{"id":3295,"date":"2012-04-12T09:29:43","date_gmt":"2012-04-12T13:29:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/?p=3295"},"modified":"2012-04-12T09:29:43","modified_gmt":"2012-04-12T13:29:43","slug":"the-gazette-cbc-cuts-gut-cherished-international-service","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2012\/04\/the-gazette-cbc-cuts-gut-cherished-international-service\/","title":{"rendered":"The Gazette: CBC cuts gut cherished international service"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>More attention to the cuts at RCI<\/a> from The Gazette of Montreal<\/a>. This article features quotes from my friend, Sheldon Harvey of the CIDX<\/a> and the International Radio Report<\/a>:<\/p>\n

(Source: The Gazette<\/a>)<\/p>\n

MONTREAL – Lost amid the auditor-general\u2019s report last week on the F-35 fighter planes and Canada raising the retirement age to 67, was news of the impending demise of Radio Canada International \u2013 the CBC\u2019s international service, for many a lifeline to Canadian culture and politics, from as far away as Hanoi or Rio de Janeiro.<\/p>\n

While CBC, like other crown corporations and government departments, has to cut 10 per cent of its overall budget as a result of federal cutbacks, RCI, which is administered by the CBC but has long been its poor cousin, was told more than 80 per cent of its budget would be slashed, or $10 million of $12.3 million.<\/p>\n

[…]\u201cUpsetting,\u201d \u201cabsolutely dreadful,\u201d \u201cshocking.\u201d Those were the words listeners from Bulgaria to Missouri used to describe the end of RCI\u2019s shortwave broadcasts after more than six decades on the air.<\/p>\n

[…]Sheldon Harvey, the president of the Canadian International DX Club, and a longtime shortwave enthusiast, said the international service, over the decades, has gained a stellar reputation, ranked just behind the BBC World Service \u2013 despite its relatively tiny budget \u2013 for its balanced, neutral perspective.<\/p>\n

It was never a propaganda tool, like the Voice of America, he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey have table scraps thrown at them, yet are able to put together such high-quality broadcasts for people around the world,\u201d Harvey said. \u201cTo see that tossed aside is really sad.\u201d<\/p>\n

[T]he idea that listeners in other countries can all go online is farcical, Harvey said. Only 22 per cent of the population in the developing world has access to the Internet, whereas anyone with a wind-up or solar-powered radio can receive shortwave transmissions. What\u2019s more, governments can block the Internet \u2013 as they have in Iran, China and parts of the Arab world \u2013 all part of today\u2019s Iron Curtain. But as was seen during the Cold War, it\u2019s almost impossible to block shortwave frequencies. If the Soviet Union jammed some frequencies, broadcasters could simply switch to others, Harvey said, and the cat and mouse game continued.<\/p>\n

Up till now, RCI also has served to introduce people to Canada during peacetime, whether as potential visitors, trading partners or immigrants, Harvey said. Shutting down its broadcasts is like closing down embassies and trade missions. \u201cIt\u2019s waiting for people to come to us, as opposed to knocking on their doors … I don\u2019t think the government realizes how much of the world they are cutting off by doing this.\u201d<\/p>\n

[…]\u201cCBC\u2019s mandate is to inform Canadians. But it\u2019s important to have a broader perspective here. … If you believe this country has something to say, you can\u2019t support these cuts.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Read the full article at The Gazette<\/a>. \u00a0We are actively posting news about the RCI cuts here on the SLWing Post and we also welcome your comments.<\/p>\n

You will find the latest news by following our tag:\u00a0RCI Cuts<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

More attention to the cuts at RCI from The Gazette of Montreal. This article features quotes from my friend, Sheldon Harvey of the CIDX and the International Radio Report: (Source: The Gazette) MONTREAL – Lost amid the auditor-general\u2019s report last week on the F-35 fighter planes and Canada raising the retirement age to 67, was […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[56,3,43],"tags":[1042,1041,631,1040,30,1039,1046,1044,1043,1045,4082],"class_list":["post-3295","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-broadcasters","category-news","category-shortwave-radio","tag-cbc-budget","tag-cbc-cuts","tag-radio-canada-international","tag-radio-canada-international-cuts","tag-rci","tag-rci-cuts","tag-rci-ends-shortwave","tag-sackville-closure","tag-sackville-new-brunswick","tag-sackville-transmitter-site-closure","tag-shortwave-radio"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pn3uc-R9","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":3292,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2012\/04\/the-gazette-tributes-to-rci-pour-in-from-around-the-world\/","url_meta":{"origin":3295,"position":0},"title":"The Gazette: Tributes to RCI pour in from around the world","author":"Thomas","date":"April 12, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"A sampling of messages to The Gazette in response to the cuts to Radio Canada International (RCI): (Source: MontrealGazette.com) \u201cThis is absolutely dreadful. RCI has been one of the best shortwave radio stations and a much-needed voice of solid, objective reporting. I\u2019ve been a loyal listener from the mid-1990s and\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Broadcasters"","block_context":{"text":"Broadcasters","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/broadcasters\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/10\/RCI-300x93.png?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":3202,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2012\/04\/radio-canada-international-to-end-shortwave-broadcasts-sackville-to-be-closed\/","url_meta":{"origin":3295,"position":1},"title":"Oh, Canada: Radio Canada International to end shortwave broadcasts, Sackville to be closed","author":"Thomas","date":"April 4, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"This is another sad day for international broadcasting. The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) has announced sweeping cuts that will eliminate 650 jobs over the course of 3 years. In a strategic plan called, Same Strategy, Different Path, they specifically outline their cuts of shortwave and satellite transmissions which will also\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Broadcasters"","block_context":{"text":"Broadcasters","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/broadcasters\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/04\/CBCbuilding-300x168.gif?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":3335,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2012\/04\/rci-listener-comments-carry-common-theme\/","url_meta":{"origin":3295,"position":2},"title":"RCI listener comments carry common theme","author":"Thomas","date":"April 20, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"On RCI's Listener Letters and the RCI Action committee's website, you can read listener reactions to the looming RCI cuts. To their credit, I've noticed that RCI programs (like The Link\u00a0with Marc Montgomery) are continuing \"business as usual.\" I've noticed no degradation of their content or quality.","rel":"","context":"In "Broadcasters"","block_context":{"text":"Broadcasters","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/broadcasters\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/04\/TheLinkRCI.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":3217,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2012\/04\/the-link-talks-about-the-cuts-at-rci\/","url_meta":{"origin":3295,"position":3},"title":"The Link talks about the cuts at RCI","author":"Thomas","date":"April 5, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"In this interview with Levon Sevunts, producer for RCI's The Link, we get a little more insight into the impact of these cuts at Radio Canada International. One notable quote from the audio interview:\u00a0Sevunts states rather bluntly, \"RCI is getting out of radio altogether.\" RCI's last day of broadcasting will\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Broadcasters"","block_context":{"text":"Broadcasters","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/broadcasters\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/04\/TheLinkRCI.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":3214,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2012\/04\/helene-parent-two-out-of-three-rci-employees-will-lose-their-jobs-by-the-end-of-july\/","url_meta":{"origin":3295,"position":4},"title":"Helene Parent: “two out of three RCI employees will lose their jobs by the end of July”","author":"Thomas","date":"April 5, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"It appears that the cuts at Radio Canada International will be deep and swift (see below). (Source: RCInet.ca) Spending cuts announced last week in Canada's latest federal budget have reached Radio Canada International. Speaking to employees at RCI's headquarters in Montreal on Wednesday, RCI director Helene Parent declared that two\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Broadcasters"","block_context":{"text":"Broadcasters","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/broadcasters\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/10\/RCI-300x93.png?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":3445,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2012\/05\/the-toronto-star-publishes-my-thoughts-on-the-cuts-to-radio-canada-international\/","url_meta":{"origin":3295,"position":5},"title":"The Toronto Star publishes my thoughts on the cuts to Radio Canada International","author":"Thomas","date":"May 1, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"As many of you know, I find the downsizing of major shortwave broadcasters around the world deeply concerning, especially since so much of the world still relies on the medium as a source of news and information, and for some the only source of potentially life-saving information. The recent cuts\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Articles"","block_context":{"text":"Articles","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/articles\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/TheNetwork-TheTorontoStar.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3295","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3295"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3295\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3295"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3295"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3295"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}