I guess I’ll lend my voice to the chorus that is dissing CBC’s decision to drop the iconic Hockey Night in Canada theme. The National Post even calls it our Second Anthem.
My better half was shocked to read this morning that the CBC has actually now decided to launch a $100,000 contest to try to find a new song. As you can see from the Record’s editorial cartoon this morning, the prospects are frightening.
And knowing the CBC, it the costs won’t stop at $100,000. Leftist media thrives on bureaucracy. Imagine all the extra union members they’ll be able to hire to vet the submissions. Or perhaps it will morph into a brand new version of Canadian Idol!
Spare me.
We know the Mothercorps is having fiscal problems but perhaps they should be looking to cut some of their unpopular programming and reduce staff, rather than resorting to this type of desperation.
And no, axing Don Cherry is not the answer, Marilla.
Or maybe it’s time to just get on with it and sell off the CBC to private interests, just as they’ll selling out Canadians now.
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Update : A special welcome to readers of Hockey News Aggregator!
BTW, this is a far bigger scandal than the Bernier affair, folks. I can tell by all the hits that have already come in.
Sunday Update: Tom Brodbeck has a great column – Theme irreplaceable :
…Canadians don’t rally around many issues with the kind of rage required to effect change at the national level.
We’re a lethargic, accepting lot most of the time, not easily moved to storm the Bastille with pitchforks and baseball bats.
But take away our hockey sticks — or cancel the Hockey Night in Canada theme song, same thing — and a March of a Million Hockey Nuts sporting Don Cherry masks will descend upon Parliament Hill with more vengeance than an angry mob of Winnipeggers about to lose their NHL franchise.
Cancelling the HNIC theme song is like telling Canadians they can’t drink beer anymore. You might as well try to ban street hockey…
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Monday Update : DA-da Na-na-na!
CTV acquires exclusive rights to "The Hockey Theme" !!! Take that , CBC!
[...] Original post here [...]
JJ, did you read about the NDP intentions in Jack’s blog?
JJ, As you put it very simple: it’s time to just get on with it and sell off the CBC to private interests, just as they’ll selling out Canadians now.
Rich, you must be referring to this.
The problem with the NDP is that they can take any irresponsible position they like (just like the Bloc), because they know they’ll never form the Government. I suspect there are a few in the Liberal party that agree with Layton too.
Can’t say I remember this “tune” as it has been so long since I have watched the CBC or a hockey game on “that channel”. I see that the Hezbula Lib is so upset that he wants to nationalize the song and not pay the author a dime.
Good morning everyone from the West Coast – BC Lions are back in training camp with another epic battle for the starting QB spot. Roar Lions Roar.
The assets of the CBC should be sold off and the proceeds used against the national debt. One of those assets is a privatly held company called Sirius Stellite Radio Canada that does not report any finacial statements even though the CBC is the majority shareholder. Wonder how many Liberal hacks are employed there with generous expense accounts?
I’m sure that TSN or one of the other networks would bid on Hockey Night in Canada, keep Grapes busy and wouldn’t mind paying a fair royalty for that iconic music.
The rest of the mothercorps Canadian content is nothing more than Liberal cheerleading. Time to put it out of it’s misery.
Newman is sending distress signals so is peter on issues on non issues.
The opposition parties support terrorist GROUPS and Dion’s intentions on Pakistan…. is not an ‘Issue’ to discuss-perfectly acceptable by them. like I said. Peter MANSBRIDGE isues program is a non-issue program.
What is the viewership of HNC, compared to Newman or Peter. In many minds the cbc is tied directly to the liberals, with their constant slam on anything conservative. Should this music be lost, forever, we can indirectly blame the liberals. There are voters out there that would vote against liberals on that alone. We should start all our complaints with, Liberals lose HNC theme so cbc can fund LMOP, Newman and The Hour.
Liberals have been making outrageous stms, (pretending to be questions) in the HofC for over 2 yrs, so why can’t we.
This can be saved. McLean was saved when the CBC was flooded with calls. Call 1.866.306.4636 (CBC) and ask for audience relations. They will log your name
http://www.cbc.ca/contact/
Just weeks ago, the CBC asked for $215-million more in annual taxpayer funding – that’s about a 20% annual increase in unearned operating capital.
Perhaps canceling the use of the iconic HNIC theme song and funding a national contest to ask Canadians to do their thinking for them is part of their strategy for justifying their request for a 20% increase in taxpayer-teat-sucking.
Is changing the theme song for HNIC and putting the high priced games shows Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune on their fall schedule the best that the Big Brains at the CBC can think of to “re-invent” themselves to justify their continued existence?
By the way, what the heck do a couple of colossal US games show have anything to do with CBC’s mandate of promoting “Canadian values”?
I also wonder whether the new HNIC theme song and lead-in video will be decreed by the Big Brains at the CBC to have to be “politically correct” and with only a token reference to the NHL?
I liked the editorial cartoon that ran in the Sun Media papers:
http://tinyurl.com/5xd5rz
And as far as this theme goes I agree. I’d like to see it stay. So I proprose that the CBC axe George Strombolombolombolombolopolous, since no one watches him, and use that money to boost the offer to buy the anthem.
Better yet, divest Mothercorp of Peter Mansbridge, Don Newman, Neil Macdonald, Suzuki and his Nature of Things propaganda show, and all their support crews to Al Jazeera to join their former CBC buddies Avi Lewis and Tony Burman.
Then, change the CBC fall schedule to 24 hour a day re-runs of Gilligan’s Island, I Love Lucy, Green Acres and Mr. Bean.
This way, they’ll save money and provide more entertaining and informative programing.
Reid, that Sun cartoon was hilarious! Thanks for the laugh.
Wow Hockey Night in Canada and the CBC are still on the air. Who Knew????
If I were heading a broadcasting corp. other than the CBC right now, I’d be working over-time talking to the lady who wrote the theme and make her a better offer than the CBC.
Better yet someone needs to make this phone call:
Caller: “Hello, is this Stephen Harper’s election campaign headquarters?”
HQ: “Why yes it is”
Caller: “I think it would be a very, VERY good idea of Mr. Harper and his team could come to an agreement with the Hockey Night In Canada themesong, and use it as the song that embodies the Conservative connection to real Canadian roots.”
HQ: “Hmmmmmmm………..you might be on to something?”
Caller: “Duh!”
HQ: “what would Kinsella do?”
Caller: “Duh…..use it or lose it to the opposition jerkoff(even sounds like the Prince)”
HQ:(thoughtful silence) “great idea man!”
Caller: “thank-you and have a nice day”
I like your thinking Sol
[...] is telling how much they are willing to pay the artist of the current theme. No more and no less. Have no fear. I like to call this whole thing a game of poker or chicken. My guess is that we will get the old [...]
ctv trolls must be lurking on your blog Joanne!!!
Sol, that is too funny! I just let a whoop when I read the news. (Update at end of post.)
Totally awesome. Imagine what those fat cats at CBC must be thinking right now. They have been outfoxed and out-manoeuvered. Brilliant move, CTV!!!
[...] Grapes I had updated my previous post with the awesome news that the HNIC Theme will now be owned by CTV , and thought that was enough to [...]
So does this mean that CTV can rightfully claim to be “Canada’s” network?????
Me thinks…Yes!
Sol, wouldn’t it be great if Canadians actually had a choice as to which network to support? Or maybe actually pay for what you want to watch?
What a novel concept!
New post up, BTW.
Got a hit from CBC at 5:10.
Heh.