News Releases
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation - New and Enhanced Programming at Radio Canada International (RCI)
Montreal, Oct. 5 /CNW/ — CBC Management announced today some important programming decisions concerning CBC's international radio.
RCI increases the number of weekly broadcasting hours dedicated to programs in Arabic and Russian to ensure the most adequate coverage of the evolution of the present international crisis. RCI determined that there was a need to temporarily increase its services, particularly in the Middle East and bordering zones, given that these areas have the greatest chance to witness critical new developments in the crisis in the short term.
Management also decided to reinitiate the production and broadcast of original newscasts during weekends which, due to budgetary constraints, were stopped last summer. However, the reorganization will allow to generate sufficient resources to successfully put these activities back into operation without putting at risk other RCI functions.
All this is part of the new RCI Fall program schedule to air progressively, starting October 13, with the broadcast of thematic programs now in preparation. As for the additional Arabic and Russian programming, it will be effective October 20, while the original weekend newscasts will be broadcast by the end of the month.
In announcing these decisions today, Sylvain Lafrance, Vice President, French-language Radio, CBC, and responsible for RCI, restated all the importance of RCI for CBC, saying: "We firmly believe in the future of our international radio, and we are determined to continue to enhance its content.
RCI is an integral part of CBC's public service mandate." Mr Lafrance concluded by referring to this Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's determination to better integrate all of its components, and confirming that the integration of RCI support and distribution services in CBC's existing services will be completed by December 2001. This will relieve the RCI structure from the burden of responsibilities representing dual use of functions that can be taken up by other sectors.
About CBC/Radio-Canada
CBC/Radio-Canada is Canada's national public broadcaster and one of its largest cultural institutions. CBC/Radio-Canada reaches Canadians through eight national radio and television networks, its full-service Web sites, local/regional stations and affiliates, as well as the digital television channel Country Canada and the continuous music network Galaxie. In addition, CBC/Radio-Canada has forged partnerships with other broadcasters and is a partner in the satellite radio service SIRIUS Canada as well as in the specialty television services ARTV and The Documentary Channel. Through this array of activities, CBC/Radio-Canada brings diverse regional and cultural perspectives into the daily lives of Canadians in English, French and eight aboriginal languages. (2006)
For additional information, please contact:
Katherine Heath-Eves
Media Relations
CBC/Radio-Canada (Ottawa)
Tel: (613) 288-6235
heathevk@cbc.ca
www.cbc.radio-canada.ca
