Connected: CBC Vancouver tour, a peek inside the Newsroom
With my fascination and love for news, I toured the CBC Vancouver newsroom the other day. I took along my youngest daughter who is a high school graduate and has been interning as an 'editor's assistant' with me on TheBahamasWeekly.com. We shared the tour with what seemed to be students of journalism or broadcasting.
It was a fascinating 2 hours, and all that I would expect from the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC Radio). We were greeted by tour guide Shawn, who was informative, friendly and humourous.
The Vancouver component of CBC started in 1936 and today their broadcast centre and plaza is a state-of-the-art and world class facility, situated in the downtown core at 700 Hamilton Street (on Georgia).
Aside from the busy news center we viewed the TV and radio studios and the director and producers room, which was abuzz with activity. It was cool to stand among studio spaces I've seen on TV. Host/ reporter Ian Hanomansing was hard at work amidst a busy environment with loads of reporters, and we saw meteorologist Joanna Wagstaffe busy in her cubicle.
The most fascinating part of the tour for me was when Sean reviewed the mandate of the CBC, and I feel that is what makes this entity truly Canadian and a part of our culture. Although it's not written exactly within this mandate I found online, Shawn said one of the mandates was to 'create connections'. I recall when I was a little girl, living in the north of Manitoba, radio was indeed a vital part of our life. I was there when the first TV came into our area also. Radio and TV were indeed our life-line to the outside world, and what helped us to learn about other Canadians, and therefore instilled in my my sense of what being Canadian meant.
The 1991 Broadcasting Act states that...
"...the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, as the national public broadcaster, should provide radio and television services incorporating a wide range of programming that informs, enlightens and entertains;
...the programming provided by the Corporation should:
- be predominantly and distinctively Canadian, reflect Canada and its regions to national and regional audiences, while serving the special needs of those regions, - actively contribute to the flow and exchange of cultural expression, - be in English and in French, reflecting the different needs and circumstances of each official language community, including the particular needs and circumstances of English and French linguistic minorities, - strive to be of equivalent quality in English and French, - contribute to shared national consciousness and identity, - be made available throughout Canada by the most appropriate and efficient means and as resources become available for the purpose, and - reflect the multicultural and multiracial nature of Canada."
I realise now that I love news because it connects us, whether within our own city, province, country or the world. Radio, then TV, and now the world-wide web has further increased our connectedness.
Full Broadcasting Policy for Canada
If you are visiting Vancouver and wish to take the tour they run from Tuesday through Fridays. Check it HERE.