CRTC, Heritage and CBC must do more to promote linguistic diversity: OCOL

The CRTC, Canadian Heritage and the CBC are not doing enough to ensure that minority Francophone and Anglophone communities are benefiting from original home-grown programming, according to the Commissioner of Official Languages (OCOL). Appearing before the CRTC Friday, Graham Fraser said as a first step, the CRTC should have DTH providers carry all local CBC stations and introduce financial incentives for new media content. Fraser's comments before the minority French and English language hearing follows a report released by the OCOL this month which recommends that the various institutions involved in television production must "redouble their efforts to ensure that the production and broadcasting of original Canadian television programs fully contribute to the development of Anglophone and Francophone minority communities." Entitled Shadows over the Canadian Television Landscape, the 64-page report warns that the federal government may not be able to meet its obligations and commitments under Part VII of the Official Languages Act if it allows the Canadian broadcasting system to broadcast programs that do not adequately reflect Francophone culture. For example, the OCOL is calling for a new policy that differentiates between regional programming produced in French and regional programs in English to better represent Francophone and Anglophone communities on Canadian television. Fraser told the hearing that the CRTC policy on production of programs in official language communities is problematic because it has a narrow definition of "reflection" of regions on television. He said the term regional-which he describes as "fundamentally ambitious"- is used by the CRTC to describe French-language programs produced more than 150 km from Montreal and English-language programs produced more than 150 km from Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver. This is contradictory, said Fraser, because while films produced in French in Quebec qualify to be called regional, the same does not apply to English-language programs produced in Montreal. As a result, English-language programs are denied priority programming status as established by the CRTC. In response, Fraser said the CRTC should come up with a new policy that differentiates between regional programs in the majority official language and those regional programs produced in the minority French language. He also called for the establishment of minimal commitments for regional programming in broadcast license conditions. In addition, Fraser said the CRTC should require DTH providers to carry all local CBC stations in all parts of Canada, and for both the CBC and federal government to strengthen the CBC's capacity to produce regional programming in official language communities. Another recommendation called for increased support for new media. "The CRTC should also look more thoroughly at new technologies, in order to encourage the development of Canadian cultural content that reflects Canada's linguistic duality. As a first step, the CRTC could propose new financial support measures for creators of content for new media-such as the Internet and mobile devices-similar to the measures that already exist for radio and television," Fraser told the CRTC panel. But while stressing the importance of new media, Fraser warned that the fast evolving nature of new media poses challenges for regulation, adding that the shift to digital platforms should not compromise the quality and quantity offered in minority French and English language settings. A related recommendation in the OCOL report calls on the CRTC to also establish incentives for the production of Canadian live-action and animation programs in French for children and youth, saying there has been a decline in the production of original children's programming in French for several years. Fraser questions CTV numbers The OCOL is also concerned about derailed negotiations between CTVglobemedia and CBC to make CTV's 2010 Winter Olympics coverage available to CBC's francophone audience. Fraser said the CRTC should make "necessary exceptions" if any regulatory obstacles stand in the way. On the first two days of the hearing, CRTC Chair Konrad von Finckenstein repeatedly asked the CBC and CTV to put aside differences and find a way to jointly air the games to all Canadians. The networks have failed to come to an agreement and say negotiations are no longer continuing. Asked by von Finckenstein on what he makes of the CBC and CTV disagreement, Fraser could only say that he would caution the commission to be wary of numbers on French-Canadians who won't be able to access coverage of the games, stressing that the CTV and its partners will give minimal numbers-about 10,000. "I have heard 10,000, 20,000, and 40,000. I would caution you and ask you to verify these numbers with tweezers," he said, adding that he also doesn't think it's too late for the CBC and CTV to strike a deal since the games are more than a year away. Commissioners at the three-day hearing have repeatedly expressed concern that French-speaking communities will not be able to access coverage of the Winter Olympics because of CTV's limited coverage. But the CTV-Rogers Communications consortium that won the bid to broadcast the games has said if there are shortfalls in access, it will be compensated for through the Internet and by TQS and RDS, two Quebec-based French language broadcasters that are partnering with CTV to air the games. "Of course, it remains to be seen whether this solution will allow for sufficient access to coverage of the games in French," said Fraser. The consortium says 66% of Francophones have access to the Internet but the CRTC says this does not necessarily mean that this is high-speed Internet that would enable live-streaming of the games. Below are all 11 recommendations included in the OCOL report: Recommendation 1 That the Department of Canadian Heritage, working with professional associations and federal departments and agencies that are responsible for television production, strengthen their coordinated strategy in order to better support the production and broadcasting of television products from official language minority communities and overcome the barriers that have been identified. Recommendation 2 That the CRTC: a) develop a specific policy which will: clarify the concept of regional reflection; distinguish between the production of regional programs in the majority official language and the production of regional programs in the minority official language; b) encourage all Canadian broadcasting services to make commitments regarding the development and acquisition of French-language programs produced outside Quebec and English-language programs produced in Quebec, including a certain percentage produced outside of Montréal. Recommendation 3 That the CRTC formulate a policy in order to define the minimum commitments to be made by major media conglomerates (those authorized to operate in several provinces with a potential reach of more than 70% of the audience in their language of operation) in order to reflect the reality of official language minority communities and meet their needs. These commitments should be included in licence conditions. Recommendation 4 That, at the time of licence renewal, the CRTC monitor licensees more rigorously when they have commitments or licence conditions with respect to developing and acquiring programs produced in the minority official language. Recommendation 5 That CBC/ Radio-Canada provide a more detailed report to the CRTC on its expenditures for official language programming in a minority context. Recommendation 6 That Canadian Heritage ensure there are members who understand the unique issues of production in a minority context on the Canadian Television Fund's board of directors. Recommendation 7 That the CRTC establish incentives for the production of Canadian live-action and animation programs in French for children and youth. Recommendation 8 That Canadian Heritage review its policy of international co-production with a view to promoting original French-language production, particularly in animation. Recommendation 9

CRTC, Heritage and CBC must do more to promote linguistic diversity: OCOL

News | 01/19/2009 8:46 pm EST

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