Speeches and Interviews

May 25, 1999

CBC/Radio-Canada's Presentation Concerning its Licence Renewals

Madam Chair, Commissioners, Ladies and gentlemen,

Allow me to introduce myself. I am Guylaine Saucier, Chair of the Board of Directors of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. I am pleased to be here today at the start of this crucial CRTC hearing.

And now, to introduce the people with me here this morning:

Perrin Beatty, President and CEO
Louise Tremblay, Senior Vice President, Resources
Michel Tremblay, Chief Planning Officer
Michèle Fortin, Vice President French Television
Alex Frame, Vice President English Radio
Harold Redekopp, Vice President, English Television
Sylvain Lafrance, Vice President, French Radio

In the coming days, the CRTC and the Canadian public will have an opportunity to hear and question our representatives on the full range of our activities: radio and television, English and French networks. Licence renewal is a process we always take very seriously. The fact that the Commission has chosen to review most of the CBC's licences at once, gives this process a far greater importance.

I commend the Commission for having the foresight to review the system in this way. This is a worthwhile test to ascertain if the regime crafted over the past 60 years is still what we need in today's rapidly changing universe. Certainly the CBC's licence renewal has sparked a constructive debate on a central issue — the role of the public broadcaster within the Canadian broadcasting system.

The CBC has put forward far-reaching plans to ensure that it continues to play a full and vital role as the Canadian broadcasting system enters a new millennium. We intend to demonstrate during these hearings that the CBC is fulfilling its unique mission and has met, if not exceeded, the Commission's expectations. To gauge the merits of our strategic plan, it is important to understand how we set our course against the backdrop of the evolving economic and cultural pressures of globalization.

More than ever, Canada needs strong cultural policies and institutions to ensure that our voices are heard. Even today, the World Trade Organization is flashing an amber warning sign that many of the tools that Canada has used to promote and protect cultural sovereignty in the past may not survive in the future. Fragmentation, deregulation, a global economy and new, powerful and accessible technologies are all strong reasons to ensure that we arm ourselves with a broadcasting system that responds to the needs of Canadians and not merely to the dictates of a world economy.

While it is true that the proliferation of television channels is stimulating for Canadian viewers, there is still an urgent need for Canadian voices to be heard loudly and clearly. It is essential that Canadian audiences have access to quality content that reflects their values, and addresses the issues that concern them. In an era when technology allows viewers to choose at will from a dazzling array of programming, we must be able to guarantee that there is a truly Canadian presence — and a substantial presence at that — on the airwaves. We cannot afford to be confined to playing a minor role.

A Strong Broadcasting System

The Broadcasting Act of 1991 sets forth that the Canadian broadcasting system should serve to safeguard, enrich and strengthen the cultural, political, social and economic fabric of Canada.

These are the responsibilities that all players within the broadcasting system take on when they are granted a licence. Canada's framework of cultural policies, funding mechanisms and institutions also echo these objectives, an acknowledgement that our own culture must be nurtured and celebrated if it is to thrive.

Just as there is a variety of different mechanisms and levers to ensure that Canada's cultural landscape remains its own, Canada's broadcasting system has been historically based on two fundamental elements — private and public. The CBC was created in 1936 in response to clear cultural imperatives, not to meet the needs of the marketplace. It was founded to respond to a political determination to bring together the broad diversity of people who make up this country - and to ensure a Canadian voice at a time when American transmitters seemed destined to completely dominate our airwaves.

Since then, Canadians have been served by a mixed broadcasting system. Within this system, private broadcasters have flourished, quite well in fact. This demonstrates that our broadcasting system comprised of both a strong publicly financed broadcaster supplemented
with commercial revenues and a range of private broadcasters, still works well today.

The CBC's role within the system

After more than six decades, the CBC continues to play a vital role in the broadcasting system. The Canadians who appeared before you during your recent consultations on the CBC sent a clear message: they expect more, not less, from the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.

There is good reason for this. The CBC's presence is more essential than ever — not despite recent changes in the broadcasting industry, but because of those changes.

What then is the role of the public broadcaster within our broadcasting system?

Let me first quote from the Act - and you will see that what is applicable to the system as a whole is also applicable to the public broadcaster. As a national public broadcaster, the CBC should provide radio and television services that incorporate a wide range of programming that informs, enlightens and entertains. Programming should be predominantly and distinctively Canadian, reflecting Canadian values and its regions to national and regional audiences. It should actively contribute to the flow and exchange of cultural expression and be of equivalent quality in English and in French. It should reflect the different needs and circumstances of each official language community while at the same time contribute to a shared national consciousness and identity.

Survey after survey confirms that Canadians value the role the CBC plays. But the debate rages on — just as it did 25 years ago. Defining the role of Canada's public broadcaster is a national preoccupation and, at times, a national sport. The interventions received by the CRTC run the full gamut — the vast majority with very supportive and constructive suggestions and others that suggest the CBC be privatized or relegated to providing a narrow type of programming.

Over the past year, the CBC charted a course for a strong public broadcaster within a strong broadcasting system. In setting our course, the men and women of the CBC and our Board Members, who represent the regions, listened to Canadians throughout the country. In the process, we have honed our mission and put in sharper focus the imperatives of our mandate.

Our newly refined mission rests on four pillars:

• to tell Canadian stories;
• to provide Canadians with relevant news and information;
• to champion Canadian arts and culture; and
• to build bridges between communities and regions.

These are the foundations upon which we will continue to build — and upon which the CBC will be judged.

Our mission makes the CBC a unique and treasured institution in Canada's cultural landscape. Intrinsic to our distinctive role is a responsibility to provide Canadians with a meeting ground, a place where our own culture is dominant and central, a space that acts as a lifeline in times of crisis and as a bright shining thread in the national fabric in times of shared joy.

The CBC's raison d'être sets it apart from all others. It is, and it will remain, the home of Canadian content, providing services in French and in English, accessible to all Canadians, reflecting regions to each other, and Canada to the world.

This is the role of the CBC in the 21st century. This is our unique character. The production and broadcast of Canadian content for Canadians forms the very core of why this country has a public broadcaster.

The CBC today for tomorrow

The essence of this mission requires that we reach all Canadians, wherever they live, whatever their interests, whether they are young or old. Indeed, our mission is not only to reach Canadians today, but also to ensure today that we reach them tomorrow.

To reach Canadians now, our programming must be relevant and appeal to all Canadians. The CBC must therefore provide a varied range of programming including news and information, drama, comedy, sports, as well as cultural and children's programming. All Canadians must be able to find programming of interest to them on a regular basis. Today, 95% of Canadians use at least one of CBC's services on a weekly basis.

In recent years, as North American audiences have become increasingly fragmented, we have been forced to devise new strategies to reach all Canadians.

We must pursue two strategies simultaneously. First, we must continue to provide varied program schedules with broad appeal, as mandated under the Act, and constantly try to improve our reach. This strategy has worked since the CBC was created in 1936.

Second, to meet the more specific expectations of certain audience segments, the CBC must find new ways to offer services. With a responsibility to reach all Canadians, the CBC must add this approach to its more traditional method of a single program schedule on a single network. I deliberately use the word "add." Given our terms of reference, these two strategies are not substitutes, but actually complement each other.

This provides the background for certain recent CBC initiatives — particularly the ongoing development of CBC Newsworld and RDI; the proposed new radio networks of Radio Three in English and InfoRadio in French; and ongoing plans for new specialty channels.

In each of our programming streams, we not only have a responsibility to provide relevant Canadian programming; it must also be of the highest quality, in order to maximize our contribution to the broadcasting system as a whole. We know that our presence in the market raises viewer expectations, thereby creating an upward spiral that results in higher quality standards in the marketplace.

We also have a responsibility to think now about reaching Canadians in the future. This is why the CBC must, and does, act as a talent incubator, taking risks that others cannot or will not accept. This is why we have to continually update our technological base and use new media such as the Internet. This is why, for instance, we are proposing to launch Radio Three and InfoRadio, which will both integrate the Internet with radio.

As much as the generations that preceded them, young Canadians have the right to a relevant public broadcaster, and it is our responsibility to provide it to them.

Quite simply, Canadians not only expect but deserve all that from their public broadcaster.

I would now ask Perrin to explain to you the major components of our plan.

Perrin Beatty

Madam Chair, Commissioners, Ladies and Gentlemen,

The last four years have been a period of unprecedented change both for CBC and for Canada's broadcasting system as a whole. For our part, we have lived through a dramatic reshaping of the competitive landscape, the arrival of revolutionary new technologies, and a major reduction to our budget.

Our response has been to go back to basics, rethinking who we are and how we can best contribute to Canadians' ability to see themselves and the world through Canadian eyes.

If I can be permitted a personal comment, I am immensely proud of all that the men and women of the CBC have accomplished under tremendous pressure, and in full view of all Canadians. And our partners, from affiliates, to independent producers, to suppliers and our audiences stood with us as we faced this tremendous challenge.

As a result, we have become a much leaner, and more accountable organization and we have emerged stronger, with renewed confidence and creative vigour. We have done what many said was impossible, Canadianizing our schedule, adding services, and winning record numbers of awards for quality at the same time as we were dealing with major cuts to our budgets. When Canadians listen to or watch our radio or television programs, they know the CBC gives them value for their tax dollar.

Our commitment to Canadians

We are here to account to you for our place in the broadcasting system and to renew our commitment to all Canadians. In the coming days, each of our services will have an opportunity to come before you.

Our plan rests on the following five priorities:

First, to maintain and strengthen our regional roots. This priority forms a key aspect of our mission. Our regional presence is still as important as ever. There is no denying that we have had to make difficult choices. We could have closed regional stations, as we did in the past. We did not do this.

Instead, we rationalized programming and enhanced services. We resumed local television service in Windsor and in Calgary. In recent months, we launched a radio station in Victoria, and we now have a local presence in every provincial capital. We also opened radio bureaus in Sherbrooke, Trois-Rivières, Bathurst, Cambridge Bay and London.

Close to $420 million, which represents almost 40% of our total budget, is invested either in regions or used to provide regional reflection on the network. Today, more than 50% of our programs are produced in the regions or cover topics that reflect regional realities. And we intend to step up our efforts. In the coming days, we will describe some specific initiatives in this area.

Our second priority is to revitalize English television. Canadianization of the English network is largely complete. Foreign programming now accounts for just 10% of air time in the English television prime time schedule, down from 24% in 1985. During the 1998-1999 season, nine of the 10 top Canadian series in English Canada aired on the CBC. Our audiences want high quality, popular Canadian programs, and we are committed to giving it to them.

Our third priority is to continue to provide news and information programming that sets the standard for Canadian journalism. The CBC is Canada's journalistic leader. With over 800 broadcast journalists across Canada and around the world, we are the largest news organization in the country. We are the only news service with a presence throughout Canada, in English and in French.

We must reflect high standards of balance, credibility, quality and access, on radio, television or in the new media.

Canadians agree with these goals. We heard it repeatedly during your recent cross-country consultations. And year after year, polls commissioned by the CBC and others, demonstrate that an overwhelming majority of Canadians pick the CBC English and French services as having the most balanced news coverage, and we intend to build on this trust.

Our fourth priority is to offer pan-Canadian programming. In terms of production and distribution, the CBC is the only broadcaster with infrastructure to support a presence throughout Canada, provide service in French, English and eight native languages. No other broadcaster can build the bridges our country needs. No other broadcaster has devoted so many of its resources to giving Canadians and the rest of the world a reflection of who we are and what makes us tick. No other broadcaster has invested so much to help the French Canadian culture and language to flourish, from coast to coast.

Pan-Canadian means even more than just geography, culture, and language. It also means that we must offer a wide variety of programming. News and arts programs, sports, comedy, drama, all have a place on our networks. The CBC is owned by all Canadians, and all Canadians have a right to find programming of interest to them on our schedules.

The fifth priority is to continue to modernize and open up our corporate culture. The CBC must become a flexible, open organization firmly focused on the future.

We've had our challenges. In just three years, we cut our budget and our staff by roughly a quarter.

We have streamlined our administrative structure, and dramatically increased our efficiency. We are now providing more services than ever before. To continue the momentum for change, we are building a management structure that fosters efficiency, openness and communication. The CBC will remain attentive to the needs of Canadians by establishing a range of accountability mechanisms. In the production and distribution sector, the Corporation will focus more on forging alliances and will step up its co-operation with independent producers.

Commissioners, I am proud of how CBC has served this country in the past. But I am excited about the even greater contribution we can make in the future if we have the courage and the wisdom to embrace the bold new vision we will be discussing with you over the next several days.

I now want to ask each of our media Vice Presidents to explain to you how they intend to meet our commitments ­ starting with Michèle Fortin, Vice President, French Television.

Michèle Fortin

Madam Chair, Distinguished Commissioners,

In statements made during the recent regional consultation process as well as at these hearings, several groups and individuals have underscored Radio-Canada's invaluable contribution to Canada's francophone culture as well as to developing the talents of a large number of Canadians in a variety of artistic and cultural spheres.

The challenge we face is to help a small community of francophones, scattered across a vast land, not only preserve but also develop their rich, original culture — to help them communicate with one another and express their distinguishing characteristics. Our responsibility is to translate the realities of all its components through drama, public affairs broadcasts, children's programming and by airing performances by innovative or popular artists.

We exist to foster the development and fulfilment of a variety of talents, and to enrich, in a healthy competitive environment, the production and distribution of quality French-language programming in every field.

Radio-Canada Television is no longer the only source of French-language programming, and no longer dominates the large broadcasting market in Quebec as it did when it was the only producer of dramatic series such as La Famille Plouffe or Les Belles histoires des pays d'en haut.

Yet if the vitality, creativity and innovative spirit of the entire francophone broadcasting system is to be maintained, Radio-Canada must continue to play a leading role. This is an essential prerequisite if we are to deliver what the francophone audiences expect from their television: a forum that unites them and reflects their realities, while supporting them in their quest for personal, social and cultural progress.

We must continue creating for the widest possible audience. To do this, we must persist in broadcasting strong, pertinent and popular programming — resolutely generalist television guided by clear priorities:

• News and public affairs: the prime source of Canadian and world news through programs such as Le Téléjournal, Le Point, Découverte and now Zone libre in the field of public affairs;
• Drama: the original reflection of a society and culture, with series that reflect life in regions such as L'ombre de l'épervier and Bouscotte, or others that unfold in more urban settings such as Omertà, 4 et demi, Virginie;
• Youth: the future growing on the values of creativity and imagination, through dramatic series such as Watatatow et Tohu Bohu, educational programming such as Les Débrouillards or other type of broadcasts such as Bouledogue Bazar and La Boîte à lunch; and lastly,
• Arts and culture: to foster the development of talent and democratization of culture. Here once again, Radio-Canada's contribution is rooted in the tradition of Les Beaux Dimanches as well as in daring and innovation with programs such as Vie d'artiste.

We also have a special responsibility towards the French-language communities living in areas where English predominates. In this regard, the daily presence of our talent in those communities, and their commitment to reflecting its social, economic and cultural realities, to maintaining the dialogue within those regions as well with the rest of the country, represents a major contribution.

During the next licence term, we intend to expand this link between the regions and the national scene in news and public affairs as well as in every other area of social and cultural life. We will intensify our use of independent regional production for network programming, and give greater exposure to artists and personalities in every part of Canada. Moreover, as a replacement for Course Destination Monde, we plan to develop a project aimed at encouraging and attracting young people in every region where we have an audience.

We will also expand our collaborative efforts, particularly in the realm of new media, where we have fostered interaction and created innovative Internet projects with French Radio. We will also maintain our strategy of partnerships with independent producers and, more specifically, intensify our support for the development, production and increased promotion of Canadian cinema.

Radio-Canada Television, as well as radio for that matter, have always stood at the heart of the creation and dissemination of our country's francophone culture. They have contributed to the development of a strong cultural identity and to the vitality of its artists, many of whom have become world-famous.

This mission cannot be abandoned. It must be pursued continuously and vigorously because television is a vital instrument for the maintenance and development of our cultural identity and here, as in other areas, public broadcasting's contribution, as always, remains.

I will now turn the floor over to my colleague from English radio, Alex Frame.

Alex Frame

Thank you Michèle, Madam Chair, Commissioners,

I will speak briefly about the priorities outlined by our President and English Radio's role in achieving them.

First the regions: CBC Radio is defined by Canada's regions. There is now a CBC Radio presence in more than forty Canadian communities. The most recent in London Ontario, Victoria British Columbia, Bathurst New Brunswick and Cambridge Bay, Nunavut. We will continue to develop strong links between our regional, sub-regional and national programming in order to ensure that wherever you live in Canada, CBC Radio will provide you with a sense of community, region and country.

Our News and Current Affairs programming ranks with the best in the world. This spring, on two different occasions, CBC Radio not only won major Canadian journalism awards but also swept all the finalist positions. We are taking greater advantage of our wide-ranging strengths in news and current affairs on the regional as well as the national level to provide Canadians with journalism that is both thoughtful and comprehensive.

In the next licence period we intend to increase that collaboration within English Radio and with our sister services in order to provide news and current affairs to our listeners that is not only excellent but also provides the best possible value for the dollar spent.

The President and the Chair have both spoken of the CBC's mission to reflect Canada back to itself. For Canadians in our major cities and in our tiny, remote communities CBC Radio provides a vital link to the rest of the country. CBC Radio is a mirror through which Canadians can see our social, political and cultural reality portrayed on a range of programs and a range of ways. In fact it is difficult to name a CBC Radio program that doesn't, in one way or another, reflect  this country back to itself.

Our challenge is to ensure that the reflection we provide is the genuine article. That we reflect the full range of Canada's diversity of cultures, age groups, regions and ideas. We will continue to invest in bringing new voices to Canadians through special development initiatives and programming reserved for new freelance contributors. It is with that sense of reflection in mind that CBC radio is seeking a third network in order to serve young Canadians.

The President mentioned another priority, the revitalization of English Television. It may not be obvious, but CBC Radio has a role to play in that priority as well.

We are very proud of the talent CBC Radio has developed over the years that went on to make major contributions to English Television. Wayne and Shuster, Bruno Gerussi, Barbara Frum, Mark Starowitz and the Royal Canadian Air Farce to name a few.

Other Canadian stars as well, Ben Heppner emerged from CBC's young performers competition and if you'll pardon the pun, The Barenaked Ladies were first exposed to National audiences on CBC Radio but perhaps our latest contribution will turn out to be the most significant of all, CBC Radio has given its sister service its new vice president, Harold Redekopp.

Harold Redekopp

Thank you, Alex.

Good morning, Madam Chair and Commissioners.

As the President has told you, the revitalization of English Television is one of five priorities in the CBC's strategic plan.

Our vision of a revitalized CBC Television can be summed up in three words: Canadian. Public. Television.

Let me start with the first of those words: Canadian.

At the beginning of the1990s, about two-thirds of the CBC Television schedule was devoted to Canadian programming. Today, that figure has risen to 80% over the full day — and 90% during prime time. I think that's a tremendous accomplishment —particularly since we did it while facing the largest budget reductions in our history.

Today, CBC Television accounts for almost half of all the viewing to Canadian programs in prime time. We have proven that Canadians in large numbers can be attracted to an all-Canadian schedule.

In the coming licence term, we will continue to build on the strength and attractiveness of that Canadian schedule, while placing even more emphasis on the second word I mentioned a moment ago: public. We will consolidate our unique role and responsibility as public broadcaster.

We intend to continue serving the full spectrum of interests and tastes, by offering a balanced schedule, incorporating a wide range of high-quality, distinctive Canadian programming that is relevant, indispensable and popular.

Within that broad mandate, certain elements are particular hallmarks of a public broadcaster. They are defining characteristics of CBC Television today. And we intend to focus on them even more sharply in the years ahead. Let me mention some of them.

• Our News and Current Affairs programs meet the highest journalistic standards, and provide a thoughtful, Canadian perspective on the events and issues that shape our communities, our country and our world. Programs from The National to our newly redeveloped regional supper hour shows.
• Our entertainment programs are clearly and proudly Canadian, and recognized for their quality and originality. Home-grown hits like Da Vinci's Inquest from Vancouver...risk-taking projects like Ken Finkleman's Foolish Heart...perennial favourites like This Hour Has 22 Minutes from Halifax.
• Our children's block, CBC Playground, provides a "safe haven" for Canada's young people.
• CBC Television is the place Canadians turn to see programs that bring the country together: be they major sporting events like the Olympics, the Grey Cup and the Stanley Cup...or nation-building projects like our upcoming People's History of Canada: 30 hours of outstanding television, conceived and presented in both official languages.
• CBC Television has a special role to reflect Canada's communities and regions to themselves, and to the country as a whole — as fully half our current schedule does.
• Another important part of our job is to nurture and showcase Canadian talent of every kind: from artists to amateur athletes in all genres.

In our licence renewal applications, we have made specific commitments in each of these areas, including some specific improvements and several others. I look forward to discussing our plans with you in greater detail throughout these hearings. In the meantime, I'd like to pass the microphone to my colleague, the Vice-President of French Radio, Sylvain Lafrance.

Sylvain Lafrance

Thank you Harold, Madam Chair, Commissioners,

Sylvain Lelièvre, a writer-composer-performer whom you can often hear on Radio-Canada radio, coined a phrase that means: "You can't be given a better job than that of keeping your word". It also perfectly reflects what public service radio has aspired to for the past 63 years: to keep its word. Our radio programming has consistently been driven by the same values: the quality of  the French language; commitment to accurate, thoroughly researched information; the provision of a public service; support for the development of local talent; and openness to this country's different regions and the world.

French radio has steadfastly upheld these values while maintaining the resolutely distinctive nature of its broadcasts. For all we may say about the advent of new media or explosion of content, talk to radio broadcasters, who in the past 63 years have witnessed tremendous changes. Yet through it all, we have remained true to our word.

In the time we will spend together at these hearings, we hope to tell you a little more about our values and commitments. We want you to know how, during the licence period now coming to an end, we have not only fulfilled but often surpassed the commitments we made. We want to demonstrate that if we missed the mark, we made sure that we adjusted our aim.

Despite all the turbulence of the past licence period, Canadians have remained very loyal to their public radio. The latest ratings published last week clearly show that their loyalty is solid, and our own surveys clearly indicate that listener satisfaction remains high.

We will also and, in all likelihood, primarily describe our ambitions for the future.

• First of all, to keep public radio resolutely distinctive and noncommercial. A unifying yet decentralized main network, "La Première chaîne", and a cultural network, "La Chaîne culturelle", dedicated to music, the arts, culture and ideas.
• We also want to increase our presence and regional broadcasting, primarily by expanding cultural network broadcasts of "La Chaîne culturelle".
• We wish to create, if the Commission approves, the first French-language radio network providing a continuous stream of information for all Canadians.
• We have recently set up a children's programming department primarily focussed on the youth of minority communities.
• We intend to steadily raise the standards of excellence and journalistic responsibility a little higher.
• And finally, we aspire to become a unique and distinctive source of new media".

During these hearings, we will also talk about openness to today's cultural and musical realities that we consider essential, and the need to strengthen the numerous partnerships in public broadcasting so that it can fulfill the different aspects of its mission.

I hope that, in this few hours of discussion, we can convey the passion of all those who put French radio on the air, and above all, the unwavering devotion of all our listeners.

And now the Chair will make a few concluding comments.

Guylaine Saucier

In conclusion, we respectfully ask that the Commission grant our applications and renew our licences for a period of seven years. The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation will channel all its energy into meeting its commitments to Canadians.

The coming days will give us an opportunity to explain to you in detail our vision of the future of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and how it will take shape. This vision reflects the unanimous view of the Board of Directors and of management. However, we will also use the hearings starting today to listen. Listen to those who have voiced their satisfaction with our achievements, as well as their criticisms, their expectations and their wishes. We are here to serve Canadians. It is up to us to listen to them.

Thank you for your attention. We will be pleased to answer your questions.