*Programming notes:

The CBC “regret” was the topic of conversation on Rob Breakenridge’s show last night (CHQR Calgary). Listen to the clip

and, I just finished up a segment on CHML in Hamilton on Roy Green’s show. Listen to the clip

If you’ve been following the CBC-Lawand story on the blogs, you’re already up to date; there’s really nothing new in the audio. The radio guys are pushing the story out to a wider audience.

So, let’s give this post a wider purpose. Let’s make this an open CBC thread and let’s initiate a discussion surrounding the following questions:

Do peoples in remote areas of Canada now have access to satellite television and the Internet? Thus is CBC required as a “national service” to these people? What is the current audience share for the CBC vs. CTV and Global? For the flagship newscast? Should Canada be open to NBC/ABC/FOX/CBS affiliates? Would the introduction of the Canadian market to these networks ironically increase* the amount of Canadian content viewed on television by Canadians (CSI: Toronto perhaps?) Where are we headed with the emergence of new media technologies? While the CRTC regulates satellite radio, will we trend towards a preference in media delivery that cannot be reasonably regulated? (Internet, wifi VoIP, subscriber video programming delivered via the Internet to cell phones, personal media players, etc.) What implications will this have on restrictive election speech laws? Has the speed of technological emergence surpassed that of bureaucratic regulation? What are your thoughts on media consolidation? Without the CBC, we’d have two national networks. With a privatized CBC, we’d have three market driven networks. Is this enough? Has the introduction of alternative media introduced other choices that can compete? What realistic political conditions would be necessary for either the abolishment or privitization of the CBC to occur? What is the CBC’s role? American reality shows? Hockey? Children’s programming? News? If operating with public funds, should the CBC compete on content covered by private networks?