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Possible U.S. television outlets for CBC's "The National"

J

johnnya2k6

It's been almost one year since Newsworld International was replaced by Al Gore's "Current" channel.

NWI of course served as the longtime home to the CBC's flagship newscast "The National", and since Gore took it off the air (except if you live in a border city that gets CBC on cable or over-the-air), we've been watching it online on CBC's website. "Current" came just a few weeks before the CBC lockout that took "The National" off the air for seven weeks. To make it even worse, that lockout cost Peter Mansbridge and his CBC News colleagues the biggest story of the year: HURRICANE KATRINA!!!!!

The CBC has said they have been looking for a new U.S. home for the most prestigious news program on television, but I guess the lockout put it on hold. I even put up an online petition to bring "The National" back on U.S. TV, but only a few people signed. I've said it on the petition and at TVNewsTalk.net, but here are some possible new homes for "The National":

C-SPAN3: As you know, for years the main C-SPAN channel has shown "The National" on occasion; the last time was on January 24, the day after the Canadian elections. Actually, it was on C-SPAN2, but still. C-SPAN3 carrying "The National" on a regular basis could mean a huge increase in cable/satellite subscribers requesting the channel.

PBS: Right now, a great number of PBS stations already have an international newscast on the air: BBC World News, which ironically aired in "The National's" place during the lockout. But adding "The National" to the schedule would be overkill, considering that Degrassi (Junior) High and Red Green are the only two CBC shows that have been on PBS.

Syndication: Lots of independent stations -- those who won't affiliate with The CW or My Network TV (i.e., WSBK in Boston) -- will have trouble filling out their fall lineups, and putting "The National" on late nights at 11:00 or midnight opposite Leno, Letterman, Conan, etc. would help. Dunno if it'll help in the ratings though.

(For once, I'd like to see ABC Alaska's Superstation run "The National" late nights at 12:30; that way they could bury "Access Hollywood" -- who takes that slot -- to 1:30 am or even 11:00 am where the infomercials reside!)

Superstation WGN: I know, I know, but it's a possibility. After all, they almost became the new home of TNA Impact! -- which gives us more wrestling action and less soap opera crap compared to WWE -- before Spike TV snapped it up. Perhaps a good place for "The National" is when they air those stupid Matlock reruns! The CBC might feed a slightly edited version of the program via fiber to Chicago, which means it could be safe to stick the Superstation WGN bug on there. And since the channel is also seen in Canada, "The National" be blacked out there.

If "The National" does return to the U.S. airwaves, the weather forecast near the end might be edited out because, who in the U.S. cares about Celsius temperatures in Canada anyway? That also means Peter Mansbridge might have to do an alternate signoff, just like he did with the NWI version.

But of course, if those options fail...there's always watching it online -- though we might have to fast-forward through the commercials.

Jonathan Allen
 
The best bet is PBS.
What were the ratings for the National in the States?
Good enough for anyone else besides PBS to pick up?
At least with PBS, you can tell them you won't pledge unless they pick up CBC's The National.
Enough people pledging for it, and there it is.

As PBS once said..."Television worth paying for"
 
PBS would seem to be a good fit. Some PBS
stations, including North Carolina's statewide
network, run BBC World News; those that don't
might be the first to jump on The National. If
some PBS station ran both, it would be running
what are, arguably, the two best newscasts
in the English-speaking world.

Maybe it'll happen.
 
One of the CSPANs or PBS might pick it up, but there's just not enough interest in most of the US for it to show up in syndication or on a larger cable channel.
 
I think that there would be some interest in the states that border Canada. Not all of the border areas can receive the CBC on cable or over the air. In Western Washington, where I live, The National on CBC is available on most cable systems from Olympia to Bellingham. I have always been surprised that the CBC wasn't available in Alaska on cable.
 
PBS or C-SPAN are the only possibilities. Personally, I think MSNBC should pick up some of the shows Newsworld used to run.
They could run them overnight and try to buy the rights to use some of the material from some of these networks in other dayparts. It would definitely give MSNBC a different angle than either CNN or Fox.
 
Look, I'm a big fan of Canada. I occasionally listen to the CBC on the Internet and via Sirius, and I've been known to watch video from Canadian TV. I even once dated a woman who lived outside Toronto.

But I doubt "The National" has much traction as a syndicated offering to American commercial TV.

PBS or C-SPAN? A safe bet. But I'm not sure even MSNBC would be interested as an off-hour filler.

As far as WB/UPN/CW/MyNet affiliates go, there's enough trouble getting them to air news programming from THIS country.

I would, however, pledge my undying loyalty to any U.S. broadcaster willing to run "Global National with Kevin Newman"...as unlikely as that is to happen. ;)
 
Ohiomediawatch wrote:

"I would, however, pledge my undying loyalty to any U.S. broadcaster willing to run "Global National with Kevin Newman"...as unlikely as that is to happen."

I say:

Kevin Who? lol, he's on an awful long summer vacation. Good point though.

I mainly posted the link above so people lurking (and posters) who also agree with the idea that Americans should be able to watch CBC's the National can increase the chances of their points being heard.
(agreed, it'll most likely be a PBS deal.)
 
I can't help the Kevin thing.

I started watching him in the salad days of ABC's overnight news show, "World News Now", where the pairing with Thalia Assuras (now with CBS) was one of the best it had over the years. Don't get me started about that show lately...

Shortly before Kevin left WNN for the "daylight" (WNT reporting, and later, a brief stint at Good Morning America), he E-Mailed some of us a very nice goodbye-to-overnights note. And I'll never, ever forget him reporting from Quebec, live on the show he normally anchored, where he quite politely pleaded with a separatist protestor to stop draping his Quebec flag in front of Kevin during a live shot.

All of that, and my usual like of All Things Canadian, and it's a wonder I haven't moved to be closer to a Global affiliate. :D
 
pbs: no. eventually there would be a political view from Canada to which the "sponsors" of PBS would object to, so theres no chance of a full time home there.


Theres usual summertime talk in Florida, Arizona and Arkansas (traditional snowbird destinations) of some stations grouping together to take "the National" on a syndie feed...but since its available online...and more and more people, including seniors have access to broadband, i think the issue of the national on us tv is pretty much dead.
 
I know I've seen CTV's (weekly?) news on a PBS affiliiate here in FL (along with Deuche Welle). Many PBS stations now have digital subchannels. Maybe someday it will find a home there along with other "World" newscasts. Also might be a good fit on a smaller cable outlet (like Discovery Times). More likely the net is your best bet.
 
Yeziknoradio said:
As PBS once said..."Television worth paying for"
Click to expand...
Actually, it was "TV Worth Watching."

Over the years, many PBS stations have carried international newscasts from Deutsche Welle, ITN, and the BBC and I think I'll have to agree with y'all about them picking up "The National."

By the way...ITN World News and BBC World News were both anchored by Daljit Dhaliwal, and during the late '90s many news junkies were in love with her, just like I was with Sarah Michelle Gellar on "Buffy" (as a fan, thank you); she was also one of the "50 Most Beautiful People" in 1999 and was even on Letterman! She currently hosts "Wide Angle" on PBS and is, yes, married.

And who really wants to see "Global National" in the States? Why they've beaten "CTV National News" constant times in the ratings is beyond me; they're horrible!

Jonathan Allen
 
While I think it would be a real breath of fresh air to see The National on MSNBC, I do agree with various statements above that either Discovery Times or C-SPAN3 would be more likely homes for the program. IMO, it would really help raise C-SPAN3's profile. On the other hand, Discovery Times has participated in co-productions with CBC before, so there is an existing relationship.
 
Johnathan said:
While I think it would be a real breath of fresh air to see The National on MSNBC, I do agree with various statements above that either Discovery Times or C-SPAN3 would be more likely homes for the program. IMO, it would really help raise C-SPAN3's profile. On the other hand, Discovery Times has participated in co-productions with CBC before, so there is an existing relationship.
Click to expand...

Here's another idea:

Ask your cable company/Sat. tv provider to add CBC to your "500 channel universe"
Surely there would be more viewers for it than some of the channels out there...
 
I think the CBC airs some American shows and this may cause a rights conflict?
 
Nertz! said:
I think the CBC airs some American shows and this may cause a rights conflict?
Click to expand...

Just "Simpsons" repeats, Disney and some movies. (Never mind about "The One".)

They could make Windsor's CBET available throughout the US, as much of CBC's American content has been replaced on CBET (due to Windsor being right next to Detroit).
 
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