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The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known by the abbreviation CBC, is Canada's government-owned television network and radio network. In French, it is called la Société Radio-Canada (Radio-Canada or SRC).
The CBC's predecessor, the Canadian Radio Broadcasting Commission, was established in 1932 by the Conservative government of R.B. Bennett after an intense lobbying campaign by Graham Spry and Alan Plaunt of the Canadian Radio League which had been set up in 1930 to campaign for the implementation of recommendations by the Aird Commission on public broadcasting. A major concern was the growing influence of American radio broadcasting as US based networks began to expand into Canada.
The CRBC took over the radio stations formerly set up by the government-owned Canadian National Railways. In 1936, the CRBC became a full crown corporation, and gained its present name.
For the next few decades, the CBC was responsible for all broadcasting innovation in Canada. It introduced FM radio to Canada in 1946Events January January 4 Theodore Schurch becomes the last person to be executed for offences committed under the Treachery Act of 1940 January 7 Allied recognize Austrian republic with 1937 borders the country is divided into four occupation zones Januar. Television broadcasts from the CBC began on September 6September 6 is the 249th day of the year (250th in leap years). There are 116 days remaining. Events 3761 BC The first day of the Hebrew Calendar. 394 Battle of Frigidus: The Christian Roman Emperor Theodosius I defeats and kills the pagan usurper Eugeniu, 1952Summary of notable events in 1952 . Events January events January 8 West Germany has 8 million refugees inside its borders. January 24 Sudden heavy snowfall in Algeria. January 24 Vincent Massey sworn in as first Canada-born Governor-General of Canada., with the opening of a station in Montreal, Quebec, and a station in Toronto, OntarioFor alternate meanings of Toronto, see Toronto (disambiguation). City of Toronto, Ontario, Canada (in detail) (in detail) Motto: Diversity Our Strength Area: 641 sq. Distance East to West: 43 km. Distance East to West: 21 km. Population Total (2001) Cdn. opening two days later. On July 1July 1 is the 182nd day of the year (183rd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 183 days remaining. Events 1097 Battle of Dorylaeum Crusaders under Bohemond of Taranto defeat a Turkish army under Qilich Arslan I. 1690 Battle of the Boyne as reck, 1958Events January January 1 Treaty of Rome founding the EU is implemented January 4 Sputnik 1 falls to Earth from its orbit (launched on October 4 1957) January 8 14 year old Bobby Fischer wins the United States Chess Championship January 18 Armed Lumbee Nat, CBC TV was linked from coast to coast. Colour television broadcasts began on July 1July 1 is the 182nd day of the year (183rd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 183 days remaining. Events 1097 Battle of Dorylaeum Crusaders under Bohemond of Taranto defeat a Turkish army under Qilich Arslan I. 1690 Battle of the Boyne as reck, 1966Events January January 1 In a coup, Colonel Jean-Bedel Bokassa ousts president David Dacko and takes over the Central African Republic. January 2 Strike of public transportation workers in New York City ends January 13 January 3 First Acid Test at the Fil, with full colour service being achieved in 1974. In 1978, CBC became the first broadcaster in the world to use an orbiting satellite for television service, linking Canada "from east to west to north". Since the 1970s, the CBC has not dominated broadcasting in Canada like it formerly did, but still plays an important role. Today, the CBC operates several television and radio networks, in both English and French, as well as a number of Aboriginal languages in the North.
Unlike the public broadcasters of many European nations, the CBC's television networks (not radio services) sell advertising and do not collect a licence fee. However, the CBC does receive under a billion dollars annually in federal funding, which has led to controversy in recent years. Critics, often led by private media, accuse the network of cultural elitism and a strong liberal bias that rarely reflects the viewing needs of the Canadian public. Indeed, as private networks have expanded, their viewership often exceeds the CBC's. Private networks often broadcast American programmes with higher production values to attract larger audiences than Canadian content can provide. Others counter the CBC acts as a necessary counterbalance to what they perceive to be the obvious conservative bias of private networks. Canadians continue to poll in favour of maintaining funding to the CBC. Many still believe that the CBC is an essential Canadian institution whose function is to preserve Canadian culture against American. As it was initially conceived, the CBC ensures that Canadian stations act as more than just affiliates broadcasting foreign content. The Canadian Government attempts to balance funding inequities between private and public networks by providing large subsidies for private production of Canadian content.
| This is the original logo of the CBC, used between 1940 and 1958. It features a map of Canada, as well as a lightning bolt design used to symbolize broadcasting. |
| This logo was designed for the CBC by Hubert Tison in 1966 to mark the CBC's progressing transition from black-and-white to colour television. It was used until all CBC TV programs had successfully switched to colour, at which point the CBC adopted the logo below. |
| This logo was designed for the CBC by graphic artist Burton Kramer in 1974, and it is the most widely recognized symbol of the corporation. The "C" in the middle stands for Canada, and the radiating parts of the "C" symbolize broadcasting. The logo was officially changed to one colour in 1986. |