Union Says CBC Plans Sell-Off Of All Of Its Property

Cutbacks, Sell-Offs

Financial difficulties at the CBC have prompted the network to tell its staff that it will be selling all of its property nationwide, according to the CANADIAN MEDIA GUILD, and the proposal has the union voicing its concern. But the network denied the CMG's claim of a total selloff, telling the TORONTO STAR that it is continuing to follow the earlier-announced plan to sell half of its facilities.

“The decision to close down production centres is of great concern for our members as it should be for all Canadians, and seriously jeopardizes the CBC’s ability to do meaningful production in the future,” said CMG CBC Branch Pres. MARC-PHILIPPE LAURIN. ‘Our members believe the public broadcaster can’t only be a distributor, it has to also be a producer. This plan threatens the ongoing legacy of award- winning documentaries, drama and other quality production at CBC and RADIO CANADA."

CMG National Pres. CARMEL SMYTH added, “It makes no sense to plan this now, when three of the four national parties are promising to restore or increase funding to CBC. Just today the LIBERAL PARTY committed to increasing CBC funding by $150 million. In recent months the GREEN PARTY committed to an increase of $285-million, while the NDP says it will reverse the $115-million budget cut. Why rush into such an irreversible decision now?”

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