Knowledge Network Corporation Revised Service Plan 2013/14 to 2015/16 Table of Contents Message from the Board Chair to Minister Responsible .......................................................................................... 1 Organizational Overview ............................................................................................................................................ 3 Governance ................................................................................................................................................................... 6 Strategic Context .......................................................................................................................................................... 9 Goals, Strategies, Measures, Targets, and Benchmarks ........................................................................................ 11 Government Letter of Expectations ......................................................................................................................... 17 Key Assumptions and Financial Risks .....................................................................................................................18 Financial Summary .....................................................................................................................................................21 Contact Information ................................................................................................................................................... 22 KNOWLEDGE NETWORK CORPORATION REVISED SERVICE PLAN 2013/14 TO 2015/16 1 To the Honourable Andrew Wilkinson, Minister of Technology, Innovation and Citizens’ Services On behalf of Knowledge Network Corporation’s Board of Directors, I am pleased to submit our 2013/14 to 2015/16 Service Plan. Accountability Statement British Columbia’s Knowledge Network offers trusted The Knowledge Network content from B.C. and around the world that informs, Corporation Service Plan inspires and engages. Our responsibility as a public was prepared under educational broadcaster is to bring diverse points of view the Board’s direction to British Columbians: to challenge assumptions, broaden in accordance with the awareness, and spur the acquisition of new knowledge. Budget Transparency and Accountability Act This responsibility extends to our youngest viewers through and the B.C. Reporting Knowledge Kids, where programs, games and activities Principles. The plan spark the imagination of children and encourage a love of is consistent with learning. We serve British Columbians on any screen they government’s strategic choose: television, smartphone, tablet and computer. priorities and fiscal plan. Nini Baird, Chair The Board is accountable The Board and staff have recently identified five new strategic for the contents of the goals to lead us through 2013 to 2016: plan, including what has been included in the • Expand digital platforms to serve audiences anywhere, anytime. plan and how it has been reported. • Commission original British Columbian content in partnership with independent producers for multi-platform delivery. To the best of our knowledge the significant • Engage audiences through personalized, interactive social experiences. assumptions, policy decisions, events • Strengthen the Knowledge Network brand story and share it. and identified risks are current and have • Increase revenue through entrepreneurial and philanthropic initiatives. been considered in preparing this plan. The Increasing engagement with British Columbians is our strategic focus over the next performance measures three years. By leveraging the most popular media platforms, we aim to strengthen presented are consistent our relationship with viewers and donors across the province. with Knowledge Network Corporation’s mandate We will continue to invest in original B.C. content in partnership with independent and goals, and focus television and media producers. There are three significant projects launching on aspects critical in 2013/14 designed to stimulate dialogue and encourage public participation. to the organization’s The Emergency Room is a six-part documentary series about people who work performance. The targets on the front lines of emergency medicine at Vancouver General Hospital. It will in this plan have been determined based on an follow nurses, doctors and support staff who make life and death decisions while assessment of Knowledge confronting the steadily rising demand for health resources. To create a greater Network Corporation’s depth of understanding on current health care issues, a complementary website operating environment, will be developed to engage citizens across the province. Working People is a series forecast conditions, risk of webisodes, developed in partnership with the Labour Heritage Centre, telling the assessment and past performance. KNOWLEDGE NETWORK CORPORATION REVISED SERVICE PLAN 2013/14 TO 2015/16 1 story of British Columbian workers who played extraordinary roles in the building of our province. Take Me Home is a series of documentary shorts for television and online, funded in part by the Ministry of Community, Sport and Cultural Development. It will promote the province of British Columbia through personal stories by renowned B.C. artists, athletes, and community leaders. The Board recognizes that a timely transition to high definition (HD) is vital to remaining relevant with viewers in B.C. and to continuing the generation of revenues through philanthropic initiatives. Therefore, in fall 2013 we will launch a high definition channel for our television service. The new channel is funded exclusively through new self-generated revenues. A significant source of that new revenue is BBC Kids, a commercial-free Canadian subscription children’s channel operated as a co-venture with BBC Worldwide. Keeping pace with technological changes in the delivery of content - both on-air and online - remains an ongoing challenge. Audience growth online has been steadily increasing, resulting in increased broadband usage and associated costs. We expect this growth to accelerate with the roll out of the next phase of Knowledge.ca in 2014, which will include increased engagement opportunities for British Columbians. Our provincial outreach will remain a core activity to connect with communities outside the Lower Mainland. Initiatives include Knowledge Partner events, workshops for independent filmmakers, participation at children and family festivals, and speaking opportunities with Chambers of Commerce, community organizations, service clubs, colleges and universities. As B.C.’s viewer-supported public broadcaster, we rely on the generosity of over 35,000 loyal donors who last year contributed $2.9M. We are also very grateful for the ongoing commitment and support we have received from the Ministry of Citizens’ Services and Open Government and the Government of British Columbia. Our three-year plan ensures that we will continue to build on our success, offering trusted, original content in the public interest on any screen, anytime. We look forward to creating new opportunities to engage with British Columbians on the relevant issues of our time. Sincerely, Nini Baird, C.M. Chair Knowledge Network Corporation Board of Directors KNOWLEDGE NETWORK CORPORATION REVISED SERVICE PLAN 2013/14 TO 2015/16 2 Organizational Overview Knowledge Network is British Columbia’s public educational broadcaster. Our mission is to provide all British Columbians with a trusted alternative for the commercial-free exploration of life, connecting them to the world through television, internet, and mobile platforms. Vision Knowledge Network, as British Columbia’s public educational broadcaster, supports lifelong learning by providing quality programming to all British Columbians through television, the web and other emerging technologies. Enabling Legislation Knowledge Network is a Crown corporation, created in 2008 under the Knowledge Network Corporation Act. Our Mandate The Knowledge Network Corporation Act lists the purposes of Knowledge Network as: • to carry on the business of broadcasting and communications to provide unique, quality educational programming to British Columbians, • to promote lifelong learning in British Columbia by providing quality educational programming, • to inform and educate British Columbians about their province and about issues that are relevant to them, • to provide British Columbians with a unique television experience, and • to collaborate with the independent television and web media production sectors in British Columbia. How Knowledge Network Serves British Columbians Public educational broadcasting encourages active citizenship and public engagement. Knowledge Network offers content that informs, inspires and engages, presenting relevant issues from local and global perspectives. We do this by: • distributing commercial-free, relevant content to all British Columbians through television, internet, and mobile platforms, • distributing commercial-free, educational content to British Columbia’s youngest viewers through television, internet, and mobile platforms, • researching, curating, licensing, and packaging content from British Columbia, Canada, and around the world that supports lifelong learning, • commissioning, prelicensing, and developing original content for television, internet, and mobile platforms, and • building and managing the charitable arm of Knowledge Network, including donations, legacy