Fact Sheets & Bios

Fact Sheets

March 14, 2008 - Investment in Canadian and Foreign Programming by Private Conventional Broadcasters
FRIENDS research shows a widening gap between what private broadcasters are investing in Canadian television programing and what they are purchasing from foreign sources.

November 30, 2006 - Advertisement: Defending Canada’s cultural sovereignty is good politics
FRIENDS advertisement placed in the delegates' program for the Liberal Party leadership convention, November 30 - December 3, 2006.

November 27, 2006 - Supporter response to CBC President editorial
Citizen joins FRIENDS in response to CBC President Robert Rabinovitch's editorial in the National Post "A CBC contract with Canadians."

September 7, 2006 - Rabinovitch Performance Up-date (2004/06) A Failing Grade
CBC President Rabinovitch gets a failing grade in a performance review of senior CBC management done for Friends Steering Committee.

August 22, 2006 - The Conservatives' Hidden Agenda For Public Broadcasting And Cultural Sovereignty
A briefing note to FRIENDS supporters outlines how contradictions between 2006 election policy statements of Stephen Harper's Conservatives and their past comments on public broadcasting and cultural sovereignty have grown more pronounced since coming to power.

July 24, 2006 - Bumping of The National by an American reality show - responses from CBC staff and board members
Various form responses from CBC staff and Board members to Friends' supporters who communicated concerns over the pre-emption of The National this summer by an American reality show.

July 5, 2006 - Former Liberal cabinet minister supports a CBC mandate review
Hon. Andy Scott urges the Minister of Canadian Heritage to initiate the planned review of the CBC, despite intervention by the Prime Minister's office.

July 1, 2006 - Bumping of The National by an American reality show - Friends' supporter response
A Friends' supporter refutes the form response by a CBC board member regarding the pre-emption of The National by an American reality show.

June 22, 2006 - Liberal leadership candidates speak out on Canadian culture and broadcasting
FRIENDS asked each of the eleven candidates seeking leadership of Liberal Party for their views on four key Canadian broadcasting and cultural issues.

March 29, 2006 - Investment in Canadian and Foreign Programming (including Drama) by Private Conventional Broadcasters, 1994-2005
Charts showing annual investment by private conventional broadcasters in Canadian and foreign programming between 1994-2005, adjusted to 2005 dollars.

February 10, 2006 - Where do the Conservatives stand on Public Broadcasting and Cultural Sovereignty?
Post-election briefing note to FRIENDS supporters concludes there is a huge and troubling gap between the 2006 policy statements of Stephen Harper's Conservatives and their past comments on public broadcasting and cultural sovereignty, and suggests a hidden agenda.

January 23, 2006 - Election 2006 - Party Policies
Responses from major federal political parties to letter requesting their official policies on FRIENDS' four election priority issues.

September 21, 2005 - Official Programme: End the CBC Lockout - An Evening in Support of Public Broadcasting
Text of the official programme of a Toronto concert organized by FRIENDS, ACTRA and others to rally support for public broadcasting and call for an end to the CBC lockout.

September 5, 2005 - Advertisement: Stand with Canadians
Advertisement sponsored by ACTRA, FRIENDS, CIRPA, SOCAN in Ottawa's Hill Times concerning results of opinion poll showing 64% of Canadians want the Government of Canada to intervene in CRTC satellite radio decisions because the proposed services offer too little Canadian content.

August 19, 2005 - CBC Lockout
FRIENDS encourages you to make your views know to both sides in the dispute – CBC President Robert Rabinovitch and Canadian Media Guild President Lise Lareau.

July 8, 2005 - Percentage share of radio listening by format: Fall 2004
Chart showing the listening share of radio formats - Adult contemporary music continues to dominate.

April 2, 2005 - Memories of Early Canadian Radio
FRIENDS supporter recalls the early days of Canadian radio.

March 31, 2005 - A Primer on Ottawa’s response to the Lincoln Report
Heritage Minister Liza Frulla will table in Parliament a response to the Lincoln Report on Monday, April 4. FRIENDS, ACTRA and the CEP will be paying close attention to a number of key issues, and have prepared a primer on Ottawa's response to the Report.

March 23, 2005 - Investment in Canadian and Foreign Programming (including Drama) by Private Conventional Broadcasters, 1994-2004
Charts showing annual investment by private conventional broadcasters in Canadian and foreign programming between 1994-2004, adjusted to 2004 dollars.

March 21, 2005 - Letter to CBC re termination of Don Hill
Listener doubts CBC's explanation that termination of popular Alberta radio host Don Hill was exclusively for financial reasons.

March 21, 2005 - Don Hill Rally in Calgary on March 21, 2005
Friends of Don Hill organize rally to protest the termination of CBC Alberta radio host Don Hill at CBC Calgary, 1724 Westmount Blvd. NW, 4 to 6 p.m.

March 20, 2005 - Letter to CBC requesting in-person meeting on the termination of Don Hill
Seniors' Action and Liaison Team seeks in-person meeting with CBC management to protest the termination of Alberta radio host Don Hill.

March 20, 2005 - Letter to CBC re termination of Don Hill
CBC listener demands answers regarding the dismissal of Alberta radio host Don Hill.

March 17, 2005 - Advertisement: Defending Canada’s cultural sovereignty is good politics
FRIENDS advertisement placed in the delegates' program for the Conservative Party policy convention, March 17-19, 2005.

March 15, 2005 - Letter to CBC from Friends of Don Hill
Friends of Don Hill say protests and letter writing will continue until fired CBC Alberta radio host Don Hill is reinstated.

March 14, 2005 - CBC response to listener complaint re termination of Don Hill
CBC defends termination of popular Alberta radio host as a financial decision.

March 13, 2005 - Letter from FRIENDS Supporter to CBC re Termination of Don Hill
FRIENDS supporter writes that CBC management's official statements on the firing of Alberta radio host Don Hill are unbelievable and its handling of the affair is an embarrassment.

March 13, 2005 - Don Hill Rallies in Edmonton and Calgary on March 14, 2005
Information on rallies to protest the termination of CBC Alberta radio host Don Hill.

March 10, 2005 - Letter to CBC re termination of Don Hill
CBC listeners write that the termination of popular Alberta radio host Don Hill has alienated CBC's strongest supporters.

February 14, 2005 - Letter to FRIENDS re: CBC in High Prairie, Alberta
A letter from a High Prairie, Alberta resident highlights that there are still Canadian communities that do not receive CBC.

February 12, 2005 - Letter to FRIENDS re: CBC Thunder Bay
A letter from a Thunder Bay resident describes the importance of CBC grassroots.

November 17, 2004 - Investment in Canadian and Foreign Programming (including Drama) by Private Conventional Broadcasters
FRIENDS research shows private broadcasters' spending on foreign programming has now exceeded spending on Canadian programming, in inflation-adjusted dollars; in drama programming, the gap between foreign and Canadian expenditures continues to widen.

November 15, 2004 - CBC President Tells Media, Not Parliament About Plans for Local/Regional Programming
In an extraordinary development, CBC president tells media scrum about plans for CBC local/regional programming after refusing to tell parliamentary committee about them.

October 19, 2004 - Conservative MP Response to FRIENDS Supporters on Appointments to CBC
Text of e-mail response from Conservative Party MPs to FRIENDS supporters who recently e-mailed the Prime Minister, copying their MP to advocate reform in CBC appointments.

October 8, 2004 - Financial Contributions to Federal Political Parties and Riding Associations by CBC Board Members
Table showing federal political contributions by members of the CBC Board of Directors.

September 23, 2004 - Patronage Appointments to the CBC
Compilation of comments from former Parliamentary Committees, Commissions and Prime Minister Paul Martin, showing that all agree patronage should be removed from the CBC appointments process.

July 1, 2004 - Election 2004: Looking Back
Compilation of documents issued by FRIENDS during the 2004 federal election campaign.

July 1, 2004 - Election 2004: Looking Ahead
FRIENDS summarizes its activities during the 2004 federal election and identifies threats and opportunities arising from the election of a minority government.

June 24, 2004 - Responses from Stephen Harper and the Conservative Party to requests for clarification of policies on broadcasting and culture
Three letters to Stephen Harper and the Conservative Party requesting clarification of the Conservative position on important broadcasting and cultural policy questions have gone unanswered.

June 24, 2004 - Conservative Party Candidates Talk about the CBC
Selection of statements by Conservative candidates in response to inquiries from FRIENDS supporters about the Conservative Party position on CBC.

June 12, 2004 - Responses to coalition letter calling for clarification of party culture and broadcasting policies
Liberal Party and Bloc Quebecois respond to request for disclosure of party policies on culture and broadcasting.

June 1, 2004 - Change in Parliamentary Appropriation to CBC (in 2004$)
Chart showing decline in total grant and operating grant from Parliament to CBC from 1990/91 to 2004/05, indexed by Prime Minister and adjusted to 2004 dollars.

May 23, 2004 - FRIENDS Pre-Election Poll Results: Voters Support Canadian Content and Public Broadcasting
Pre-election polling commissioned by FRIENDS shows strong voter support for Canadian culture, Canadian content, and an independent and well-funded CBC. Voters also strongly support maintaining domestic control of Canadian communications/broadcasting companies and limiting media concentration. Includes links to opinion poll results, press releases, media coverage, and other documents.

March 23, 2004 - 2004 Federal Budget
The 2004 federal budget restores funding cut from the Canadian Television Fund in last year's budget.

March 05, 2004 - Foreign Ownership in Media and Communications - Links and Resources
A collection of FRIENDS' statements, news articles and links on the topic of foreign ownership of media and communications companies.

Oct 27, 2003 - Memo to FRIENDS Steering Committee: CBC's Unions
Memo from Ian Morrison to Friends of Canadian Broadcasting Steering Committee members on the implications for viewers and listeners of the choice CBC employees are now making between CBC's two unions.

Mar 13, 2003 - Federal Budget Victimizes CBC - More Cuts Coming
Despite promise of $60 million in extra federal funds, CBC will have to make cuts

Mar 18, 2002 - Analysis of Canadian Association of Broadcasters' Submission to Commons Heritage Committee (pdf 400KB)
Analysis of CAB’s internal politics, policy agenda and erroneous impressions created by submission to Commons committee

Mar 12, 2002 - Up-date on CBC Television's Supper-Hour Shows (pdf 18KB)
Canada Now newscasts attract smaller audiences - as do shortened regional newscasts

Feb 28, 2002 - CanWest Facts (pdf 96KB)
Data concerning CanWest’s record on simulcasting, broadcasting little Canadian content, and spending subsidies on foreign programming

Dec 06, 2001 - No Shelter From Storm for Bell Canada
Protesting Northern Ontario local news cuts, Friends places bus shelter ad near Parliament Hill saying BELL + CTV = Less Local Television

March 25, 2001 - Significant Developments in the English-language Television System (pdf 21KB)
Measures changes in broadcaster investment in Canadian programming, share of viewing, correlation of audiences to program quality

Feb 01, 2001 - Audience for CBC Television's Supper-Hour Show
Audiences for CBC supper-hour shows affected by overlap with Hockey Night in Canada

Dec 22, 2000 - Audience for CBC Television's Supper-Hour Show
Audiences for supper-hour news programs have dropped everywhere but in Toronto

July 13, 2000 - Which Broadcaster is Sleuthing Friends?
Friends attempts to identify broadcaster that hired former journalist Brenda Dalglish to interrogate Steering Committee members about Friends’ structure and finances

Apr 21, 2000 - CBC Technical & Regulatory Issues
CBC’s proposal to remove its terrestrial network, rely entirely on other technologies for distribution could have unintended consequences

Oct 01, 1998 - What Others Said About Bill C-44
Comments from current and former CBC presidents, Fifth Estate host, Heritage Minister on bill threatening CBC autonomy

Jul 01, 1998 - Bill C-44 Legal Interpretation
Legal research on Bill C-44 shows CBC president, board could indeed be dismissed without cause if bill were adopted

Dec 01, 1996 - The Copps Contradiction
Sheila Copps contradicts herself regarding cuts to CBC

To view biographies of the members of our Steering Committee, please visit our Governance page.