Let’s set up your Alexa device to ensure you get the most from CBC. First, you’ll want to load the skill -- this will allow you to listen to CBC’s live radio streams, on demand programs, podcasts and music playlists.
Here’s how to enable the skill:
- With your device powered up, say, “Alexa, enable CBC.”
- Or, you can also load the Alexa app (iOS | Android) on your phone. Once downloaded, go to More, and select Skills. Search for “CBC” to find and enable the CBC Alexa skill. While you’re at it, enable your favourite CBC Flash Briefing to get news updates too!
- Or, find the CBC page on the Amazon skills site.
Once you find the CBC skill in the app, select it to open the detail page and then press the button titled “Enable to use” to start using it through your Amazon Alexa device.
*Important settings note*
Your device must be set to an address in Canada in order to listen to all of the content in our CBC skill.
Here’s how to do a quick check:
- Go to the app select More, Settings, and Device Settings.
- Select your device and check that the device location is set to a Canadian address.
If your device is set to an American address, you’ll still be able to listen to our live radio streams and the hourly news but unfortunately playlists, podcasts and our on demand shows will not be available to you.
How to ask for things within the CBC skill
Now that you have the skill loaded, you can open the skill by saying any of the following commands:
- Alexa, open the CBC.
- Alexa, open CBC.
- Alexa, play CBC.
- Alexa, launch the CBC.
You’ll hear our welcome message and from here you can ask for live radio streams, podcasts, a news update, music playlists and our on demand shows.
At any time, you can say things like:
- Alexa, ask CBC to play the news.
- Alexa, ask CBC to play live radio.
- Alexa, ask CBC to play The Current.
- Alexa, ask CBC to play classical.
Don’t know exactly how to ask for the thing you want? You can try using keywords or genres to launch content too.
- Know the host name but forget the show? Try saying, Alexa, ask CBC to play Bob McDonald. Or, Alexa, ask CBC to play Tom Power.
- Unsure of the playlist name you want to launch? Ask by genre and say, Alexa, ask CBC to play pop. Or, Alexa, ask CBC to play classical.
We know that sometimes it can be hard to find your way in a voice platform. If you get lost, you can say, “Alexa, ask CBC for help” and hopefully that should help set you back on a good path.
You can view the following video for detailed instructions on how to get started with your Alexa and CBC: