Journalistic Standards and Practices
III. PRINCIPLES
CBC is committed to providing programming that is produced in accordance with the very highest ethical, journalistic and professional standards. The CBC receives an annual funding appropriation from the Parliament of Canada. In order to protect its real and perceived editorial independence, CBC has developed guidelines for the acceptance of program funding from other sources, including agencies and departments from all levels of government. These guidelines are intended to ensure that funding arrangements do not allow funding sources to inappropriately influence a program or create the perception that editorial influence has been exercised by someone other than the producers.
For a funding arrangement to be acceptable, an evaluation of the proposed funding should be undertaken. Three tests should be applied to every proposed funding arrangement in order to determine its acceptability.
Editorial control test: Has the funder exercised editorial influence? Might it do so?
Perception test: Might the public reasonably perceive that the funder has exercised editorial influence?
Commercialism test: Might the public reasonably conclude the program in itself promotes the funder's product, service, or other interests at the expense of the CBC's credibility?
If the answer to any of these tests is yes, the funding is unacceptable.
A funder is any organization or person, other than the CBC or external producer, who provides funds, goods or services, or any combination of the above, to a program with a view to promoting the funder's goods, services or interests. This definition extends to anyone funding or contributing to a program.
CBC is committed to the principle of transparency of financing of all information programs. Audiences must be confident that decisions are made only for good editorial reasons, not as a result of pressure, be it political, commercial or special interest. The CBC's integrity must never be compromised by any financial pressure or commercial inducement from any outside organisation or interest group. To protect credibility we should acknowledge all sources of funding on air.
Full details of all financial and related understandings with third parties regarding a program procured by CBC should be disclosed to the CBC in writing. These policies apply to all independent productions made for the CBC and contracts between CBC and independent producers must reflect this. Contracts will also ensure that the CBC knows and approves all sources of funding before the commissioning of a program.
