The Current and Disc Drive provided the soundtrack for rides to and from school. North of 60 which was produced by a family friend became an institution. Hockey Night in Canada was watched with due reverence.
The CBC has always been a very big part of my life. Its been an essential part of how Ive learned culture, learned news, learned my country, and learned the world, he says. My relationship to it over time has really only gotten closer. Ive learned at a conceptual level and at a political level the real value and worth of having a public media alternative.
When Morgenstern saw the recently-delivered budget cuts to the Mother Corp looming, he enlisted as engagement co-ordinator for the Reimagine CBC campaign. Rather than simply appealing to nostalgia, the campaign engages people in an interesting conversation that was creative and collaborative and focused on the future.
I think it has exceeded any expectations that we may have had, he says of the venture, found at ReimagineCBC.ca. Hundreds of Canadians have weighed in on what direction they envision the public broadcaster taking next. Some want them to adopt the role of educators. Others demand that the CBC open their extensive archives to the public. At least one person would like to see more online games. (Alas, a public forum will always produce a few lumps of coal to go with the gems.)
Furthermore, the site is home to the Keep Canada Connected petition that opposes the Conservatives funding cuts. At the time of writing, almost 34,000 people have voiced their protests. With Reimagine CBCs presence on Facebook and Twitter constantly expanding, Morgenstern suggests, The speed at which weve grown has show me that people dont just love the CBC but actually want to work together to preserve it and make it really interesting and exciting.
The Vogue Theatre event on May 7 will not only bring together storytellers, speakers, and performers, but also serve as an example for the CBC. We see this link between a broad digital national campaign and local events as a way of modelling a vision for the future of the CBC itself, Morgenstern says. A strong regional presence thats community engaged... That talks to people... That connects with local storytellers... But also brings those voices to a level of national discussion.
Opening Performance: Intercultural performance that showcases Canadas diverse talent, cultural innovation, and artistic excellence.
Storytelling: Three cultural creators tell stories about their lives as Canadians, and how the CBC has been pivotal to their goals, careers and understanding of their country.
Stories from:
Christine McAvoy (local music blogger and photographer)
Ivan Coyote (writer, storyteller, performer)
Wade Davis (author, anthropologist, National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence)
Dialogue: On-stage "living room conversations where participants reflect on the CBC and progressive media platforms, asking questions such as - How do we imagine the future of Canadian media? How will the CBC grow over the next 75 years? What areas for growth, change, transformation, and innovation could it pursue? What ideas or models could inspire its next generation of work?
Participants:
Jarrett Martineau (independent cultural producer)
Kathleen Cross (Professor at SFU School of Communications)
Sean Devlin (of Shit Harper Did)
Steve Pratt (Director of CBC Radio 3)
Nettie Wild (acclaimed documentary filmmaker)
Closing Performance: Local Super Group of indie musicians. Performances by: Dan Mangan, Aidan Knight, Hannah Epperson, Zachary Gray (of the Zolas).
