I'm also wondering if perhaps it wasn't the shows' marketing direction that prompted CBC's exit. I do not have access to CBC's broadcast, but it's only in the past year or so, that the producers have started inserting more sponsor endorcements into the program. From the occational time I was able to see Wheel on CBC, I remember them having to slice out the (verbal) commercial endorcement that usually preceeds them putting the $10,000 space on the wheel. So coming back from a break, all CBC viewers would hear & see is the announcer screaming $10,000 dollars which appeared out of context, given that they didn't hear the verbal announcement that preceeded it. Then there are the Wheel Watchers contests (probably not open to Canadian viewers). Then towards the end, there are additional sponsor blurbs prior to the closing credits. This led me to wondering when they recently had their Maxwell House Coffee "Feeding America" promotion... whether CBC flashed a disclaimer of some sort, or saw fit to "chop" the shows' close... when Pat & Vanna would do their Maxwell House banter.
All I'm saying is............could the shows content be becoming "too" American for their liking ???