PRESS RELEASE

CBC/Radio-Canada welcomes landmark CRTC licensing decision

27th June 2022
CBC Radio-Canada Broadcast Centre, Vancouver. Image: Glotman Simpson/Creative Commons
CBC/Radio-Canada welcomed today’s announcement by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) regarding its new five-year licences, which will come into effect on September 1, 2022.

“We’re pleased that the CRTC has, for the first time ever, recognized the significant contribution of our digital streaming services, CBC Gem and ICI TOU.TV, and CBC Listen and Radio-Canada OHdio, to the Canadian content ecosystem. CBC/Radio-Canada’s services as a multiplatform digital and linear media company will now be reflected in our regulatory obligations.

“We’re equally heartened that the Commission’s decision recognizes diversity and representation of contemporary Canada in our content as critical to the future of the national public broadcaster.”

Catherine Tait, President and CEO, CBC/Radio-Canada

Catherine Tait
Catherine Tait, President & CEO, CBC/Radio-Canada, Global Task Force Chair

Under the new conditions of licence, CBC/Radio-Canada will be permitted to include some program expenditures on certain digital services toward its regulatory requirements. This includes its video streaming services, CBC Gem and ICI TOU.TV. The Corporation’s largely text-based websites, CBC.ca and Radio-Canada.ca, are not included.

Until this decision, the CRTC had only allowed Canadian broadcasters to include their linear TV and radio services to meet the conditions of their broadcast licences for the purposes of their Canadian content obligations.

The CRTC has also introduced a new approach to supporting producers from equity-deserving groups. A certain percentage of CBC/Radio-Canada’s spending on independent production will be dedicated to Indigenous producers and, separately, to producers located in Official Language Minority Communities (OLMCs). Additionally, there is an overall spending requirement related to independent producers and production companies from the following groups: Indigenous Peoples, OLMCs, racialized people, LGBTQ2+, and Persons with Disabilities. Regular consultations with equity-deserving groups across Canada and with producers from those groups are also part of this new approach.

Read more: PMA welcomes CBC/Radio-Canada’s sustainability strategy

The CRTC launched CBC/Radio-Canada’s licence renewal application on November 25, 2019. The public broadcaster’s licence renewal applications included its 88 over-the-air radio stations, 27 over-the-air television stations and 5 discretionary services.

The CRTC’s renewal process included public hearings, which were held in early 2021 and included the participation of more than 70 organizations and individuals from coast to coast to coast; and the participation of thousands of Canadians through written submissions and consultations on Facebook.

About CBC/Radio-Canada

CBC/Radio-Canada is Canada’s national public broadcaster. Through our mandate to inform, enlighten and entertain, we play a central role in strengthening Canadian culture. As Canada’s trusted news source, we offer a uniquely Canadian perspective on news, current affairs and world affairs. Our distinctively homegrown entertainment programming draws audiences from across the country. Deeply rooted in communities, CBC/Radio-Canada offers diverse content in English, French and eight Indigenous languages. We also deliver content in Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Punjabi and Tagalog, as well as both official languages, through Radio Canada International (RCI). We are leading the transformation to meet the needs of Canadians in a digital world.

This article was originally published on CBC/Radio-Canada and is republished with permission.