“With the creation of a new strategic plan, this is a good time to review the leadership of CBC. The decision to change leadership was not a sudden decision triggered by any specific incident. And, by the way, we did not escort Richard out of the building (where do people get these rumours?). It was, rather, the culmination of a very long reflection on the future of the Corporation, the culture it needs to adopt in order to change and adapt in an evolving media environment and our ability to agree to a long term plan based on a shared vision.
…
“However, you should immediately know that there is nothing (and I mean nothing) in our current programming strategies that I don’t stand by: so, those out there who think this is in any way a repudiation of where we stand today will be disappointed big time.
(Editor’s emphasis)

Here are links to the various news items:

CBC

Globe and Mail

Toronto Star

National Post

And here is a Twitter post that sums up our view:

Stursberg is out at CBC. Can we have Radio 2 back now, please? ‘Cause, Richard, music lovers hate what you did to classical music on radio.  – dbasskin

Other web site publications

– 30 – an online journal “from the front lines of Canada’s media

Toronto Life: Eleven Reasons CBCers loved/hated Richard Stursberg

Excerpts from the Globe and Mail article

Although Friday’s announcement came as a shock to CBC staff, there were long-standing tensions between Mr. Stursberg’s aggressive focus on ratings and Mr. Lacroix’s emphasis on consensus building and his statements on the CBC as a public service, insiders said.

Mr. Stursberg’s departure is widely believed to have been acrimonious. The announcement noted that it was effective immediately, and the CBC’s Toronto Broadcast Centre was abuzz with rumours among staff that Mr. Stursberg had been escorted from the building.

A senior executive at the public broadcaster who worked closely with both men described the relationship between Mr. Stursberg and Mr. Lacroix as being, at best, “like a marriage, they tried and it didn’t work.”

The five-year strategic review brought that tension to a head.

and…

One source also said that Mr. Lacroix had emphasized he wants a continued, strong commitment to Canadian productions. However, what could change, and what some speculate is in the yet-unreleased five-year plan, is less of the headlong rush for ratings.

In this lengthy and excellent article about the trombonist and conductor, a later section reveals Trudel’s thoughts around the time of the dissolution of the CBC Radio Orchestra and the reasoning behind the creation of the Nation Broadcast Orchestra of Canada.

Here is the relevant excerpt:

Considering the unceasing effort Trudel put into the Radio Orchestra, when the news was passed down that federal funding was being withdrawn, he confesses, “It hurt, as if somebody in my family had died.”  Despite much support throughout Canada, and the gigantic protestation of the entire Orchestra — its administration, musicians, and community — the fate of the Orchestra ultimately was controlled by the Conservative Government’s fiscal policies and the degradation of federal arts funds. “It went from feeling really proud of being Canadian to this immense deception and really not understanding the reasons.  They really didn’t have any except for economic reasons,” says Trudel.  “It goes with the very Occidental culture of when someone gets older, we try to put them aside, we don’t try to learn from them.  Very often, people have something to say.”

Exhausted from this lengthy, futile battle for the preservation of a Canadian artistic institution, Trudel had called a meeting with the players of the Orchestra to discuss the dissolution, when he received a phone call from Montréal entrepreneur Philippe Labelle.  Outraged with the federal abandonment of the Radio Orchestra, Labelle confessed to Alain Trudel that he had been a follower of the Orchestra for many years and would not stand idly while an organization of such importance to Canadian culture was forced prematurely into history.  Labelle persuaded Trudel not to “pull the plug just yet,” to wait and try a few more options, and to continue with his characteristic perseverance.  Trudel believes that, “In life you could take those things as big problems, or as opportunities. So we saw this as an opportunity to create an entirely new orchestra model.”

The essence of the Radio Orchestra was to play on new technologies, which, at its inception, was radio.  Now, in the information age, the importance has shifted into creating an adaptable orchestra for the twenty-first century broadcast medium, the internet.  Trudel’s belief in the importance of continuing the Canadian orchestral community, along with his experiences of working closely with many composers throughout his career, are important influences in the way his new orchestra, the National Broadcast Orchestra of Canada, creates longevity in its relationships with composers throughout the nation.  “At one point Mozart and Beethoven…were contemporary composers and all the musicians that first took part in it were so excited….That’s the kind of excitement we try to reproduce with the NBO.”

Stop stonewalling, CBC told: Watchdog delivers a rocket

Canada’s information commissioner has smacked the CBC for stonewalling requests under the access-to-information law.

In her 2009-2010 annual report released Thursday, Suzanne Legault said the public broadcaster has wrongly withheld information, taken too long to respond to some requests and tried to overcharge on some files.

The report came out the same day Prime Minister Stephen Harper formally nominated Legault — acting information commissioner for a year — to take the top job on a permanent basis.

The report noted the CBC was among 70 crown agencies brought under the access act three years ago and has since had hundreds of complaints.

Since 2007, the commissioner has received 889 complaints about the broadcaster.

Picture caption:  Suzanne Legault’s report raps the CBC on the day she took over the job on a permanent basis.

The Canadian Press

The callers to your program on Thursday morning (Dec 3) and eloquent visitors to your studio on Friday morning (Dec 4), who addressed Messrs. Casgrain, LeCroix and Stursberg, could not have been more reasonable and absolutely correct about CBC.  You must realize that, like fond parents, or enthusiastic rock fans, we only carp because we love you.  But this last major change could be a big parting of ways with all of your most faithful listeners and the CBC.  As well as our outrage over the Radio 2 changes (which cause me, guiltily, to listen instead to two Seatlle stations, one for classical music, and the other for sometimes useful commentary–the Public Radio station), we must protest the switching to strange “World” and -”The Link” of overnight programming.
 
Not only do you work the young man to death, ‘host’?– and he is none too listen-able, though pleasant -sounding; just not very wide-ranging or knowledgeable– you intersperse the bits of interviews and occasional news/features with music!  If we wanted music in the middle of the night we could tune in to almost any other frequency on the am or fm band.  We listen because we are insomniacs or have horrible jobs that keep us up all night, and we turn to CBC, or we did, for thought-provoking and interesting feature stories as of old.  That means anywhere from Finland to Australia to the excellent Netherlands, and Australian feeds.  Our international service pales beside most of the others, but we here don’t need, in the over night segment, to hear Canadian features, otherwise presented much better during the day programming, before CBC 1 and CBC2 went through a conversion to jazz and ‘trendy’ gibberish pieces.
 
Without programs like Early Edition, including Lee Rosevere’s Earlier, and Holgar Peterson’s blues, and Ideas, book reviews with Eleanor Wachtel, and Sunday programming with Sheryl McKay, and Michael Enright,  and especially the wonderful Kathleen Petty on “The House”, we would but rarely listen to CBC radio.  We catch a rare burst of classical music on CBC2, and on French CBC, otherwise the delightful choices of good talk and good music are diminishing.
 
Evidently Mr. Stursberg assumes that everyone under 40 listens exclusively to jazz, and that no one else counts.  And, as John Doyle says, “don’t get me started” about television:  all of the changes to CBC television news — Newsworld that was– and local lost-dog and schlocky celeb and overdone scare stories of petty crime are just sad.  We surely have had, pound for pound, one of the great news services: reasoned, excellently delivered, opinion pieces carefully identified as such.  Now we’re sliding towards silly Yank-style sensationalism, narrow chauvinism of the home-booster variety –  tedious provincialism.

The head honchos of the CBC did not acquit themselves very well when answering to  shareholders in their recent visit.  Please pass on these comments, and ask them to keep thinking, like the careful Canucks we are supposed to be, and not be too anxious for rapid, untried changes.

Sincerely, a very long-time listener,
 
Shirley Bradley

EXCERPT:

And there’s the rub – weeks after the new-format National was launched, the emphasis on the superficial is all too clear. I know that. You know that. But what do we know, really? We’re “pathetic.”

Memo to Richard Stursberg – the CBC belongs to all of us and we’re all entitled to input without being met by insults and arrogant dismissal.

In Canada, we give the Glenn Gould Prize to a man who embraces classical music for the good of society and the poor, while we support governments at all levels that are closing down orchestras, closing down music programs in schools, closing theatres with the capacity to present orchestras. The Third World is racing to make a better society; meanwhile Canada appears to be stumbling to the bottom.

Libby on increased funding for the CBC

September 24, 2009

Blog entry

Dear Friends,

The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation is an intrinsic part of Canadian culture. From Vancouver East to Whitehorse to St John’s, the CBC provides coverage that resonates with Canadians.

Last year the CBC announced a $171 million budget shortfall due to lost advertising revenue in the economic downturn. Devastated by the shortfall, the CBC appealed to the Minister of Heritage for a temporary bridging loan to cover the shortfall. When the federal government refused to provide the bridging loan, the CBC was forced to turn inwards to make up the losses and drastically cut 800 jobs – about 10% of their workforce. These cuts also meant closures to local radio and TV stations across the country, and the cancellation of programs like The Inside Track, Outfront and The Point. Not to mention to dismantling of the CBC Radio orchestra.

I held a forum on the CBC this summer where dozens of people came out to show their support for the CBC. In response, I’ve launched a PETITION CAMPAIGN calling on the Conservative government to immediately increase funding to the Canadian broadcaster. Please download my petition and send your signature(s) to me in Ottawa, postage free, at Libby Davies, MP Vancouver East, House of Commons, Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0A6.

SOURCE: http://libbydavies.ca/blog/2009/09/24/libby-increased-funding-cbc

Sandra Bruneau

There was a young girl who had a quick wit.
Her grandma and momma had taught her to knit.
They gave her some wool, some needles, a kit.
Yet the craft failed to interest her, not the least bit!

She said she would rather play tunes on a flute
Her grandma and mumma said ‘That would be cute!‘
She got out her case and gave flute a toot;
this story turned happy, she earned lotsa loot.

Playing better and faster, she soon gained great fame,
concerts were given, thousands they came.
Soon she was heard on the old CBC.
The nation was listening: she played right on key.

But the old CBC then decided to change,
taken over by aliens, it became truly strange.
The classical brains were pushed to the side,
and the ratings then took a steep dive and a slide.

Nobody knew how to make a brave save
from popular discers who’d made the Corp cave.
The citizens thought they could take things in hands,
So they rose up together with several demands.

They fought and they lobbied, they wrote their MPs;
polite and respectful, they even said `Please!’
But the MPs had deaf ears, crude cowboys all,
They hummed and they hawed and perfected their stall.

`We do like our rock and our blues and our punks!’
But the people insisted: `Get rid of the skunks!’
`Put classical back!’ was the citizens’ cry:
We’ll fire you quickly unless you do try!’

So the girl with the flute decided to run
for a parliament seat. She’d run ’til she won.
Quite soon she was seated on top of the Hill;
a good politician, she crafted a bill.

And her private new bill which MPs did vote,
‘twas better than ramming stuff down their rich throats
She called for more culture and also for class;
she cajoled and persuaded and soothed the top brass.

One day in the Commons she got out her flute.
With happy aplomb, she played on her lute.
The MPs did listen, then talked in great huddles,
a melodic approach caused gigantic befuddles.

The flute-player played, gathered MPs all ’round,
and claimed that the country needs most some good sound.
‘Musicians do need you, what courage you have,
You must vote the whole bill, not take it by halves.’

Her eyes twinkled brightly, MPs they did smile,
She had them all hoodwinked, ahead by a mile.
They did what she told them, with nary a quarrel,
She gathered them round, to sing a sweet chorale.

When it came time to vote on the bill,
prepared by the flautist who sat on the Hill,
They nodded and hugged and knew what they’d do.
She led her new chorus line, right there on cue.

The bill passed quite easily, without opposition.
It called for commissions and fine composition.
It required good music be heard on the waves,
‘Be proud of this work you can take to your graves.’

For the new CBC which shamefacedly crept
our young woman flautist proved greatly adept.
She changed what we hear from a soundboard so loud
to something released from a gathering shroud.

When musicians applauded and lauded their girl,
they saw and they knew she was really a pearl.
Her grandma and momma saw a class that might knit
‘Develop your talents: save our land from nit-wits!’

September 2009

[EDITOR'S NOTE: this poem also appears in our Humour section.]

Conductor Alain Trudel conducts the National Broadcast Orchestra at the official launch Tuesday of the newly established ensemble at the Chan Centre.

Photograph by: Bill Keay, Vancouver Sun, Special to The Sun

SOURCE: http://www.vancouversun.com/entertainment/National+Broadcast+Orchestra/1998677/story.html

Also, see article from Globe and Mail