Speeches and Interviews

February 3, 2005

Notes for Remarks by Richard Stursberg to the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage

Notes for Remarks by Richard Stursberg, Executive Vice-President, CBC Television, to the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage

(Check against delivery)

Thank you, Jane. Ladies and gentlemen, I became Executive Vice-President of CBC Television at the end of last September. In the four months since then, it's become clear to me THAT We need to accelerate the process of transforming CBC Television that was initiated by my predecessor . I believe in a public television service that is both distinctive and popular: a service that adds public value to the airwaves, and a service that people want to watch in large numbers.

This phase of our transformation initiative has four pillars.

• The first is to address the crisis in Canadian drama.
• The second is to strengthen the regional roots of CBC Television.
• The third is to revitalize our News programs.
• And the fourth is a renewed commitment to Children's, Sports and Cultural programming.

Let me say a few words about each of these in turn.

I am convinced that the #1 cultural policy challenge in English Canada is the crisis in Canadian drama on film and television. Most other forms of cultural expression in our country are thriving, from newspapers and documentary production to music and prose fiction. Television is the most powerful storytelling medium in our society. Unlike any other English speaking country in the world, of all the hours Canadians spend watching TV drama, less than 1 in 10 is devoted to Canadian drama. And I would be pleased to provide you WITH MORE information on this point. If Canadian drama were as popular as Canadian music and literature, up to 8 of the Top 20 shows on Canadian television would be Canadian shows, as opposed to the current 1 in 20.

All broadcasters have a role to play in tackling this problem. But only the CBC can be the cornerstone of a solution. The reason for this is simple. Only the CBC has the shelf space to devote to Canadian drama. Private broadcasters' economic model is based on simulcasting US shows in the heart of prime time: 8 to 11 P.M., Sunday through Thursday. They simply can't afford to convert any of those hours to Canadian drama.

Let me turn next to our regional strategy. CBC Television is doing its very best to reflect Canadians in every region to one another. Fully half of all our Canadian production (both in-house and independent) takes place outside of Toronto.

But television is an expensive medium, and successive rounds of budget cuts have taken their toll — especially on local programming. We want to fix that problem. We want to be more present in more Canadian communities, more often, and more consistently, throughout the day and week. Ideally, that would mean local programming throughout the day, at the supper hour, late at night, and on the weekends. As you know, further to your report, we have tabled our regional strategy with the Minister, and we are awaiting her response.

I'll touch very briefly on our other priorities. In information programming, we recently conducted a comprehensive study of Canadians' information needs. Now, we are using the results of the CBC News Study to inform a fundamental reshaping of all our News and Current Affairs programming, on both the main channel and CBC Newsworld. You're already starting to see the results of that, with lots more to come. We are also continuing the integration of all our CBC News resources, on Radio, Television and the Internet, so that we can serve Canadians better, and do more with less, while recognizing the distinct needs and advantages of each medium.

Finally, we intend to continue the Canadianization of our Children's programming, refocus our Youth strategy, and continue our commitment to both amateur sports and performing arts programming.

We need the tools to do all these jobs — and that means money. We will be redirecting several tens of millions of dollars from other activities towards the priorities I've just outlined. We will be cancelLing some programs in order to launch others. We will be further streamlining our operations to free up cash. And we will be seeking new sources of self-earned revenue. We'll be announcing some of these decisions in the coming weeks and months.

But we also need your help, and that of government. The process of developing and bringing to air a large quantity of distinctive new Canadian drama necessarily unfolds over several years. And so the success of our drama strategy depends on predictable, multi-year funding. The only way to achieve that is through a separate CBC/Radio-Canada envelope within the Canadian Television Fund, so that we can license more dramas from independent producers right across this country that are the kind of programs that deserve to be seen on public television. We believe that the appropriate level of access to the CTF for CBC/Radio-Canada is 50%, as was the case when the Fund was originally set up.

In terms of the regional strategy: to restore what has been lost in local television will cost far less than what we've had to cut over the years, because today we can work much more cost-effectively. We are already doing what we can with existing resources, and we're starting some pilot projects experimenting with different ways of expanding local presence in selected markets. But to do the job effectively, comprehensively and permanently will undoubtedly require additional funding, earmarked for this purpose.

Finally, on behalf of my colleagues, let me say just a word more about financial realities. When the President spoke to you late last year, he reminded you that CBC/Radio-Canada's Parliamentary appropriation is worth 415 million dollars less today than it was in 1990. As budget day approaches, we await news about the renewal of the 60 (now 50) million dollars in additional annual funding, and whether the government's 5% redirection exercise will affect us.

CBC/Radio-Canada has done more than its share to find efficiencies in its use of public money. Over the past five years, we've generated 65 million dollars per year in permanent, ongoing savings and new revenues. Plus over 100 million dollars in one-time savings and earnings. Every year, we need to find another 12 million dollars just to cover inflationary increases.

In closing, the future we see is the one we are bringing before you today: a vision of four CBC/Radio-Canada media lines — French and English, Radio and Television — working together more closely and collaboratively than ever before, in pursuit of our common goals as public broadcasters: excellence and distinctiveness; relevance and impact; the reflection of this country to itself; and service to Canadians.

Thank you very much, Madam Chair and members of the Committee; we would be pleased now to answer your questions.