The New CBC Radio Two

Looking at my counter stats this week, my hits seem to be on the high side, it seems many of you are finding my blog this week while you search for CBC Radio Two, or CBC Radio Two Programming because of my older post on this subject, back when the powers that be at CBC first announced their proposed changes.

Since that announcement, there have been public protests, which I have been involved in, Facebook groups, email lists and from what I can tell very little support for these changes. Perhaps that demographic is being quiet and enjoying the changes, but I don't see that happening.

Yesterday, the changes went into effect, and I tried to keep an open mind about them. I am sad to say however that my original feelings towards these changes have not changed since I've listened to the new programming.

Yesterday morning, the familiar voice of Tom Allen came on the air, but was quickly followed by music that was so disruptive that we instantly hit the snooze button (this coming from a man who has never hit a snooze button in over 30 years of waking up to a radio alarm). After the snooze time ended and the offending radio noise came on again, the snooze was replaced by "OFF". We tried again this morning, with the same results and are seriously considering putting a CD in the clock radio as a wake up alarm. We've already replaced the radio station in the car for the drive in to work with a CD - and we'll need it on the way home as well.

The afternoon show "Tempo" with Julie Nesrallah is much the same as the morning request show used to be. Good music here - although nothing overly challenging for the critical listener, a lot of "safe" music, including Mozart, another replay of the Elgar Enigma Variations, which has always found monthly repeat performances on various radio2 shows in the past, and very little from the 20th or 21st century. I really do like Julie though, and she is finding her radio voice quite well I think, I just wish she was allowed a bit more talk with some educational componenet and live interviews, aspects that we've had in the past. Right now, it sounds a little bit like classical DJ'ing.

Eric Friesen's show, which played a fair amount of live music and followed interesting discussion topics is gone, and the drive home show, which was always an interesting mix of classical, eclectic, and good independent music labels, has been replaced by - at least what I heard on one occaision - rap and pop?

I'm so disheartened by this, that I find this post hard to write. The most disheartening aspect of it is that ALL the music I've heard on the new morning show and afternoon drive home show can be found on at least two or three other radio stations in Edmonton. Wheras those who enjoyed the old programming have no alternative but to resort to CDs or internet radio (which doesn't work so well in the car - my network cable not being long enough) .

So it is with great saddness that I have turned off CBC Radio2 in my car, and in my home. I only hope there is enough outcry over the coming year that a decision is reversed in some way.

We need to make this an election issue! This is public broadcasting that all Canadians are paying for after all.

Visit the Radio2 blog post from yesterday and read the comments, you'll see I'm not alone. Add to the comments if you wish, but know that the blog only allows comments for seven days after the posting was made.