Raise a Ruckus for Radio Two!

This post is a bit off my usual topics, but I love CBC Radio 2 and will be very sorry if the proposed radical programming changes go ahead, so I'm posting this press release prepared by the "Save Classical Music at the CBC' group on Facebook. If there are any other CBC listeners out there who will be mournful without Tom Allen's "Music and Company" on weekday mornings (Cage Match!) or Rick Phillips' "Sound Advice" on the weekends (to name just two excellent shows that will be axed), you may want to join the Facebook group or attend (or organize) the rally in your home town. CBC executives may want to keep in mind that trying to be all things to all people may well lead to a radio station that means nothing in particular to anybody. (post edited for brevity now that the date has come and gone).

On Friday, April 11th, 2008 at 12:00pm Eastern Time, the 12,500 strong members of a hastily arranged Facebook group entitled “Save Classical Music at the CBC” will be holding a NATIONAL DAY OF ACTION called “RAISE A RUCKUS FOR RADIO TWO!” in over a dozen cities across Canada.

In response to recently announced programming changes at CBC Radio Two and the planned axing of the famed CBC Vancouver Radio Orchestra, classical music fans, musicians and Radio Two listeners are planning to take to the streets in front of their local CBC installations in every province simultaneously. Demonstrations are to be held at CBC facilities in Victoria, Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Saskatoon, Winnipeg, Toronto, London, Ottawa, Montreal, Halifax, Charlottetown and St. John’s; with possible demonstrations to be held in Regina, Kingston, ON, and Saint John, NB as well.