CBC Radio

This review will have a different flare than the others for CBC Radio.
I worked about 6 months as a security guard for the old building.
I met Premiers, CBC TV personalities, and even Fred Penner! That aspect of it was great. It was a pleasure at times.
On top of that, there’s so much to CBC Radio’s building you/​the public doesn’t know.
I imagine they do tours. but I was amazed to find out that back in the day, that building used to be a car dealership. It still has the old wooden lift in it that they would use to get the cars up to the different floors.
The only sticking point I have is with the management of the building. They runa tight ship, but sometimes too tight.
This place is surprisingly secure, so I would imagine having to call ahead if you wanted to visit, but it’s a really neat spot if you ever get the chance.

Ah the love of CBC Radio… a sign that you’re getting older and increasingly more Canadian. Right on cue, you will eventually turn that dial to some soft-​spoken discussion hour of culture, arts, and politics and never look back on those days of Pitbull featuring Flo. Rida featuring the Black Eyed Peas stations.
The building itself is a Spring Garden landmark overlooking the Citadel but the real magic happens inside. If you’re lucky enough to score an invite to play a in-​studio part of the fun, you’ll get the walk the white hallways in between studios, and maybe even chat with Don in the cozy Information Morning room. That’s about when you’ll know that you’ve made it.
Even if it is six in the morning.

I have listened to CBC Radio forever and that should tell you how I feel about it overall. CBC Radio is far more valuable and useful to me than CBC television, which frankly could go away and I would not miss it. So why am I only giving the radio side 3 stars? It’s because of a change I have perceived over the last year or two.
CBC News is still better than any other on radio locally. But now if you notice, you are hearing the same stories on radio as you do when you watch the TV news at 6PM. They have merged the two formerly separate news operations into one. What that means is that the voice-​overs on TV news stories run as radio reports as well. It doesn’t work as well as the former system which had dedicated radio reporters. It also means that they are using fewer resources and are covering fewer stories.
The other thing I do not care for to varying degrees are their 3 cornerstone local programs — Information Morning, Maritime Noon, and Mainstreet.
I will confess I have never been a fan of Information Morning. That is sacrilege, I know. I have always found it frustrating to listen to while I am trying to get to work. I want news, weather, and traffic reports. I do not want long-​form interviews or features from Bob Fournier & co. It is a good show to listen to while sitting around nursing your second cup of coffee. It is less useful as a morning drive program.
Maritime Noon was a great show when Costas H. hosted. When he retired and Jean Laroche took over for a few months he also did a good job. Now it is hosted by Norma Lee MacLeod and has a new producer. It has lost most of its charm. Norma Lee seems forced, somewhat cold, and doesn’t appear to have a whole lot of connection to her topics. That is part 2 of the problem — the topics themselves seem forced. They are trying to be newsy and topical, but it doesn’t appear to be working. This program is in steep decline and i hope they turn it around.
Mainstreet, their afternoon drive show, has always been a bit quirky. Stephanie Domet, the host, has a literary and artsy slant, and that’s fine. But lately i have noticed what appears to be an attempt to find a younger demographic, and I have to say I find those efforts are wasted on me. The «School of Rock» and «Young Canada Reads» segments drag on interminably and are of little interest to me. I find myself changing the station on my car radio when they appear. This show does do a much better job than the morning show does of providing news, weather and traffic updates though, so points to them for that. If they can get the interview/​feature pieces to work better it would greatly improve the show. One part of that which needs attention is Ms. Domet’s interviewing style. She seems to work from a prepared list of questions, which is fine, but delivers them with a tone of practiced astonishment (or is it «rehearsed ignorance»?) on the topic at hand which comes across as quite obvious and is annoying to listen to.
So for all of those reasons, they get only 3 stars from me now. If they brought their news operation back to where it was that would get them another star, and if they fixed their 3 main programs that would earn the other star they are missing.

CBC Radio: The high point of Canadian Culture. I’ll forever love curling into my reading perch with the conversations of CBC serving as a solid backdrop.
This is a station that has my utmost love and respect. Although times are tough and job cuts have sadly shaken its core, CBC continues to strive for excellence. International and local news are well-​conceived, with conversational approach. CBC avoids the fluffy stuff: it delves deep into our country’s creative cultural center-​point, and gives listeners an enlightened analysis on many topics.
Personal stories, interviews, late night overseas broadcasts, skits, music analysis and more… there is always something different on CBC, and I find it a great source of education.
A few favourite shows of my own include Sook Yin Lee’s «Definitely Not The Opera». «The Q» with Gene Ghomeshi is a great show for music fans, and «Wire Tap» is hilariously good times. I subscribe to a number of CBC podcasts that get me going during a run and a workout.
CBC is all around a fantastic Canadian broadcast, and perhaps a dream job of my own. Hats off, as this station keeps everyday thought outside of the box.

I love this station. I am listening to it on line while I type this review.
CBC will play all different songs, I am listening to Ragee right now, I have listened to concerts on here (local) that have been fabulous.
They are very big at covering local events and promoting local artists.
I often enjoy this station in the car. I like the diversity going on, and keeping in touch with what is happening locally.
Ah, now the Beatles.

My most serious radio relationship is with CBC. Yes it’s true, I do engage in the odd tryst with other more hip stations. But when the makeup comes off and it’s me in my jammies with a cup of tea, it’s just CBC for me as I curl up, book in hand, with ears primed for listening.
I’m all ears when I rise for Maritime Morning. My internal clock seems to always get me moving on the half hour or on the hour, so I’m just on time for a news update. When I’m working around the house, I love listening to the great interviews and debates that are being had over this relevant station’s airwaves.
The local news is great, and in the evening, it’s nice to hear familiar voices giving me the day’s details along with a great playlist of contemporary local artists as well as hip international acts. On the weekend, I dial in to hear Brent Bambury along with The Debaters and of course, ‘contest nana,’ if not solely for the theme song.
This is a great station, both for it’s local flavor and national programing. The coverage on international events is unparalleled by any other station, and the informative stories sought out by talented journalists are thought provoking and expertly executed.
CBC Radio, you’re the top daddy for me.