Not Your Father's Public Broadcaster

November 29, 2002 9:06 AM

"You'd better listen to what you've been told / You better listen to the radio." Just when you thought Internet radio was dead, Canada's national radio broadcaster is providing an alternative: an Internet Radio Magazine . Their weekly cultural offering presents arts, entertainment, and news -- complete with an eclectic, ear-pleasing soundtrack. You'll come for the clever use of the medium and good content, but you'll stay because there's nowhere else on the Web where you'll find the Joel Plaskett Emergency and the Weakerthans in regular rotation. This isn't your father's public broadcaster.
posted by mrmcsurly (12 comments total)

This site makes use of Macromedia® FlashTM software. You've installed an old version of Macromedia Flash Player that cannot play the content we've created.

What ever happened to public (internet) radio being for the masses? Shouldn't the site be as simple as possible so as to ensure accessability to anyone?
posted by sudasana at 10:24 AM on November 29, 2002

For even less "father-like" radio that features Canadian artists, one might also try CKUT in Montréal or CIUT in Toronto, among many others.
posted by mookieproof at 10:37 AM on November 29, 2002

Sudasana: Go download the flash player. The public part is that it's free (and ad-free, by the way), not that it's 100% accessible to everyone in Canada. You had to own a radio to access old-skool public radio. You still need access to the Internet (and a computer, by the way), let alone a free self-installing flash player. Honestly, it's worth the automatic download.
posted by mrmcsurly at 10:49 AM on November 29, 2002

this was interesting...thanks mr! (being able to browse thru the magazine part while listening was great--and the coming and going section is good too)
posted by amberglow at 11:04 AM on November 29, 2002

First, I love the CBC and always have: they are cutting edge and have something for everybody.

BUT!

I don't like websites that insist on installing new software on my system, restarting my computer and then not letting use my back button on my browser to get out of the site. They should be hip enough to know better.

The music is damn fine, though.
posted by ashbury at 1:07 PM on November 29, 2002

Some more conservative Canadians out there may complain, but I for one am very pleased to see that my tax dollars are supporting these kind of creative efforts.

CBC rocks, and this site is great. Thanks for posting.
posted by quietfish at 1:10 PM on November 29, 2002

I have to agree, the site is pretty cool.

Unfortunately I think the jury is still out on CBC Radio's attempt to attract younger listeners (ie. anyone under 50). I have listened to the Mother Corp since I was in high school, but I can't think of anyone else my age that does. It seems like they are trying harder to play "new" music (Canadian of course), but is it enough? Considering that most young people associate the Radio One with gardening call-in shows and Stan Rogers tunes, does CBC Radio have a future?

Apologies to any boomers who may be reading this . . . there is plenty of room for you at Radio Two.
posted by pooligan at 1:33 PM on November 29, 2002

CBC radio has a future if it plays music for under-50s before midnight. I remember in high school setting my tape machine when I went to sleep so I could listen to it the next day.
posted by Salmonberry at 1:50 PM on November 29, 2002

Is the state of the union so sad that we think the only way to bring in young listeners is to avoid speaking?

"The only thing those crazy kids respond to is thumping bass and scantily-clad women."

I want to believe that intelligent talk-radio can be targetted at young people. I want to believe that the death of the baby boomers will not mean the death of Radio One.
posted by mrmcsurly at 2:00 PM on November 29, 2002

Write them and ask them about the Back button issue, ashbury. I've found the CBC very responsive to suggestions and complaints when it comes to their web content, which they seem to take pretty seriously.
posted by holycola at 2:24 PM on November 29, 2002

Mmmm....Plaskett......
posted by hughbot at 2:32 PM on November 29, 2002

I love the broadcast, I'm always listening to it at home and at work.

I've also been really pleased with the CBCs new TV show, Zed. The music guests have been great so far (Low, Badly Drawn Boy, Buck 65, Amon Tobin, etc etc), great short movies and cartoons (Koziks series). The website is located here, it streams all of the shows performances and includes segments not aired on the show.

Another amazing CBC production is the always wonderful Brave New Waves, but I hardly get the chance to listen anymore between work and sleep.
posted by robotrock at 9:10 AM on November 30, 2002