Friday, May 21, 2010

CBC: Audit us, no way!

It would seem that all the talk from the CBC over auditing MP's is just a little bit hypocritical.

The CBC is among many media outlets across the country that are strongly criticizing MPs for a lack of transparency, but the Crown Corporation is in the midst of its own, much quieter, battle to prevent the release of its taxpayer-funded expenses.

The Crown Corporation received $1.2-billion last year from Ottawa – roughly twice the $544-million spent on Parliament. It is currently in a Federal Court battle with the Access to Information Commissioner, who disputes the CBC’s blanket refusal to disclose any information regarding its journalistic, creative or programming activities, citing section 68.1 of the Access to Information Act.


Is anyone really surprised? I can't wait for Kady's latest on this.


11 comments:

Ardvark said...

If anyone wants to get the CBC's attention just post a blog entry with 'CBC' in the title.

They were here in less then 5 minutes after this was posted, and the last time they were here in under 2!!

If only I could get a response from their Ombudsman that fast.

Anonymous said...

Why am I not surprised?

All those who think the CBC has nothing to hide, raise your hands.

Right. I thought so.

wilson said...

''...refusal to disclose any information regarding its journalistic, creative or programming activities...''

LOL, I would love to see the minutes from a few of those meetings!!!

The_Iceman said...

I actually contacted James Moore about auditting the CBC, and he wrote me back. Originally there were audits every 5 years (one should have been due for 2010, the last being in 2005). But now instead they release these annual reports, which is supposed to be an audit equivilency. All these financial reports are available on their corporate website.

http://www.cbc.radio-canada.ca/annualreports/index.shtml

Even the 2005 Audit by Sheila Fraser relied entirely on information volunteered by the CBC. She didn't go over to their office and go through all their file cabinets. She reviewed what the CBC sent to her.

The CBC maintains that it is too complicated to report how much each franchise is spending. They will report that CBC television burned through 300 million, but not elaborate on which programs spent how much money. The CBC board of directors have to post their expenses online. It is again on the corporate website.

The other thing that I cannot find are full and complete ratings.

Patrick Ross said...

The Auditor General should be auditing the CBC expense reports yearly.

Anonymous said...

Looking for a good career with potential for advancement and can sometimes be exciting if not confrontational? Become an internal auditor, got several friends in the field. It is a growing profession and rightly so. (real conservative)

KURSK said...

CBC, much like Communist China, employs people to search for any mention of the brand.When found, they go to great lengths to defend the honour of the organization as well as to extol its virtue.

I would be checking the CBC as far back as the Avi Lewis years, if only to ensure he wasn't pilfering funds from the corpse to buy ,say, Saul Alinsky's underpants for some sort of shrine to socialism.

CanadianSense said...

The CBC were created with the entitlement of the taxes and they will defend their entitlements.

A review of any kind would risk those entitlements.

Jen said...

What are you afraid of CBC?

I personally think that there is a 'hidden agenda' within that CBC. Most probably our earned money that goes to pay for a left wing media goes to help the LPOC.

I find it rather suspicious when CBC does not want to open its books yet they talk about others who refuse to open theirs.
SOMETHING SMELL BIG TIME.

Listen guys, if the AFGHANS can get rid of the haunting 'taliban' media for a more democractic media and with women running the show- WE CAN DAM WELL DO THE SAME TO CBC.

bocanut said...

I'd like to know how much the CBC payed the 63 countries they claim broadcast "Little Mosque on the Prairie"

Anonymous said...

any and all organizations that receive money from the taxpayer ie. the public purse should be required to have all audits made public. the audits should include everything from salaries to coffee. the same should apply to all elected pols, all levels of the bureaucracy. those who spend the wealth generated by others should not be protected from audits.