CBC/Radio-Canada plans to continue on its path towards new online and digital media services as part of its five year strategic plan to expand its regional footprint and increase regional news and programming.
The strategy, called Everyone, Every way, sets out in general terms what the public broadcaster has planned for the next five years – despite the on-going budgetary restrictions and funding cutbacks it faces.
That’s the word from the 2012 edition of CBC/Radio-Canada’s Annual Public Meeting, which was held today and streamed live from The Rooms Theatre in St. John’s, NL.
During the event, senior executives reviewed highlights of 2024–2012 and provided an overview of the Corporation's direction for the current fiscal year and for the future. The meeting included also a special presentation by guest panellists discussing the value of public broadcasting.
It’s been quite a year for the public broadcaster, with the continued implementation of its 2024 plan, including the launch of new stations and digital services, record audience numbers, a $115 million budget reduction and the loss of the Local Programming Improvement Fund – all against a backdrop of sweeping change in the broadcasting industry.
Chair of the Board of Directors Rémi Racine, President and CEO Hubert T. Lacroix, and Vice-President and Chief Financial Officer Suzanne Morris provided highlights of 2024–2012 and an overview of the Corporation’s direction for the current fiscal year and for the future.
“The Annual Public Meeting is a key aspect of accountability and transparency, attributes that are central to our philosophy and critical to our credibility,” said Racine. “This event is also an opportunity to connect with Canadians and exchange ideas about the national public broadcaster.”
Lacroix, for his part, talked about the media ecosystem in which the public broadcaster operates and reviewed the challenges facing CBC/Radio-Canada as it moves forward with the implementation of its five-year strategy 2015: Everyone, Every way.
“Canada needs a strong public broadcaster and with our licence renewal hearings set to begin on November 19, Canadians have an opportunity to remind the CRTC of the importance of the Canadian programming we bring to them,” he said. “While Strategy 2024 sets out our vision for the future of Canada’s national public broadcaster, we need a more streamlined regulatory framework and the ability to generate new revenue to enable our progress and allow us to maintain our presence no matter what degree of industry consolidation may happen or how fast technology and demographics might evolve.”
In addition, as part of a special presentation, The National correspondent Adrienne Arsenault, On Point host and provincial affairs reporter David Cochrane, Téléjournal head anchor Céline Galipeau, and Marketplace co-host Tom Harrington were on hand to discuss the value of public broadcasting.
For more Broadcaster and Mediacaster Magazine coverage related to this topic, please see:
CBC Five Year Plan Calls for More Regional, Digital Content
http://www.mediacastermagazine.com/news/cbc-five-year-plan-calls-for-more-regional-digital-content/1000401200/
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http://www.mediacastermagazine.com/news/cbc-commits-to-extensive-online-digital-and-ota-pan-am-coverage/1001683982/
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http://broadcastermagazine.com/news/cbc-astonished-by-crtcs-elimination-of-lpif/1001552644/
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http://broadcastermagazine.com/news/crtc-to-hold-public-hearings-to-renew-cbc-licences/1001672213/
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http://www.mediacastermagazine.com/news/cbc-licence-renewals-postponed-indefinitely-as-criticism-consultation-grows/1000873725/
CBC’s 75th Anniversary Perspectives (Feature Report): Corporate Strategy Sees Big Goals in Small Bytes
http://broadcastermagazine.com/issues/de.aspx?id=6318