The CBC’s Future Is Entertainment—Not News

Commentary

I remember in the 1980s on Sunday mornings I used to bolt out of bed, race to the television, and tune in at 9 a.m. to watch the Halifax edition of CBC’s “Switchback,” featuring host Stan “The Man” Johnson.

You couldn’t peel me out of bed 20 minutes earlier on a weekday to get me to school on time, but no one could get between me and this show. For those who aren’t Generation X-ers, and/or didn’t have the good fortune to discover this gem as a kid, the show defies description. The best I can do is: Stan sat behind a “news” desk acting goofy, fielding phone-in contests, playing reruns of “Batman,” making bad jokes, talking to his canine co-host Rufus (a puppet), and interviewing fascinating people. The ones I remember best were “Degrassi” actors, interpretive jazz dancers, Burt Ward (Robin, from TV’s “Batman”), etc. Stan was kind of a kid’s version of David Letterman. I’ve never seen a show like it since.

My childhood was also filled with other CBC addictions: “Fraggle Rock,” “Mr. Dressup,” and “The Friendly Giant.”

Then I don’t know what happened, but I can’t say for certain whether my kids (born post-millennia) watched any Ceeb show, at least not with any frequency. I had to cringe through “Dora the Explorer,” “Barney and Friends,” and “PAW Patrol” (as if parenting wasn’t hard enough). The CBC I remembered was now the stuff of nostalgia, losing its mojo with each passing year.

Mostly what I’m seeing in recent decades regarding the CBC are clips of take-downs from other journalists, pointing out where the public broadcaster keeps putting its thumb on the political scale—and recurring complaints about chunks of the billion-plus dollars a year in taxpayer funds that end up in executives’ pockets, yada yada.

The latest scandal, of course, was Travis Dhanraj’s resignation, and with it came another cycle of criticism about CBC’s journalism ethics and perceived bias. Many critics are repeating their calls for defunding, restructuring, or rebalancing the network’s news division.

But bias and a lack of ideological diversity only compounds an already existing problem: relevance. In today’s world, where Canadians have a thousand ways to access news, from global giants, social media reels, to hyper-local outlets, the CBC’s news programming simply doesn’t matter to most people anymore.

Instead of pouring resources into a news operation that few Canadians turn to, what if CBC embraced entertainment? The network has a legacy in iconic, freshly Canadian programming that has shaped our culture and, in some cases, won attention in other countries.

Consider the sheer breadth of CBC’s entertainment catalogue.

• “Kim’s Convenience,” “King of Kensington,” “The Beachcombers,” “Heartland,” “Workin’ Moms”: Series that reflect the diversity, wit, and heart of Canada.
• “Royal Canadian Air Farce,” “The Kids in the Hall,” “This Hour Has 22 Minutes,” “The Red Green Show”: Showing off our uniquely Canadian humour.
• “Anne of Green Gables,” “The Raccoons,” “Fred Penner’s Place,” “Fraggle Rock,” “Mr. Dressup,” “The Friendly Giant”: Generational classics that shaped childhoods.
• “Schitt’s Creek”: A global phenomenon, Emmy-winner, and beloved far beyond our borders.
• “Dragons’ Den,” “Still Standing,” “The Great Canadian Baking Show”: Programs that blend information, humour, and community spirit.
• “Republic of Doyle,” “Being Erica,” “Degrassi,” “Da Vinci’s Inquest,” “North of 60”: A measure of the range and creativity of Canadian storytelling.
• Special mention: “Hockey Night in Canada.”

Entertainment is where the CBC can have real impact—and export potential. I believe our American friends would take to our products if those products were marketed so that they could be found.

Look south for inspiration. Fox, once a scrappy upstart, became a powerhouse by investing in entertainment: “The Simpsons,” “The X-Files,” “House,” “24,” “Family Guy,” “Brooklyn Nine-Nine,” “Empire.” Yes, these shows entertained. They also defined eras, built a brand, and carved cultural conversation. Fox’s commitment to scripted, original content made it an influential force.

Imagine a CBC that channels its resources into developing new scripted series that showcase Canadian talent and stories. Imagine if they partnered with streaming platforms to export Canadian culture worldwide.

Concurrently, maintaining a lean, essential news service for emergencies and national events—but letting go of the illusion that it can or should be Canada’s primary news source.

CBC’s future isn’t in chasing relevance as a news outlet in a fragmented media landscape. It’s in doubling down on entertainment. It has excelled there before, and can do so again.

Don’t pretend you don’t know what I’m talking about. Look up, look waaay up. The handyman’s secret weapon—duct tape. Colonel Stacy and the Chicken Cannon. These are the Daves I know. I squish you! For that reason, I’m out. I walk through life in really nice shoes. He shoots, he scores! Down at Fraggle Rock.

The billion-dollar question is this: When will CBC realize that Canada’s most enduring stories don’t come from behind an anchor desk—they come from the tickle trunk, and, occasionally, a guy with a roll of duct tape.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.