological without reason. If this is a conservative country as was spouted in May by a number of MPs, then they should have absolutely nothing to fear from a well-funded public broadcaster. Is the CBC truly left-leaning..not so sure I would classify them as such...but hey, who really cares as long as the truth is out there.
If we relied on CTV and Fox for our news (solely) we would never know what is going on...and that should scare even the most ardent of ConBots.

And PS....If asked on my tax form would I contribute an additional $10 to the CBC I would do so quite quickly and willingly. Canadians have stated they want the CBC to continue. I don't believe the numbers support the prisons or F35 though.....

weeble said...

Oh yeah....I think my parents would be quite shocked to learn I was a 'leftie'...they have tried for years to NDPize me.
I would consider myself quite fiscally responsible which is my primary argument against massive spending on projects such as prison expansion, G8/G20 meetings, F35 fighters as well as corporate tax cuts that even Flaherty has acknowedged have done little to generate real jobs for Canadians.
I consider spending money on a broadcaster whose mandate is to reach ALL Canadians to be quite a good use of our money.
Its all about labels ain't it....what happened to common sense?

rockfish said...

Does this poll matter? We know, as in the Stats Canada example, that Harper and his CONdroids will make their decision based on even the thinnest gristle of opportunity. While they may view this as a warning about slashing CBC funding, that won't stop them from the whittling away of the CBC mandate from inside, of forcing the CBC from spending more and more of its budget on defending itself (via information requests etc) and appointing Grinch-like cyphers to CBC posts who'll let it rot from the inside...

Gene Rayburn said...

Marie, thanks for clarifying. When I get my old CBC stuff transferred digitally I'll send you a copy. :)

Anonymous said...

So no issue, then, with HD not appearing to provide proper context to their poll by first disclosing to respondents the CBC’s actual amount of public funding to the tune of $1.1 billion, and whether the CBC should receive more or less of that specific amount. No problem at all with such a glarind omission.

Well, whatever.

Steve V said...

Do you think that is compelling moonbeam?

I GUARANTEE, no matter the wording, phrasing, time of day, how it was read, people like YOU would poo poo it, it's how you work. You probably believe global warming is a scam too right?

Anonymous said...

Marie Please....YOU grow up. I am merely expressing my opinion. You respond by personal insults. Spoiled bully brat?? Hardly. I've worked my ass off for everything I earned in life.

And my handle refers to my time in Nunavut. Had you bothered to check this out you would have clued in. Though I suppose insults are easier than actually taking time to see where the other side is coming from.

marie said...

Marie Please....YOU grow up. I am merely expressing my opinion. You respond by personal insults. Spoiled bully brat?? Hardly. I've worked my ass off for everything I earned in life.

So have I. Is 67 grown up enough for you? I too have worked my ass for everything I have earned in my life. For my husband and my children So tell me, what’s this argument about if you were only expressing your opinion.

You did it more than once all the way arguing about it. Respect the fact that we all have opinions as well and if they do not coincide with yours, that's too bad. I have learned a lot in those 67 years. I have learned that people such as you are easily brain washed and have no respect for their elders or anyone else that happens to not agree with them. I do not condone any ones opinions but I would hope that they where at the very least, based on common sense.

Thank you Gene. I would love to read that. Have a great weekend.

Anonymous said...

Respect the fact that we all have opinions as well and if they do not coincide with yours, that's too bad. I have learned a lot in those 67 years. I have learned that people such as you are easily brain washed and have no respect for their elders or anyone else that happens to not agree with them. I do not condone any ones opinions but I would hope that they where at the very least, based on common sense

Don't lecture me about respect! You state I have no respect when I was insulted first. How dare you! You know nothing about me. Do not presume to lecture me or make assumptions based on....? Well I don't know what the hell you're basing them on. You're 67 and speak to others in that manner. Give me a break. Perhaps you need to grow up a little more.

Steve V said...

Funny how "Ontario Lad" NEVER responded when I suggested he was also a climate change denier. You can just smell the misfits after years of blogging, it's weird like that.

Anonymous said...

Well, of course you could never respond to what I posted about the lack of proper context in regards to not disclosing to respondents what the actual amount of public funding is that is allocated to CBC was before the administration of this poll, so you responded by calling me childish names such as "moonbeam" and "conbot" while continuing to ignore such a material ommision, and wile ignoring the fact that another poll that addressed that very issue was done with utterly opposite results. Then you bring up something totally unrelated such as climate change in a pathetic effort to change the channel. Why would I bother enablinig such childishness as that by continuing to "respond"? So that smell you're getting? Yeah, its coming from YOU. But I bet you're used to that by now, right?

Steve V said...

So, I was right about climate change, right moonbeam?

The sad part, your think your useless diversionary BLATHER on polls is VALID. I smell WEAK, now go put your head back up your ass k conbot, you're a colossal predictable BORE :)