HomeGeneral + Regulatory + Telecom + Media NewsA market-driven public broadcaster negatively disrupts...

A market-driven public broadcaster negatively disrupts private sector, says CAB

Six days of interventions at the CRTC’s CBC/Radio-Canada licence renewal hearing kicked off Monday with Canadian Association of Broadcasters (CAB) President Kevin Desjardins stating that a market-driven public broadcaster negatively disrupts an already challenged private broadcasting sector.

Desjardins opened addressing both the massive shifts in consumer behaviour and the impact of COVID-19 on broadcasters, while pointing out that according to regulator data, private local TV stations outspent CBC/Radio-Canada on conventional television news programming three to one – $374 million to the public broadcaster’s $122 million.

With private local TV broadcasters suffering $681 million in accumulated losses between 2015 and 2019 and estimates they’ll be down another $200 to $300 million by the end of this year, at the heart of the CAB intervention is a desire to see the public broadcaster be held to its expenditure and local programming requirements.

“The crux of our concern with the proposals put forward by CBC/Radio-Canada through this process is a growing emphasis on the public broadcaster being market-driven rather than mandate-driven,” said Desjardins. “As a result, we believe that the Commission will need to play a vital role in determining what CBC/Radio-Canada should do, and what it shouldn’t.”

With local news now threatened in some markets, the CAB argues that the public broadcaster must play a “more distinctive and complimentary role,” focused on local and regional news in underserved markets, like the North.

“What concerns us is we’re seeing the public broadcaster looking for less oversight and fewer conditions of licence and fewer exhibition requirements and stretching those exhibition requirements out to platforms where we’re not entirely sure that they would intend to quantify what amounts to exhibition,” said Desjardins, who added that expenditure requirements for the public broadcaster should at least meet, if not exceed those of private broadcasters.

The CAB argues that CBC/Radio-Canada’s increasingly market-driven strategy comes at a significant public policy cost and disrupts private broadcasters’ ability to meet their regulatory obligations. 

Desjardins cited decreases in Canadian content on television and more commercial TV programming, noting Family Feud and Notre vie (the French-language version of This is Us) as examples. Desjardins also questioned the public broadcaster’s move to establish Hamilton as a new local digital market, while already well-served by CHCH-TV and The Hamilton Spectator, in addition to controversial in-house branded content initiative, Tandem.

“At minimum, CBC/Radio-Canada should be prohibited from selling local TV and online advertising in markets where local private radio and TV stations are present,” said Desjardins.

“A mandate-driven public broadcaster can complement our shared broadcasting system well. A market-driven CBC/Radio-Canada negatively disrupts an already challenged private broadcasting sector, and undermines all of our ability to appropriately serve the public,” he added.

Other intervenors set to appear individually Monday include Société nationale de l’Acadie; St. John’s, NL gender activist April Halley; and public broadcaster watchdog FRIENDS of Canadian Broadcasting.


Subscribe Now – Free!

Broadcast Dialogue has been required reading in the Canadian broadcast media for 25 years. When you subscribe, you join a community of connected professionals from media and broadcast related sectors from across the country.

The Weekly Briefing from Broadcast Dialogue is delivered exclusively to subscribers by email every Thursday. It’s your link to critical industry news, timely people moves, and excellent career advancement opportunities.

Let’s get started right now.

* indicates required

 

SUBSCRIBE NOW - IT'S FREE!

At Broadcast Dialogue®, we are committed to delivering industry-leading insights, news, and analysis directly to your inbox—completely free of charge.

By providing full / accurate information, you are helping us sustain Broadcast Dialogue® as a free resource. In return, we commit to delivering high-quality content that keeps you informed on the latest trends, technology, and news shaping the broadcast landscape—at no cost to you.

The Weekly Briefing from Broadcast Dialogue® is delivered exclusively to our subscribers by email every Thursday.
Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.

Your Subscription Information

Your Name
Your Email Address
Broadcast Dialogue uses this information to understand our audience and deliver relevant content.
Broadcast Dialogue uses this information to understand our audience and deliver relevant content.

Your Company Information

A Couple Of Questions

Do you consider yourself retired?
Are you seeking employment opportunities?

Connie Thiessen
Connie Thiessenhttps://broadcastdialogue.com
Connie has worked coast-to-coast as a reporter, editor, anchor and host at CKNW and News 1130 in Vancouver, News 95.7 and CBC in Halifax, and CFCW Edmonton, among other stations. With a passion for music, film and community service, she led News 95.7 to a 2013 Atlantic Journalism Award and regional RTDNA award for Best Radio Newscast. More recently, she was nominated for Music Journalist of the Year at Canadian Music Week 2019. To report a typo or error please email - corrections@broadcastdialogue.com

Latest News

Canada Post pays tribute to MuchMusic, MusiquePlus

Canada Post has unveiled its latest stamp set which celebrates the early years of MuchMusic and MusiquePlus. Depicting the iconic buildings that housed MuchMusic at...

Canadian Podcast Listener preview shows men leading daily listening bump

Signal Hill Insights has released a preview of the 2024 Canadian Podcast Listener results for monthly podcast listening in Canada. It finds that 8.8%...

Events / Conferences