HOUSE OF COMMONS CANADA CBC/Radio-Canada: Defi ning distinctiveness in the changing media landscape Report of the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage Gary Schellenberger, M.P. Chair February 2008 39th Parliament, 2nd Session CBC/RADIO-CANADA: DEFINING DISTINCTIVENESS IN THE CHANGING MEDIA LANDSCAPE Report of the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage Gary Schellenberger, MP Chair February 2008 39th PARLIAMENT, 2nd SESSION STANDING COMMITTEE ON CANADIAN HERITAGE Gary Schellenberger Chair Hon. Mauril Bélanger Conservative Maria Mourani Vice-Chair Vice-Chair Liberal Bloc québécois Hon. James Abbott Dave Batters Hon. Michael Chong Parliamentary Secretary Conservative Conservative Conservative Ed Fast Hon. Hedy Fry Liberal Luc Malo Conservative Bloc québécois Francis Scarpaleggia Hon. Andy Scott Bill Siksay Liberal Liberal New Democratic iii PREVIOUS MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE STUDY Charlie Angus Diane Bourgeois Gord Brown New Democratic Party Bloc québecois Conservative Tina Keeper Maka Kotto Chris Wakertin Liberal Bloc québecois Conservative CLERK OF THE COMMITTEE Jacques Lahaie ANALYSTS OF THE COMMITTEE (Library of Parliament) Marion Ménard Lara Trehearne iv THE STANDING COMMITTEE ON CANADIAN HERITAGE has the honour to present its SIXTH REPORT Pursuant to its mandate under Standing Order 108(2), the Committee has studied the Role of a Public Broadcaster in the 21st Century and reports its findings and recommendations. v ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The Committee could not have completed its study on the Role of a Public Broadcaster in the 21st Century without the cooperation and support of numerous people. The Chair and members of the Committee extend their thanks to all the witnesses who shared with them their insights and knowledge on this subject. Our task could not have been completed without the valuable work of the Analysts from the Library of Parliament, Marion Ménard, Joseph Jackson, Matthew Carnaghan and Lara Trehearne. The Committee also wishes to acknowledge the Clerk, Jacques Lahaie, and Lucie Poulin for the administration and support throughout the course of this study. The members of the Committee also wish to express their appreciation to the staff of the Committees Directorate, the Translation Bureau of Public Works and Government Services Canada, and the support services of the House of Commons who provided logistics and administrative support to produce this report. Finally, the Chair wishes to thank the members of the Committee for the hours they dedicated to study this question and to prepare this report. vii TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS............................................................................................. 1 CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION....................................................................................... 3 Context ...................................................................................................................... 3 Purpose of This Study................................................................................................ 3 PROFILE OF CBC/RADIO-CANADA SERVICES........................................................... 7 Current Situation........................................................................................................ 7 French-language Television and Radio Services..................................................... 10 Committee’s Position.......................................................................................... 12 English-language Radio and Television Services .................................................... 12 Radio and Television Services Broadcast in Northern Canada................................ 15 Radio and Television Services for Aboriginal Peoples............................................. 16 CBC/Radio-Canada’s Statutory Mandate ................................................................ 17 CBC/Radio-Canada should be predominantly and distinctively Canadian............... 18 The CBC and Reflecting Regional Diversity............................................................. 21 “Montrealisation” of Programming ...................................................................... 22 Local Programming ............................................................................................ 22 Regional Production ........................................................................................... 25 “Actively contribute to the flow and exchange of cultural expression” ...................... 26 The CBC and the Development of Artistic and Cultural Talent........................... 27 Be in English and in French, reflecting the different needs and circumstances of each official language community, including the particular needs and circumstances of English and French linguistic minorities ....................................... 30 “Contribute to shared national consciousness and identity”..................................... 32 ix “Be made available throughout Canada by the most appropriate and efficient means and as resources become available” ....................................... 35 “Reflect the multicultural and multiracial nature of Canada”..................................... 35 Equity for Female Producers ................................................................................... 37 The Committee’s general position on the statutory mandate: ratification of a memorandum of understanding ............................................................................... 38 CHAPTER 2: THE EFFECT OF EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES ON OUR NATIONAL PUBLIC BROADCASTER ................................................................ 43 Introduction .............................................................................................................. 43 CBC/Radio-Canada and Digital Media..................................................................... 44 Content Is Still King ............................................................................................ 47 CBC/Radio-Canada Online................................................................................. 48 CBC/Radio-Canada Video.................................................................................. 49 CBC/Radio-Canada Audio.................................................................................. 51 New audiences for the new media...................................................................... 54 Youth Audiences ................................................................................................ 56 Digital Media and the CBC/Radio-Canada Mandate................................................ 58 Current Situation................................................................................................. 58 Issues and Challenges Heard by the Committee................................................ 60 International Perspectives .................................................................................. 61 Funding .............................................................................................................. 64 Regulation in the Digital Era..................................................................................... 65 New Media Exemption Order (NMEO) ............................................................... 65 Network Neutrality .............................................................................................. 69 CBC/Radio-Canada and Digital Transition............................................................... 73 Current Situation................................................................................................. 76 x Meeting the Digital Challenge: CBC/Radio-Canada’s HDTV Acceleration Plan....... 77 CBC/Radio-Canada Hybrid Plan for Over-the-Air Digital Transmission ................... 81 Issues and Challenges : Universal Access......................................................... 82 A Canary in the Coal Mine.................................................................................. 85 Priority Programming.......................................................................................... 87 Funding HD/DTV ................................................................................................ 89 International Perspectives on HD/DTV ............................................................... 90 CHAPTER 3: CBC/RADIO-CANADA PROGRAMMING ............................................... 97 Current Situation...................................................................................................... 97 Dramas .................................................................................................................... 97 Documentaries....................................................................................................... 100 Committee’s Position........................................................................................ 101 Information Programmes ....................................................................................... 102 Children’s Programmes ......................................................................................... 103 Sports Programmes............................................................................................... 104 Feature Films......................................................................................................... 106 CHAPTER 4: CBC/RADIO-CANADA’S FINANCIAL SITUATION .............................. 109 Current Situation...................................................................................................