cbc.ca
If you're not familiar with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the largest public broadcasting network in Canada, you're not alone. This review is mostly designed for people who are already familiar with it, so feel free to skip ahead if you don't need any more introduction. The CBC is often compared to England's BBC, as both networks are federally funded and operate nationwide. They also share some similar programming - for example, both networks broadcast news and documentaries. However, the CBC's content is generally more diverse than that of the BBC. Additionally, the CBC is more popular among Canadians who value quality Canadian content over international programming.
This fascinating resource is perfect for keeping up with all the latest happenings in the world of film, television, and music.
Even though CBC is the oldest broadcasting network in Canada, it's not as well-known as some of the other networks that air programming in Canada. Besides its news website CBC.ca/news, you might also be less familiar with some of the other networks that CBC belongs to - like CBC Music, which airs music programming, or CBC Kids, which airs kid TV shows. Additionally, did you know that within the CBC?s news website lives a wealth of regularly published articles about entertainment news? This fascinating resource is perfect for keeping up with all the latest happenings in the world of film, television and music.
There might be a good reason why the CBC's website has one of the best entertainment news sites on the web- it's well written, vigilantly updated, and user-friendly. It can be easy to overlook this site in lieu of all the actual television and radio content that the CBC provides, but once you do stumble upon it you may find that you have no need to visit another entertainment news site again.
If you're looking for the latest in TV, film, theater, and literary news (from Canada and abroad), CBC will keep you busy with plenty to read. From reviews and op-eds about the hottest movies and shows in the industry to the latest news on upcoming films and actors, CBC Entertainment News shows us all how an entertainment news site should be executed, even if it does so quietly while staying comparatively under the radar.
History
The first bilingual news broadcast by the CBC was made in 1936, and it started during World War II. It has been functioning since 1941, and from its very beginning, CBC News was responsible for delivering some of the most important broadcasts ever made. This has led it to be known as one of the few national news sources with high journalistic standards.
This mentality shifted from radio to TV to the internet, finally, in 1996, when CBC launched its first website, Newsworld Online. The CBC News site that we know of today, however, did not go live until 1998. And in 2009, CBC rolled all of its news outlets into one super site, merging CBC Television News, Radio News, and Digital News into a more centralized structure.
In 2013, CBC News launched a Aboriginal site in Winnipeg. This site was renamed to CBC Indigenous in 2016. And in 2017, the CBC launched its flagship newscast, The National, with 4 co-anchors based in Ottawa, Toronto, and Vancouver.
The journalistic rigor that has won CBC numerous national and international media awards (including several International Emmys, the Prix Italia, Monte Carlo, Gabriel, and the Canadian Association of Journalists) has been carried over into CBC Entertainment News as well - resulting in some of the highest-quality entertainment journalism that I have ever had the pleasure to read.
Design
The first thing that really caught my eye about the CBC Entertainment News website was how well designed it is. In a word, the site is professional. In fact, much more professional, probably, than any other entertainment news website that I have ever visited. This is, frankly, a breath of fresh air for me. Entertainment news sites have a bad habit of being juvenile, in my opinion. They get caught up in the glitz and glam of celebrity and lose sight of the fact that, regardless of topic, these stories are still news at the end of the day.
Thankfully, the CBC Entertainment News design and layout remains professional and serious in its entertainment department as it does in its politics or world news departments. The design is consistent throughout the site, which makes for a more user-friendly experience as well as a more mature one when compared with other entertainment publications.
A white and red Canadian themed site features bursts of color in a subdued manner, with deep red used sparsely to create a minimalistic look. Beyond the design, however, CBC Entertainment News is very cleanly arranged and organized. You will find one main featured story appearing with an extra-large thumbnail at the top center of the home page, leading to a stack of smaller columns, arranged 2 by 2, vertically down to the bottom.
If you ever want to jump to any other section of CBC News, you can find a convenient menu bar that allows for easy navigation. Select either Top Stories, Local, The National, Opinion, World, Politics, or Indigenous. It's simple and easily accessible - just the way news should be.
Content
I love that CBC Entertainment News stories are not overly base or superficial. They are real works of journalism and don't go for tabloid-style speculation on who is going to be wearing what on the red carpet.
Therefore, the pieces on CBC Entertainment News are thought-provoking, compelling, well-researched, expertly written, and fact-checked. If you want an entertainment news site that won't bore you with triviality or trite fluff, you've come to the right place.
Mobile and Desktop Experience
I absolutely adore the CBC in-browser site experience. The app offers an excellent user experience and design, with ratings of 4.7 stars (out of 5) on the Apple App Store from 2.1 thousand individual reviews.
Pricing and Plans
There is no paywall at CBC Entertainment News, which is great because it means that you don't have to spend any extra money to view the content. The only downside is that there are ads, but fortunately you can usually avoid them by using a good adblocker extension.
Suggestions that I have for CBC Entertainment News
Honestly, I have nothing negative to say about CBC Entertainment News--the content is top-notch, the site is professional and easy to use, the app is great, and it's 100% free. You can't go wrong here. The only suggestion I have is that there should be a way for me to give them my money--meaning, of course, a premium version of the site would be nice!
Hey, didn't I mention that if I'm being picky about it, a few more accompanying videos with the articles might not hurt?
Conclusion
Many people may be sick of entertainment news sites that cater to the lowest common denominator, so if you're looking for a site that will report on breaking entertainment news with journalistic integrity, CBC Entertainment News is probably the site you're looking for. Plus, its design and free nature make it a great option overall.