CBC Opens ZeD.cbc.ca Code

ivar writes "The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation has open sourced (Apache License 2.0) the code used to build ZeD.cbc.ca. The corresponding TV show (typically consisting of content uploaded by the community) aired the announcement last night (Jan 6_, along with the Canadian broadcast premiere of Revolution OS. It's always heartening to see cool things come from a state run corporation..."

Comments

The show

[xXunderdogXx]

I'm surprised the blurb never mentioned the actual show. It was a great documentary on the free software / linux movement. I remember reading about it online every step of the way but it was totally amazing hearing what was happening directly from the people.

You'd probably never catch that kind of open-minded programming on corporate television because it flies in the face of the conventional outlook. My favourite part was seeing Linus bring his two beautiful daughters on stage while RMS was proselytizing.

CBC - state run? yeah right

[topham]

CBC is not run by the Canadian government. It's FUNDED by the Canadian government.

If the CBC were run by the government they wouldn't send so much time bashing the government. (Sometimes rightfully, sometimes not.)

Personally I think we should cut all their funding since they run advertisements just like any other station.

Re:CBC - state run? yeah right

[SubtleNuance]

Personally I think we should cut all their funding since they run advertisements just like any other station.

Canada has one of the most free press in the world. One of the reasons is that we provide an open INFRASTRUCTURE (cbc) to content. If you cut the funding for CBC, you will have a narrowing of discourse that will hinder our community's ability to communicate.

Free enterprise isnt concerned with truth or equality or insightfullness or universal access.

I would recommend Canada uses the BBC as a model and we Canadians implement a MORE usefull and worthwhile broadcast system.

Commercial interests are anethma to worthwhile broadcasting.

IF your goal is an army of mildly entertained, mildy informed consumers move Canadian Broadcasting regime towards the American model.

If your goal is an informed and engaged public, with a method to sustain a conversation for the participants in public arts and politics Canada should build a BBC-like system.

What do you feel our goal should be?

And before someone says "freedom", i'll provide the preemptive retort. The CBC is evidence that state-funded enterprise can have Freedom. AND that in other places, "a free-press is for those who own one" and therefore devoid of worthwhile Freedom.

Re:CBC - state run? yeah right

[goldspider]

Why not take it a step further and use tax dollars to fund EVERY industry that currently relies on advertising revenue? Wouldn't that be the logical conclusion of your argument?

Do you really want your news media to be completely reliant upon the government? Under such circumstances, would you trust their objectivity?

Re:CBC - state run? yeah right

[issachar]

oh right... I'm sorry, I forgot. It's only when you're corporate funded that you become a shill for the corporate raiders of globablization. When you get funded by the "government" (not by taxpayers mind you), you become enlightened and lose your biases.

The CBC is not as closely run by the Canadian government as Radio North Korea, and it does criticize the government, but it's a lot more closely run by the government than say CNN. If you rely on a single group/person for a good chunk of your cash you become slightly run by them whether you like it or not.

Of course the bigger issue is the fact that the CBC is a ludicrously biased news organization masquerading as the source of balanced news all the while receiving dump truck loads of cash from tax payers. I don't remember where I heard this, but someone did a little research a while back to find out who would be the Canadian government if only CBC employees got to vote. Answer: Majority NDP Federal government. No bias in the news here, move along...

BBC has, CBC doesn't -- no commercials

[westcourt_monk]

BBC has money from TV licence fee.. CBC has scraps from the CDN government. BBC programs change it up regularly and run on odd seasons that usually consist of many mini-series like Auf Weidersen (totally awsome). BBC has multiple channels that are available to everyone since well before cable and satellite and no commercials unless they are self promotion. CBC has crap. Nevermind BBC Radio.. Radio 1 defines pop culture in the UK, or so it seems.

You can enjoy anything with no commercials in it... I live with a Brit.. she can't stand North American tv commercials...and to be honest I constantly wonder why we pay so much for cable that consists of 60% or more commercials.

Re:CBC -- BBC

[B3ryllium]

Chicken Cannon!

Re:Freedom? No... Bias!

[MKalus]

Leftist bias?

Okay, explain to me where?

Sure, if you compare it to the American Broadcasters the CBC is extremly to the left, but I haven't seen the CBC trott out the NDP on every occasion, blasting the Conservatives and only tolerating the Liberals.

It seems to me that they tend to bash on everybody rather equally.

If you mean tha the CBC is activly critizising(sp?) the big corporations and the government, then you're right. If you think that's wrong by the CBC than you are wrong.

The media (even in the US) is supposed to be the third power, the voice of the people, not the blowhorn for commerical or political interests.

If anything the CBC could use more funding (guranteed like the BBC) to get some more teeth.

I don't want a broadcaster who tells me how great the world and the government is (unless it's about terrorism) instead of telling me what's really going on.

Watch Global News if you want that, they still hope that their "news" helicopter in Toronto will find some car chases along the 401.

Re:CBC -- BBC

[MSBob]

Any media that presented any opposing views about the war in Iraq is accused of having a "left bias". US media is skewed so much to the right wing that common sense appears to be a "leftist bias".