Broadcasting Commission Letter addressed to Kirshenblatt (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

Ottawa, 10 November 2020

BY EMAIL

bev.kirshenblatt@cbc.ca

Re: Applications # 2019-0280-0, 2019-0279-2, 2019-0282-5 and 2019-0281-7: Request for additional information

Dear Ms Kirshenblatt,

In addition to the information currently available on the record of these proceedings, please provide the following information by no later than 1 December 2020.  This information will be placed on the public record of these proceedings. Appearing interveners will have the opportunity to comment on this information as part of the oral phase of the public hearing which is set to commence on 11 January 2021. All interveners to this proceeding will have an opportunity to comment in writing following the oral phase of the hearing. CBC/SRC will be permitted to reply to interveners either during the oral hearing phase or following the oral hearing phase as a part of its final reply.

1. Question - Audio-visual programming

In the context of Broadcasting Information Bulletin 2019-304, the Commission has considered that key leadership positions in the production of a program include producers, directors, writers, lead performers, cinematographers, editors and showrunners^Footnote1.  As outlined in your Diversity and Inclusion strategy, CBC/SRC’s vision is that a workplace culture that values different perspectives will position the CBC/SRC to keep creating a wide range of content that informs, enlightens and entertains our nation’s diverse population.

In Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC 2019-379, which announced the current proceeding, the Commission indicated that “by virtue of its activities and important contributions to meeting the broader objectives of the Act, the Corporation should produce, commission and make available audio and audio-visual content on multiple platforms that meets the needs of and reflects the diverse Canadian population”. That diversity includes, among elements, women, Indigenous peoples, ethnic and multicultural communities (also referred to as “visible minorities”), Canadians with disabilities and Canadians who identify as LGBTQ2.

In order to enhance the record of these proceedings and in order to better understand how the production of CBC/SRC’s programming actively engages with these aforementioned groups;

• Please complete the tables for your in-house produced programming (see attached document).  The information in these tables should cover the entirety of the programming broadcast by the CBC/SRC in the 2019-2020 broadcast year.
• If you are unable to provide the information requested, provide a detailed explanation as to why.
• If this data is not collected or tracked by the CBC/SRC, please explain, in light of and despite your stated goals in your Diversity and Inclusion strategy, why this data is not collected or tracked.  Please also explain how, in the absence of this data, you believe that you will be able to meet your goals with respect to diversity and inclusion, particularly with respect to the programming you broadcast.

For these audio-visual programming tables, please provide one for the aggregate of CBC services and one for the aggregate of SRC services. You should only count a program once, regardless of whether it was broadcast on multiple platforms or if it was repeated. A series should be counted as one program.  Programming broadcast on CBC services will be understood as including programming broadcast on CBC conventional television stations, English-language discretionary services and CBC Gem. Programming broadcast on SRC services will be understood as including all programming broadcast on SRC conventional stations, French-language discretionary services and ICI Tou.TV.

The Commission requires that CBC/SRC submit its response electronically using the secured service “My CRTC Account” (Partner Log In or GCKey) and fill in the “Broadcasting and Telecom Cover page” located on this web page. On this web page, CBC/SRC will also find a link to information on the submission of applications and other documents to the Commission “Submitting applications and other documents to the CRTC using My CRTC Account.” 
A copy of this letter and all related correspondence will be added to the public record of the proceeding.

Sincerely,

Original signed by

Claude Doucet
Secretary General

Attachment

Date modified:

2020-11-10