CTV outbid the CBC and has won the contract to broadcast the 2010 Winter and 2012 Summer Olympics. (Hat-tip NealeNews Why a taxpayers funded concern was allowed to compete with a private company I will never know, but I will miss Ron McLean hosting.
..."CBC/Radio-Canada has an obligation to taxpayers to be fiscally responsible, and this requirement firmly shaped the financial part of our bid," CBC president and CEO Robert Rabinovitch said in a statement to employees Monday afternoon. "In preparing our bid to the IOC, we knew, and we know still, that competing to win the rights to broadcast the Olympic Games at any cost is simply not a reasonable proposition for us."
At least they understand some basic economics. Speaking of economics, if one is to assume that the CBC actually makes at profit on NHL broadcasting and Olympic coverage there must be some pretty long faces at "The Corporation". Without the NHL playoffs this year (and possibly next) the CBC's bottom line will severly suffer. Of course we know who will have to bail them out...us.
Update: Here is the National Post take.
It is fair to ask what will become of Team CBC, which finds itself a tad rudderless this morning. For instance, as much as 80% of CBC Sports Saturday is comprised of Olympic events like bobsleigh and skiing, events where the production costs and low viewership don’t make it worth doing — unless you’re promoting an upcoming Olympics. How much of that will be picked up by a private company? Who can say?
And if this Olympic venture works for Rogers, why not move in on CBC’s other sports properties? Hockey Night in Canada is a money-maker. Sportsnet already dabbles in the Canadian Football League, while TSN reinvented the Canadian game on Friday nights. By 2008, Don Cherry will be contemplating retirement, if he has not hung them up already. So while they’re stripping CBC bare, maybe Ron MacLean is a trophy worth pursuing.
Surely, this Olympic loss will be the start of a touchy spring for CBC, which bought the Brier right out from under the ultracompetent noses of TSN over the winter. Although that news has been public for some time, once the Brier begins and the curling set begins surfing for that morning game that Canadians have become accustomed to during Brier week, the popularity of CBC Sports will take a hit. “Country Canada?” they’ll say, when they find out CBC has ferreted away the morning draw on that digital channel during Brier week. “Digital cable? Can I get that with rabbit ears?” Probably not, though CBC Sports may have a few sets of those for sale this summer.
