Do We Need the CBC?

Executive Summary

A nationally representative survey of 2,055 Canadian adults, conducted August 28 to September 6, 2024 (margin of error +/-2.16%, 19 times out of 20), examines public attitudes toward the CBC/Radio-Canada amid intense political debate over its future. The central finding is that Canadians lean toward preserving the CBC/Radio-Canada rather than defunding it: 78% would like to see it continue if it addresses its major criticisms, and only 11% would defund it outright.

Asked what they would do with the CBC/Radio-Canada's budget, 57% of respondents would either increase (24%) or maintain (33%) funding. Views diverge by political identity: 47% of Conservative respondents would keep or increase funding, while 40% would reduce or eliminate it and 13% had no stance, with absolute "defunders" found across the political spectrum though somewhat more common among Conservatives. Social media was never the preferred source of news in the scenarios studied; when emergencies like wildfires occur, people prefer to consult reliable local or national media.

Asked whether a large public service media organization like the CBC/Radio-Canada remains essential or relevant given the rise of social media, 79% of respondents said it was either equally important or more important than before. Only 33% of respondents could name a Canadian journalist they trusted, and those named were overwhelmingly from mainstream outlets such as the CBC, Radio-Canada, and CTV, even when the journalists—such as longtime national news anchor Peter Mansbridge—were retired or no longer active.