Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
|
| Maison de Radio-Canada in Montreal |
The
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, more commonly abbreviated
CBC, is
Canada's government-owned
television network and
radio network. In
French, it is called
la Société Radio-Canada, or SRC.
The CBC was founded in 1932 when the federal government set up the Canadian Radio Broadcasting Commission, or CRBC. The CRBC took over the radio stations formerly set up by the government-owned Canadian National Railway. In 1936, the CRBC became a full Crown corporation, and gained its present name.
For the next few decades, the CBC was behind all broadcasting innovation in Canada. In July 1958, CBC TV was linked from coast to coast. They introduced FM radio to Canada in 1946, television in 1952, and colour television in 1966. Since the 1970s, the CBC has not dominated broadcasting in Canada like it formerly did, but still plays an important role.
Today, the CBC operates several television and radio networks, in both English and French:
- two national broadcast television networks, one in English and one in French. Both sell advertising, and are otherwise similar to the privately-owned networks, but still rely more heavily on Canadian-produced programming than the others.
- three national cable news channels: Newsworld, Réseau de l'Information (RDI), and Country Canada
- the Northern Service, television programmed for viewers in the far north
- four national radio networks, two in each language. In English, CBC Radio One provides mostly news, information and general entertainment programming -- although historically on the AM band, many stations (especially in larger cities where RF interference affects AM radio reception) are moving to FM. CBC Radio Two airs arts and culture programming, exclusively on FM. In French, these services are replicated by La Première Chaîne and La Chaîne Culturelle networks respectively. The radio networks do not accept advertising.
- an international broadcasting service, Radio Canada International (RCI)
- a domestic shortwave service for northern Quebec
Programming
CBC Television
CBC television programs include:
Former shows
CBC Radio
CBC radio programs include:
- As It Happens evening current affairs and human interest stories.
- Cross-Country Checkup Nationwide phone-in on current affairs
- The Current morning current affairs
- The House - weekly national politics
- Quirks and Quarks discusses new developments in science.
- Ideas
- Finkleman's 45s
- Saturday Afternoon at the Opera
- The Vinyl Cafe with Stuart McLean.
- Definitely Not The Opera pop culture magazine that airs opposite the Saturday opera.
- C'est La Vie English language programme about Francophone culture
External links