SenateStandingCommitteeonTransport andCommunications Local ServicesprovidedbyCBC Questions: 1. Evolutionof local programmingover timeintheWest. 2. Stateof thingsnowcomparedtowhenI workedthere. 3. RelationshipbetweenTorontoheadquartersandStationsintheWest. Answers: 1. Thelocal programminginitiativewasestablishedin2006under CBCVPRadio, JaneChalmers. Sheidentifiedanumber of marketsinthewest andOntariofor expansionandimprovedservice. EasternCanadahadalreadyestablishedsmaller market stationsfor manyyearsandwaswell served. Thelocal programminginitiativeresultedinCBCservicesexpandinginKelowna, Victoria,andKamloops.

Marketsidentifiedfor expansioninlater yearsincludedCranbrook, Lethbridge,Saskatoon, London, andKitchener Waterloo. Hamiltonexpandedwithadigital content onlyservice. Inall themarketswherenewsmaller market stationswereestablished, theybecamethenumber onestationinthemarket inthemorningdrive. Today, theprogramsstill arenumber oneinthemarket. TheHamiltononlineprogramminghasestablisheda‘oneof akind’ strongdigitalfoothold. 2. Theimperativesremainthesame: howcanCanadianshaveaccesstothecontent CBCproducesandhowcanCBCcreateit withcurrent resources.

Thegoalshavealwaysbeenaboutrelevanceanddistributionfromthecreationof theCBC. Accessisnolonger aboutbroadcasting, it isabout everythingbeingonline. Theredirectionof resourcestoonlinebasedonefficienciesandfinancial reductionsall haveimpactedlocal/ networkbroadcast/onlinecapacities. 3. RelationshipbetweenTorontoandWesternstationshasbeenanongoingdevelopment inprogressaslongasI haveworkedfor theCBCunder variousmanagment structures. At themoment therearefivesenior managingdirectorsoverseeingoperationsacrossCanada.

Theirareasof responsibilityaregeographicallybased; BCandAlberta, theNorth,Saskatchewan/Manitoba, Ontario, andQuebec(EnglishServices) andAtlanticCanada. All areat thesamesenior management level andparticipateequallywiththenetworkseniormanagement team. For myentirecareer therehasalwaysbeenabalancingact betweennetworkprioritiesandlocal (regional) prioritiesregardingoperations/resources.Thisrelationshipbalanceisstrongest withinJournalismcontent. Thenonnewscontent ismorenationallyfocused. Mysenseisthat thereisacontinuedeffort toworkefficientlywithaclearcommonpurposebetweenWesternStationsandToronto.

Overviewof theCBCWest SenateCommunicationsCommittee 1. MissionandHistoryof CBC Sinceitsinception, theCBChasbeendedicatedtodeliveringCanadiancontent that informs,enlightens, andentertainsitsdiverseaudiences. The coremissionhasremainedconsistent: toreachasmanyCanadiansaspossiblewithengagingandauthenticcontent. Thisfocusisevident ineverystrategicmoveCBChasmade, fromexpandingtransmitter reachtotransitioningtoFMradioand, most recently, adaptingtomoderndigital platformssuchasstreamingservices, YouTube, Instagram, newsletters, andtext messaging.

Thesechangesreflect anongoingcommitment toenhancingaccessibilityandrelevancewhilemaintainingtheintegrityof Canadianstoriesandperspectives.TheCBC'shistoryalsodemonstratesacommitment tolocal content andcommunityengagement. Therecent announcement of increasedlocal newscoverageillustratesthispriority, emphasizingCBC'sdedicationtoservingandrepresentingCanadiancommunities. Byofferinglocallyfocusedcontent, CBCremainsconnectedwithitsaudiencesinmeaningful andimpactful ways.2. Local expansioninWesternCanada ThishasbeenanunmitigatedsuccessinSaskatoon, Kelowna, KamloopsandVictoria. Peoplelivinginthoseareasareseenandheard.

Thestationsandthepeoplewhoworktherearepartof thecommunity. Bothemployeesandstationpresencearewovenintothefabricof theircommunities. CBC’s effortshavealwaysprioritizedlocal relevanceandtherepresentationofdiverseCanadiancommunities. Itsexpansionof local content distributionthroughmultipleplatformsunderscoresacommitment toreachaudienceswheretheyare, makingour storiesaccessibleandrelatable.Local stationscontributetobuildingrelationshipswithcommunitiesandelevatelocal voicesandstoriesawarenessacrossCanada.

Theyplayavital roleindrivingaudiencegrowth, furthercementingCBC’sstatusasaleader indeliveringcompellingandrelevant content.Duringthepast year, four westernstationshaveinitiatedlocal podcast content. Thepodcastsaretitledtoreflect their communitites: Thisis Vancouver, ThisisVancouver Island, ThisisCalgary, andThisisEdmonton. Thesepodcastsareanexampleof theeffort toexpandaccessfor audienceswhohavegravitatedtopodcastsfurther strengtheninglocal connectionandrelevancefor theconsumer. 3. AudioandCultural Content Oneaspect that oftengoesunnoticedistherolelocal stationsp-layregardingcultureandCRTCdeliverables.

All thelocal stationsmeet andexceedthe50%Canadianmusiccontentrequirements. Noother local stationsdothisinWesternCanada.Thiscommitment alignswithCBC’sbroader cultural mandate, asexemplifiedbypartnershipswitheventssuchastheJunoAwards, local musiceventsincludingfestivalsandconcerts 4. Recommendationsfor Consideration 1. ModernizeandchangetheCanadianBroadcast Act: TheAct must changetoincludetheonlineanddigital realitiesfor consumers, programmersandcommunities2. Digital Content Regulation: Evaluatetheinclusionof online, digitallydistributedcontentunder CRTCregulationstokeeppacewithevolvingaudiencehabits.3.

CRTCPolicyReview: Examinepoliciesrelatedtolocal Canadianentertainment andnewscontent toensuretheyremaineffectiveandrelevant inadigital-first era.4. HeritagePolicyCompliance: Ensurelocal andregional objectivesareprioritizedandadequatelyreflectedinCBC’scultural andentertainment programming.5. ArchiveManagement: ExplorestrategiestomanageandpreserveCBCarchives, whicharealivinghistoryof Canada’snewsandentertainment landscape.6. EnhancingLocal Cultural Content: Expandbeyondnewscoveragetoincludearicherandmorerelevant arrayof local cultural content, reflectingthediversefabricof Canadianlife.7.

Awareness: Researchhasshownthat manyCanadiansareunawareof what theCBCisandwhat content theyhave. Initiatenewwaysof lettingCanadiansknowwhat isoffered. HavocFranklinFormer DIrector of Content Development November 20, 2024