I’ve been critical of the CBC over the past few months, emphasizing the need for Canada’s public broadcaster to do more to embrace the potential of new technologies and the Internet. To that end, there are signs that the CBC is moving in the right direction. In addition to a Globe and Mail report that indicates that the CBC is talking with Apple and Google about providing video downloads (possibly free), check out the Fifth Estate’s website devoted to this evening’s documentary on former PM Brian Mulroney and the Airbus affair. The site does exactly what a companion website to a television program should do by offering additional video and audio clips, original documents, and additional background information that was not included in the one-hour program. It is clear that considerable resources went into the site and I think that it provides a model for others to follow.
The CBC as a Role Model
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about time
Thanks for the link professor – I always watch the Frontline programs on PBS website and am glad to see that CBC has followed that model with the Fifth Estate website. thanks for the link.
I wish that CBC radio would do more podcasting.
I’m sure there are lots of folks who would like to listen to shows like As It Happens, Ideas, Sunday Morning, etc., at their leisure.
I learned from Tod Maffin’s site that some kind of announcement about podcasting is in the works. But I am wondering what is taking so long. PBS in the US has been podcasting many of its shows for some time and is continually adding more.
Professor Geist:
It’s all well and good that a public broadcaster is incorporating new technologies to bring its views/programs to the masses…but isn’t there something inherently undemocratic about a state sponsored broadcaster? I mean, from a conceptual standpoint, should the public be flipping the bill for an outlet that is underwritten by a central government and regularly espouses a biased world view? Do outlets like the CBC, BBC, et al, really benefit the public and does it really matter which technology they choose to employ?
thanks.