David Cayley, a former producer and program host at the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), argues that the broadcaster is at a critical juncture. He believes the CBC has exhausted its previous era and now needs to foster dialogue rather than maintain a one-sided narrative. "Everything ends in time," Cayley said. He contends that the CBC has become too focused on a single audience, limiting its ability to engage with the broader Canadian public. Cayley worked at CBC Radio from 1971 to 2012, primarily on the program "Ideas," which explored current affairs and introduced various themes and thinkers to Canadians. He recently published a book titled *The CBC: How Canada’s Public Broadcaster Lost Its Voice (and How to Get it Back)*, which critiques the CBC's current approach. His book comes at a time when the BBC, the CBC's British counterpart, is facing its own challenges, including a bias scandal that has led to the resignation of two top executives. During a recent online discussion, Cayley, who will turn 80 in March, expressed his motivation for writing the book. "T.S. Eliot said old men ought to be explorers. I like that ... I have nothing to fear, really," he said. He described his book as an "iceberg," suggesting that much of its substance lies beneath the surface. The Canadian government recently allocated an additional $150 million to the CBC in its federal budget, aiming to enhance its mandate to better serve the public. The budget also mentions exploring ways to modernize the CBC's mandate to strengthen its independence. Cayley, however, is skeptical about the government's intentions. He noted that political influences are at play, saying, "The Conservatives want to defund the CBC, so we (the Liberals) want to re-fund the CBC." Cayley also raised questions about the CBC's role in combating misinformation, as stated by Prime Minister Mark Carney. He questioned what constitutes misinformation and whether it includes differing opinions. His book highlights various case studies where the CBC has overlooked alternative perspectives, leading to a narrow interpretation of issues. He criticized the CBC's response during the COVID-19 pandemic, stating that it often presented unverified information as fact. "What the public interest demanded at the beginning of the pandemic was careful deliberation. What the CBC delivered was thoughtless cheerleading," he wrote. Cayley pointed out that significant scientific disagreements were not communicated to the public, and opposing views were often labeled as misinformation. Cayley also discussed the freedom convoy that protested against COVID-19 mandates, describing it as a movement that the CBC largely ignored. He acknowledged that while the convoy's participants may have been disruptive, they represented a significant portion of the population with valid concerns. He further criticized legislative efforts, such as NDP MP Leah Gazan's bill to outlaw residential school denialism, arguing that it stifles legitimate historical debate. "I don’t think you can have history unless you are allowed to have competing views of history, and not a compulsory narrative," he asserted. Cayley believes the CBC must embrace diverse viewpoints and foster intellectual inquiry. He dedicated his book to Harold Innis, a Canadian political economist, emphasizing the need for a space where complex ideas can be explored without immediate political pressures. He argues that the CBC should strive to be a platform for various perspectives rather than a monoculture that excludes dissenting voices.