26 May CBC’s Politics to be cancelled
The past week of rumors tumbling out of CBC headquarters in Toronto are correct. Don Newman’s chair will not be filled on the venerable show Politics. In fact, several senior sources inside the CBC have confirmed the plan to cancel Politics show outright. CBC Newsworld is undergoing a network “transformation” and while the “transformed” schedule might have had a spot for Don Newman, it won’t now that he is taking early retirement. A co-hosted duel-city show with an economic edge coming out of Toronto and Ottawa may replace it. I’m also hearing Carol MacNeil may be tapped to lead this effort.
CBC spokesperson, Jeff Keay, refused to confirm the cancellation saying management was, “Still in the process of looking at what form the show will take.”
What do you think about the CBC cancelling Politics?
Update: Several CBC sources close to Ms. MacNeil suggest she is staying put at CBC News Sunday. in Toronto. (CBC News Sunday has been cancelled).
Hear that whimpering sound from Sandy Hill? That’s me hearing this news
I am very happy that CBC is cancelling politics, actually they should scrap cbc and their msm.md
Wow thats pretty painful, I’ve always enjoyed Politics it got down to a lot of great issues. I hope in the end that the CBC doesn’t get completely gutted , I don’t want to have to resort to depending on CTV for my news information.
What? No more ‘Brooooaaaadcast”?
Don tried hard, and did a reasonable job, under the circumstances. Unfortunately, he very seldom was able to get past the ‘talking points’ drivel the spokespersons for the three federal parties spouted incessantly. The structure of having two opposition spokespersons and only one government spokesperson was also inherently unfair to the government party. Having the NDP with 15% of the vote there every day, when the Consrvatives received more than twice that vote was also unfair and leads one to conclude that the CBC was biased against the government and favoured the NDP. Of course the fact that Don would be a member of ACTRA which supports the NDP had nothing to do with it…
We enjoyed Don Newman mostly for his sheer depth of parliamentary history but his show grew hopelessly tired and disappointing as he always trotted out the usual coterie of extreme partisans (MP´s with views simply and always for the sake of the Party….) His roundtable type discussions with his selection of reporters, who often had too personal ties with political members was unfortunate. However maybe it is not possible to find veteran Ottawa reporters who haven´t had personal relations with top ranking politicos. And maybe that´s the rub, his show never really renewed itself as it was lacking the youthful excitement of up and coming reporters who hadn´t married into the political side. One side or the other. The perspective a viewer was often left with was of partisanship on the reporters side, although we are not permitted to suggest such, it is vielled under a cloak of so called unquestioned integrity. All the same we shall really miss Don Newman,s braaaahdtCast.
I tried to watch Politics every day. My problem with the show is that they tried to pack too much into the hour. It seems like they would just get into the meat of the matter under discussion and Don Newman would cut them off due to time restrictions and then off to the next topic only to do the same thing after only a couple of minutes. How about some depth?
CBC’s Politics and Don Newman himself are the reasons I became interested in Canadian politics. I’ve downloaded the podcast everyday since I discovered it.
There’s nothing wrong with the show or letting partisans duke it out before a moderator. Get real. This is insane and I hope there is a protest about the decision.
How close to Carol MacNeil are the sources? According to CBC News, she’s soon to be out of a hosting gig as well:
“The National will move to seven days a week, replacing Saturday Report and CBC News: Sunday, an initiative announced earlier.”
http://www.cbc.ca/arts/tv/story/2009/04/16/news-renewal.html
I am truly disappointed to hear this news. What I appreciated about Don Newman was that he is extremely political knowledgeable. He was not afraid to counter each guest if they were BS’ing and he wouldn’t let anyone rant on beyond their time. I found him totally unbiased; he even said he never voted. I thought Susan Bonner might replace him. I refuse to watch CTV for any kind of political information. If the Broadcast is actually cancelled, I’ll definitely be writing to CBC. We know that Harper & his right wing groupies have been out to decimate the CBC for a long time. They’d prefer to bailout their supporters at Canwest Global.
I wonder if Don’s retirement was the result of his show being cancelled and the cbc wanted him to save face.
All those reporters will have to take an income cut.
Will Don Martin return to Calgary now.
Actually it is the best news I have heard in ages. Now if ctv would gut Power Play, perhaps I would support saving local tv.
While Mr Newman has provided me with entertainment
each afternoon,the producers are the real culprits
in the annoying habit of presenting the same guests,
the same analysts,the same commentators,week after
week.That these individuals have been following the
proscribed direction all these years is it any wonder
they became boring and out of touch.Is Peter the next?
Another fine example of the dumbing down of CBC. Politics was the only hour of Newsworld programming that I actually tuned in for… Of course, if its replaced with an hour of ‘At Issue’ that’s fine but more likely it will be Poltics Makes Strange Bedfellows: Gian and George vs. Steven & Chris
She’s staying put at CBC News Sunday? It’s being cancelled. Sunday is done after next weekend.
Hey there people! Wake up! It’s more than sad that Don Newman is leaving as he is intelligent, thought-provoking and his guests and pundits are great even if some of them spew out party lines. But there is more here than meets the eye. CBC and Radio-Canada are being gutted while campaigns abound to save “private broadcasters” and local tv stations. Yet not a peep as to the closings of “local” CBC and Radio-Canada stations.If this continues, all we will have left is Global (if it doesn’t drop dead), CTV, Canada’s right-wing ideological spokespersons, and maybe we’ll be “lucky enoigh” to have a canadian “FOX” network. Harper is KILLING public tv, the best TV going! What a shame… NOT A SHAME, IT’S OUTRIGHT UNDERHANDED FASCISM at work here! Wake up people!
Early retirement? He must be past retirement age by now. Why not replace him with a good suppertime spot for Rex Murphy?
Frankly, I would prefer a younger person to read my news and not have so many freaking opinions that demean our MP’s and PM. Why not someone like Jordi Morgan? Although there really isn’t anyone quite as good.
Don’t make me come down there~!
Yes, sorry – typo on my part. I meant to type – staying at CBC in Toronto. Fixed now. Thanks.
Ian.
now when are they going to get rid of super wimp Keith Boag. The man hasn’t had an original thought in years and I cringe when I hear him introduced as “our chief political correspondent” chief no less !
This has to be an April fools joke – the Liberal Party would not permit its premiere advertising platform to be simply canceled. The CBC knows it owes its billion plus of funding to the Liberals (the NDP doesn’t approve of the current programming structure any more than the Conservatives)so they won’t just cancel this payback segment without coming up with something just as pro-Liberal – looking forward to seeing what that is.
Close CBC down and use the 1.1 BILLION $$$$ towards Health Care.
Never watch CBC except for the odd NHL game………. even the
broadcast of NHL games is poor compared to TSN and Sportsnet.
Sorry to hear the show may be cancelled. My wife and I have watched the show for quite a number of years on a regular basis. The biggest complaint we have had has been the inability of the hosts to stop the guests from trying to out shout one another and trying to get in last word. Some of the guests were unreasonably partisan and only their party ever had a good idea. I disagree with a comment above that NDP got favourtism although “close talker” Brad Lavigne did get rather overly partisan and every comment began ” Jack Layton—-” .
Don will be missed in our home and may he enjoy many years of good haelth and happiness.
I think the CBC is rotten to the core, full of Liberal sycophants. The bias of the news department is rank and undeniable. Don Newman was the ONE exception. He was a even keel, free of bias, thoughtful and intelligent journalist. He and Mike Duffy at CTV will be missed. What will we be left with? More slavish devotion to left wing causes and the Liberal Party of Canada. Sell the whole thing to Conrad Black or Ruppert Murdoch for a buck.
Susan made some excellent points, however, I would go a little further. Don was a terrifically knowledgeable and classy host, however, it is hard to believe that Don could bring in new viewers. How about bringing in someone young to add energy (as George Stroumboulopoulos has done)? Most ‘faces’ of the CBC flagship shows are all eligible for their pensions. Don was born in 1940, Henry Champ (just retired) was 1939, Bob Cole was 1933, Don Cherry was 1934, Peter Mansbridge was 1948. Like or dislike them, all but Mansbridge are all pre baby boomers and are 60+ years old.
Will be missed for sure
What will the left do without him. I’ve waited with baited breath to hear just once Newman saying anything positive about the PC’s Reform, CA and now the Conservative Party.
Oh no, the daily bashing of all things Harper and all things conservative will be cancelled? say it ain’t so. Whatever will Canada do? Who will wave the lefty-liberal flag everyday then, without the CBC’s daily kick at Harper?
Oh no, you mean we won’t have the daily 15 seconds allowed for the Conservative government or Harper position; then the 20 minutes allowed for the opposition attack dogs bashing all things Harper? Whatever will Canadians do without this?
Too bad. It is one programme I never miss. Guess CBC brass figures no one is interested in politics any more. And to think we will get another wonderful programme that is Toronto centered. Wow. It will be nice to hear about traffic conditions on the 401. No doubt it will be a big help getting out of Halifax after work.
What in hell is the CBC doing? They are killing programs which are their hallmark and informative to Canadians.
If the CBC has decided to stop their informative programs, we might as well cancel the entire CBC and give the money back to Canadians.
I think the CBC management are devoid of anything close to program logic and the needs of Canadians.
This cancellation annoys me. I guess Rex is next.
Don Newman is a blatant Liberal shill, every time I saw his show I cursed the fact my tax dollars were being used in this fashion.
Information and facts are one thing, but Don was pure propaganda with very little of either ever evident on his show.
Won’t miss him a bit.
What I will miss is the podcast. There is no other regular political show to stay on top of what is going on that I can access from a non profit source. In the US sphere of podcasts there are hours and hours of daily coverage available. If I had to choose between Don’s exhausted boring depth and the shallow sarcasm of other adolescent tv/radio coverage, I’d take Don by a long while.
Canadian political coverage has been weakened. Off to CPAC, I guess.
I suspect CBC management are not happy with the Politics format because it’s not Liberal enough .. what with the Conservatives getting air time and the NDP bashing the Liberals.
Perhaps Newman didn’t want to sink any lower into the CBC-Liberal cesspool and preferred to retire rather than ruin his tattered legacy in the anals of the CBC Hall of Fame.
Also the strident feminists who run the CBC may have no compunction transforming the CBC into a totally goebbellian Liberal propaganda organ and summarily trash the patriarchal Conservatives non-stop in the new format. I don’t think macho Don N would want to work in that kind of environment. Just watch ….
Good riddens to a biased CBC hack.
Keep Don Newman.
Not so much, for Ms. McNeil.
So where are we going to get our political coverage from? CTV?
Tom Clark is no Don Newman and no Mike Duffy. We need a show about politics where the host is informative and even-handed.
I will miss him. His manner of confronting politicians of all stripes was a breath of fresh air as opposed to Conservative Senator Mike Duffy’s partisan slant in his interviews.
If the stories are true, I will be a very happy person. The CBC lost it’s way many years ago and the culture within in the organization has done great harm to our Nation. From outright misleading stories to doctored pictures they have ruined a great institution.
Canada needs a public broadcaster with unchallengeable integrity.
Anything that will help the demise of the current organization is a step in the right direction.
That is the price to pay for slanted journalism, you alienate and turn off such a large part of your prospective audience that viewers become to limited to warrant the show. This is part of the bigger problem with the CBC in the first place.
Don’s round panel was nothing more than a who’s who of hard left leaning journalists, personally, I couldn’t even watch it.
The CBC should get out of politics all together, Mansbridge should be next, he can’t help himself either.
Don will now become the next GG
Who cares.
All I want to know is why are taxpayers having to pay for an ‘early’-retirement package to someone of retirement age? How many additional 65 plus public sector employees are getting these payouts?
Luc
Please give us one example or instance where Duffy was so partisan as to provoke you so. Hmm bad memory?
Good bye Newman, you impossibly partisan and biased propagandist, and one of the chief reasons that noone with an ounce of sense tunes into the CBC any more.
Don’t let the door hit ya on the way out!
Don’s retiring?. Good idea. now maybe some other seniors might follow.. Lloyd Robertson.. that bald guy with the dyed red fringe who’s a god awful liberal oh yes Lloyd Craigg. (I’d forgotten the the goofs name.). RoseMary Thompson.. and so on I’m sure others can make more suggestions
So good-bye to the broaddddcast!
I am typing through my tears! Politics is the only show I schedule my day around in order to watch. I have a permanent date with Don every day with my cup of coffee in hand. I appreciated his depth of experience and the perspective that comes from having “seen it all before”. Don-you will be greatly missed.
I NEED POLITICS! Pls don’t cancel
I had always found the show to be a fair presentation of party points on what was being discussed. I have caught the Conservative show on CTV and it is just to strong to stomach.
Please do not cancel POLITICS . Where else will we get unbiased
coverage . How about Susan Bonner to take over . She does an excellant job ! I do Not want to have to rely on CTV. Dislike their
coverage intensely.
A loyal CBC viewer.
Now I no longer have a reason to watch CBC Newsworld.
Don Newman has been, and is, without peer, as a television political journalist and broadcaster. He kept me interested in politics when few competitors could or did.
I had two main complaints about his show. It was too short, and he didn’t have an extended Sunday version. I also would have enjoyed it much more if he had had fewer segments, allowing for more in-depth engagement.
We need more politics on CBC-TV, not less. CBC-TV will be the poorer for his absence.
Don Newman was one of the few bright spots at the CBC. His grasp of what was happening in parliament was second to none. Its a big loss and I don’t think that he can be replaced. His show was the only reason for me tuning in. I looked forward to it each day. I could never get enough of Don Newman. The CBC has lost me as a viewer.
Who’s next on the new government’s media guillotine? Can hear this from Ottawa’s mostly-shut doors: “Let them eat cake—and watch FOX”!!! Shameful future for Canadian broadcasting and the arts. It looks as if the Barbarians are Inside the Gates!
I enjoy politics very much but had a difficult time watching CBC
because it was all controlled by the Liberals..they did anything they could to make up stories that were not true about Harper…I have never seen so much hatered in Politics on television in my life. Some of the female journalists were very un-professional and it was difficult to watch them snickering about things on Air…
The Liberals are a strange breed and cannot accept another party in
power, therefore, they should dismantle and go their own ways..
Harper paroged parliament because no work could be done with these Liberals screaming and hollering…it was just another smart move on his part as he then had the time to focus on the work that had to be done..while the the conservatives were coming to work early every morning and working in their offices, the Liberals were gathering to find ways to destroy the PC gov’t anyway they could..
If this is politics then who needs it..this is the worse that I have ever experienced…the only way to get rid of them is to get
rid of CBC…sad to say but what else is there as they will never
change and opposition change is what we need…we should be working together not against each others..everyone will have their turn eventually…
CBC canceling ‘politics’ is a great idea. They should do the same with all their shows:)