|
Public Notice
|
|
Ottawa, 2 September 1988
|
|
Public Notice CRTC 1988-143
|
|
COMMENTS ON THE REPORT AND ACTION PLAN SUBMITTED BY THE CANADIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION REGARDING THE TELEVISION PROGRAMMING NEEDS OF FRANCOPHONES OUTSIDE QUEBEC
|
Related document: Decision CRTC 87-140 dated 23 February 1987.
|
In its decision dated 23 February 1987 (Decision CRTC 87-140) renewing the CBC's television network licences, the Commission listed certain expectations that the CBC was to fulfill during the next licence term, as funds became available.
|
|
One of the expectations dealt with the programming needs of Francophones outside Quebec. In this regard, the Commission's decision stipulated that:
|
|
the CBC undertake a study into the programming needs of Francophones outside Quebec and submit a report and action plan to the Commission within one year of the date of this decision.
|
|
The Commision made this request following interventions presented by francophone individuals, groups and organizations during the Commission's public hearing which was held in October 1986. Since 1979, various groups have expressed their concerns regarding the allocation of resources to the French-language television service of the CBC and have demanded, among other things, higher production budgets, better production facilities and service that is less oriented toward the province of Quebec.
|
|
On 6 July 1988, the CBC submitted a report and action plan on the subject of the television programming requirements of Francophones outside Quebec.
|
|
In this report/action plan, the CBC described existing services available to Francophones outside Quebec, possible changes for 1988/89 and proposed a five-year plan for programming and the extension of French-language television outside the province of Quebec that would begin in 1989/90 if additional funds become available.
|
|
With regard to existing services, the CBC pointed out that:
|
|
°French-language television is accessible to almost all Francophones in the country whose mother tongue is French (99.1%);
|
|
°the CBC has French-language stations in eight major regions outside the province of Quebec, namely at Moncton, Ottawa, Toronto, Windsor, Winnipeg, Regina, Edmonton and Vancouver;
|
|
°each of these regional stations broadcasts a half-hour information magazine program at 6:00 p.m., five days a week; in Ottawa and Moncton, the duration of the program is one hour; and, except in Vancouver, all the regional stations produce a 30-minute weekly current events magazine program during the fall/winter season;
|
|
°Moncton, Toronto, Winnipeg and Edmonton occasionally produce socio-cultural magazine shows; and each of the stations contributes to the series "Génies en herbe";
|
|
°most of the regional stations produce a few programs relating to special events;
|
|
°the regional stations contributed 55 hours of programming to the national network in 1987/88. The CBC pointed out that productions made by national crews in the regions should be also taken into account.
|
|
With regard to the changes for 1988/89, the CBC said that it will be re-allocating $300,000 to launch the following projects:
|
|
°beginning in September 1988, Winnipeg, Regina, Edmonton and Vancouver will offer their audiences a weekly news summary of current events;
|
|
°the Vancouver station will produce a weekly current affairs analysis program;
|
|
°a television serial portraying the life of Francophones living outside the province of Quebec is being developed for broadcast in 1990/91;
|
|
°in the fall of 1988, the Toronto and Regina regional stations will begin producing short programs (between 30 seconds and 4 minutes) on a variety of subjects such as news briefs, weather, local sports, items of interests to tourists and public service announcements.
|
|
In addition to the new programming proposed for 1988/89, the CBC has committed to pursue most of its present programming activities [TRANSLATION] "that ensure that the regions are reflected on the airwaves".
|
|
The CBC's action plan covers a five-year period beginning in 1989/90. All of the activities that are contained in the plan will require additional funds amounting to $80.6 million: $63.8 million for programming costs and $16.8 million for the extension of service.
|
|
The five-year plan is divided into two main parts extension and programming, with each containing a number of activities, some of which have been identified as priorities.
|
|
The projects considered as extension priorities are related to the implementation of the final stages of the Accelerated Coverage Plan for areas outside Quebec. These form part of the CBC's number one objective.
|
|
Those projects identified as priorities in the area of programming are:
|
|
- the production of regional programs of short duration (maximum of 4 minutes);
|
|
- the production of programs for youth (children) commencing at 7:30 a.m. on the network;
|
|
- the production of a drama serial depicting life outside Quebec;
|
|
- the production and broadcasting at each local station of a weekly 30-minute program intended for young people;
|
|
- the completion of the network of regional correspondents;
|
|
- network entertainment and service programs to be taken on the road: for example, producing "Les Démons du midi" in the regions;
|
|
- the completion of the network of national correspondents in the regions;
|
|
- the establishment of a network news production crew in each of the stations for national productions;
|
|
- assurance of a better regional presence in entertainment programs: tours, competitions, specials;
|
|
- the establishment of a television station at Sudbury, Ontario.
|
|
Should further information on the report/action plan be required, copies are available from CRTC regional offices and from CBC regional stations.
|
|
Call for Comments
|
|
The Commission invites all interested parties to submit comments on the CBC's report/action plan.
|
|
Comments should be submitted to the Commission by 30 September 1988 at the following address: Secretary General, CRTC, Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0N2.
|
|
The Commission will send a copy of the comments it receives to the CBC with a request for a response.
|
|
Fernand Bélisle Secretary General
|
|
|