Canadian Broadcast Standards Council says it can't handle any more Krista Erickson complaints

The Canadian Broadcast Standards Council took an unusual step this week, issuing a plea to the public to stop it, already, with the complaints about the Sun News Network’s Krista Erickson’s aggressive interview with dance icon Margie Gillis.

The CBSC, which enforces TV and radio standards in Canada, has been so overwhelmed by complaints that it posted a note on its website begging angered viewers to stop the onslaught of mail.

“While the CBSC wishes to thank everyone who has taken the time to send a complaint to the CBSC concerning the Krista Erickson interview with Margie Gillis on an episode of Canada Live, the volume of complaints already sent to us exceeds the Council’s resources,” the note reads, adding, politely: “May we also request that those of you who have not yet filed a complaint refrain from doing so?”

The note also insists that decisions at the CBSC are based solely on whether a broadcast has breached standards, and not on the volume of complaints received.

Apparently, the council has received a whopping 4,350 complaints since the interview aired June 1—more than double the average 2,000 in complaints it normally receives IN A YEAR.

Erickson must be so proud.

Here’s the CBSC’s note in its entirety:

This note is directed to those persons who:

1. may be contemplating the filing of a complaint with the CBSC regarding the interview with Margie Gillis on an episode of Canada Live; or

2. have filed such a complaint since June 8.

While the CBSC wishes to thank everyone who has taken the time to send a complaint to the CBSC concerning the Krista Erickson interview with Margie Gillis on an episode of Canada Live, the volume of complaints already sent to us exceeds the Council’s resources.

In other words, the CBSC will be unable to respond individually to each and every complaint received on this topic, as it customarily does. No problem, though. The CBSC will deal with the substance of the broadcast via the Council’s normal process and a decision will be released publicly in due course.

May we also request that those of you who have not yet filed a complaint refrain from doing so? It will not help the disposition of this file in any way since the CBSC never bases its decisions on the number of complaints it has received. Decisions are always and only based on whether a broadcast has breached one of the CBSC’s codified standards.

So, many thanks for contacting the CBSC or contemplating doing so. We have more than enough substance to go on to resolve the concerns regarding the interview with Margie Gillis on an episode of Canada Live.