Save “Intelligence”

December 11, 2007

Dear warriors... I recognize that in the scheme of things trying to keep a TV show on the air may not be that critical. If you think so...read no further.

But trying to stop the current fifth-columnists running the CBC from gradually hollowing it out so it presents no serious competition to the privates, and/or prepares it for eventual sale by the treasonous Stephen Harper seems a worthy project to me.

So: Please write a short letter to the editor demanding that the CBC keep the best drama on English language television on the air.

This time, I think we need to focus our attention on the largest dailies - or the dailies in the largest cities - which ever you are closest to. These papers have the most political influence in short term campaigns, which I expect this will be.

[Remember: You can send your letter to any of dozens of papers right from our site - using the ‘select’ button to choose a newspaper.]

FRAMING:

We need to put the CBC on the defensive - to drive the management types out of their comfortable suites into the Canadian sunlight. We should frame this as a defence of what the CBC is supposed to be and in defence of the superb drama that producers like Chris Haddock create. We need to frame management part of that Quisling elite who have long since written Canada off as unimportant in the global picture. Who gave these people the mandate to eliminate shows and producers far more ‘intelligent;’ - and more Canadian -  than they are?

They are most vulnerable to be described as incompetent and/or self-serving empire builders betraying public broadcasting and the role it plays in building the nation and keeping it viable.

Lastly, we need to be sure to use this programming example to make the claim/raise the alarm that the possible cancellation of Intelligence is indicative of a serious malaise at the CBC that needs to be exposed and remedied.

Canadians should be alarmed.

If you love this program as much as I do you don’t need inspiration from me, but here are a few things you might use.

• it was nominated for 11 Geminis

• highly regarded Globe and Mail TV critic John Doyle calls Intelligence ‘the best drama on television.’

• Fox television knows it can make millions from an US version of the show and has signed a contract with Chris Haddock to create it. The irony should not escape us: Canadians may be denied the privilege of watching a show about the US takeover of Canada -  they will have to tune into Fox to watch the same quality program.

• the program actually talks about the things that are threatening Canada - something few news or public affairs programs ever do.

• (Note especially Toronto and Ontario warriors) - refer to the Toronto Star article (Ex-U.S. spy a fan of CBC series, December 9, 2007) in which ex-CIA agent Michael Wilson raves about the show and its accurate portrayal of the “game.”  He says of the show: “...Aside from being immensely entertaining, Intelligence is also informative and educational, words I could never use to describe a U.S. show.”

• refer to the fact that literally no promotion has been done for the show this season - especially not for the double-header.

• pose one of these questions:
  • “Who does CBC management think it is responsible to?”
  • “Do these CBC mandarins think they own the CBC and can use it to build their careers without reference to the goals of public broadcasting?”
  • “How is it possible that people with so little talent and such appalling judgment can be in a position to cancel such a brilliant program? Something is terribly wrong at the CBC.”
  • “Isn’t it time that ordinary Canadians demanded public scrutiny into who is running the CBC and what is behind their perverse decisions?”

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