The federal Liberal budget on Monday threw cash at seemingly everything – even the struggling CBC got more money to try and turn around their plunging viewership..Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland announced the CBC will get a $21 million boost to it’s $1.2 billion taxpayer handout..“This funding will ensure its stability during the pandemic and enable it to continue providing news and entertainment programming that keeps Canadians informed,” the budget reads..“Like many media organizations, during the pandemic the CBC/Radio-Canada has experienced declining advertising revenues that threaten its capacity to continue delivering public television and radio programs.”.In a Western Standard story in December, it was revealed the CBC has turned the record sum of taxpayer cash they received from the Liberal government into its worst ratings in history..Data from the CRTC show the CBC has dropped to less than 3.9% of viewership across Canada in 2018-2019 – a whopping drop of 25% in just one year..It’s a disastrous figure for a Crown corporation currently in the middle of internal squabbles over a decision to offer sponsored content under the CBC banner. Some CBC journalists fear that the move will weaken the public’s trust in them further, while many in the private sector believe that the move will crowd them out of an already dwindling advertising market..The figures show 53% of Canadians are watching on-demand TV or “discretional” channels while another 25% are tuning into other private channels like CTV or Global. “Discretional” channels are those not required as mandatory by the CBC in basic cable packages..All told, Canadians watched 618 million hours of TV in 2020..Quebec Sen. Senator Leo Housakos tweeted in December the CBC was in “free-fall” and would be demanding answers from the Liberal Senate leader Marc Gold..It was also revealed CBC president Catherine Tait doesn’t even live in Canada. She is currently residing in a $5.4 million brownstone in New York City. She pockets a year salary of between $390,300-$459,100..Tait’s reign as head of CBC has suffered several controversies including the cancelling of regional dinner-time news broadcasts and current a staff revolt over a decision to offer sponsored content..Dave Naylor is the News Editor of the Western Standard.dnaylor@westernstandardonline.com.TWITTER: Twitter.com/nobby7694
