Radio 3 Campaign Update

Whoever the CBC Spokesperson was that said the CBC was considering axing Radio 3 really did the Corp no favors. I mean if it's true then thanks for the heads up but since that statement things have changed. The campaign to get more money out of parliament has lost momentum. It's still growing but not nearly as fast as it was, and it's being taken on with the same kind of enthusiasm as the campaign to save Radio 3 from the CBC's axe. I understand that if the CBC didn't have to make cuts that Radio 3 wouldn't be in trouble and I've tried to convince people of that but it doesn't seem to matter. People are riled up at the thought of losing Radio 3.

In the first 5 days the petition is at the edge of 700 signatures (that's up almost 500 in the last 36 hours.) The campaign has been picked up by post-rock love affair, mog, As Canadian As Possibl..., Tom Lucier, MW Music Review Blog and has been sent out to the Wet Secrets Facebook fans.

I'm also getting inundated with emails and messages about Radio 3 and its future. One person said he would "...describe the notion of killing r3 to help save cbc as the dinosaurs arguing that by killing off the mammals, they'd be able to save the biosphere." Another said that it was like "cutting loose the lifeboats to lighten the ship so it won't sink as fast." (You can read dozens of comments on the event page or the petition.) I'm beginning to think though that the CBC needs Radio 3 more than Radio 3 needs the CBC. With the momentum and fan loyalty they have the folks that do Radio 3 could, if they wanted, recreate something very like Radio 3 and keep most of their audience (they could probably even grow it considerably with the 'gloves off').

I'll still argue though that Radio 3 needs Amanda Putz back (for a variety of reasons that I think I've already covered.)