The Canadian Taxpayers Federation is blasting the CBC for spending more than $93,000 to enter and attend journalism award galas since 2019.According to access-to-information records, the CBC spent $54,390 on entry fees for the Radio Television Digital News Association awards and another $38,668 on travel and attendance, for a total of $93,058. No travel expenses were logged in 2021 or 2022.“Taxpayers should not be paying for CBC bureaucrats to travel to awards galas,” said Kris Sims, Alberta director of the CTF. “Many private newsrooms don’t send awards entries due to costs and time constraints, but the CBC has a firehose of taxpayers’ money and it’s getting wasted here.”.To be considered for an award, media outlets must pay fees of $95 to $190 depending on the category. CBC entries dominate the nominations, accounting for 65% of national categories and 72% of prairie awards this year. The broadcaster is also listed as a platinum sponsor of the 2024 gala at a cost of $15,000.The CBC is projected to cost taxpayers more than $1.4 billion this year. Despite that, its News Network has just a 1.8% prime-time audience share, meaning 98% of Canadians are tuning out..Separate records show the state broadcaster employs over 250 directors, 450 managers and 780 producers, each making more than $100,000 annually.“It’s unfair for other media organizations to have to compete with the bloated, top-heavy, taxpayer-funded CBC for these awards,” said Gage Haubrich, prairie director of the CTF. “The CBC needs to cut this frivolous expense and stop charging taxpayers to jet off to awards shows.”
