CBC 'producing programming Canadian taxpayers are not watching and don't want,' says Senator

Senator Leo Housakos called CBC-TV a "make-work project," as the Crown corporation's Second Quarter Financial Report showed that it would face program cuts as ad revenues continued to plummet, according to Blacklock's Reporter.

Advertising revenue between March 30 and September 30 fell from $91 million to $73.8 million. CBC claims the sharp fall was due to a general decline in advertising revenue accrued by television networks during the ongoing health crisis.

"The CBC is producing programming Canadian taxpayers are not watching and don't want, and yet at the same time the Trudeau government is siphoning out of the pockets of taxpayers billions of dollars and showering it into that corporation," said Housakos to the Chamber yesterday.

"The role of government is to fill voids and not take taxpayers' money and put it into make-work projects that clearly, when you look at the ratings and the ad revenue, Canadian taxpayers and the Canadian public don’t take to," Housakos continued.

CBC receives most of their revenue from the federal government, which spends $1.3 billion on the broadcaster annually.

Senator Housakos asked if it was time to call a parliamentary inquiry and for a "review of CBC operations," to which Government Representative and Senator Marc Gold replied "I'll certainly take your suggestion and raise it with the government."

Records from the Department of Heritage show that the network has lost $175 million annually since losing exclusive rights to their flagship sports broadcast, Hockey Night In Canada. Losses have likely surpassed $2.1 billion since losing the license in 2013.