News Releases

February 3, 2005

CBC/Radio-Canada Makes Public Proposed Local and Regional Programming Strategy

Ottawa, February 3, 2005 — CBC/Radio-Canada today made public its fully costed strategy for improving Canadians' access to local and regional public broadcasting services. The plan was developed in response to a request last year by the House of Commons Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage.

"We are excited to be in a position to make public our plan for improving the level of local and regional programming available to Canadians in underserved areas of the country," said Robert Rabinovitch, President and CEO, CBC/Radio-Canada. "Faced with massive Government reductions in our funding during the 1990s, CBC/Radio-Canada was forced to make very difficult programming decisions, but we are committed to rebuilding our local and regional service and this plan details how we would do that, and what it would cost."

The strategy addresses geographic and programming gaps in CBC/Radio-Canada's local and regional services. Specifically, the strategy will increase Canadians' access to public broadcasting coverage of local and regional news, culture and current events in a manner that is distinct from that provided by the private broadcasters. The plan is intended to be implemented over three years, with estimated costs rising incrementally to approximately $83 million annually. CBC/Radio-Canada's ability to implement the plan is incumbent upon the Corporation's ability to secure Government funding for it.

In December the strategy was submitted to the Minister of Canadian Heritage, who shared it with the Heritage Committee today. CBC/Radio-Canada today offered to appear before the Committee to discuss the plan in greater detail.

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