Commentary: War of words erupts between CTV and CBC over sharing Olympic coverage

One might think that the country's two largest broadcasters could set aside their differences to ensure that all Canadians can watch the 2010 Winter Olympics on their televisions. But an exchange of letters between CTVglobemedia and the CBC reveals just how far apart the two competitors actually are. An alliance between CTVglobemedia and Rogers Communications wrestled the broadcasting rights for both the Winter Games in Vancouver and the 2012 Summer Games from CBC, which had held the rights since 1996. But CTV only reaches 95% of Canadians and both CRTC chair Konrad von Finckenstein and the Commissioner for Official Languages have said this is insufficient. They are urging CTV to negotiate with CBC to reach the remaining 5% of Canadians, particularly francophone viewers. The CBC has so far refused to let CTV use its facilities. The dispute was first revealed publicly at last week's CRTC hearing on access of broadcast services to minority French and English language communities. While the hearing revealed general details about the disagreement, it also provided a chance to view the inner details-courtesy of letters between both networks' top management-about events behind the dispute. Sometimes courteous and other times sarcastic, with claims and counter claims, the letters paint a picture of the rivalry and differences behind the collapse of partnering negotiations. The first letter, dated May 9, 2008, from CTVglobemedia president and CEO Ivan Fecan to CBC president and CEO Hubert Lacroix, asks the public broadcaster to reconsider an earlier request to carry CTV's over-the-air broadcast of the Winter Olympics on CBC's transmitters outside Quebec and the National Capital Region. "We made a similar request early in 2005, before you became President and CEO, which was declined," Fecan wrote. Fecan admits that the CTV-led consortium will reach only 95% of the population in both official languages, leaving out 9,273 Francophone households outside Quebec and the Ottawa-Gatineau area who rely on OTA broadcasts. Furthermore, he asks CBC to air the games on their opening day, Feb. 12, from 4 PM to midnight, and on Feb. 13 from 8 AM-3 PM and 4PM-9PM. Fecan adds that the public broadcaster will be remunerated at "a rate that compensates Radio-Canada for the value of displaced commercial inventory outside of Quebec and the National Capital Region." He goes on to remind CBC-Radio-Canada that "this is about doing the right thing for Canada." In a May 26, 2008 reply, Lacroix says the request is similar to the earlier one rejected by the public broadcaster. "As a former executive who spent 15 years with CBC Television, we are sure that you understand why your suggestion that you "rent" the airwaves of the national public broadcaster in order to replace its signal with your own, is unacceptable." Unlike the CTVglobemedia letter, the CBC's letter was only made public after von Finckenstein ordered the public broadcaster to do so. Lacroix also criticized CTVglobemedia's inability to reach all Canadians. "Frankly, we are surprised to read that, as a Canadian broadcasting company, you would consider that a 95% coverage commitment, even if it met International Olympic Committee (IOC) requirements, would be good enough for Canadians." In what could be interpreted as a sign that the public broadcaster is still smarting from losing the bid to air the games, he reminds Fecan that CTVglobemedia won the exclusive rights to air the games "and we accepted the IOC decision." "I would thus not be so presumptuous to tell you how your network should fulfill its responsibilities. I would assume that you have the financial resources to do what is necessary to ensure that Canadians from coast to coast receive the appropriate level of service." Lacroix's letter also refers to a conversation he had with Fecan on May 9, in which the latter hinted that the federal government would "force" CBC to carry the consortium's signal (through the Quebec-based broadcaster, RDS), and that CTV could solve this " problem." Lacroix went on to say that CTV executives were lobbying hard to have the federal government force the public broadcaster to carry the signal. "However, I do not share your view. I am of the strong opinion that the federal government has too much respect for the Broadcasting Act and the programming independence of the national public broadcaster enshrined in the Act to force us to carry the RDS feed." However, Lacroix suggests CBC will consider negotiations when CTVglobemedia has a "serious" proposal. On May 27, Fecan fires back a response (which was made public at the hearing), in which he reminded Lacroix that when CTVglobemedia told the IOC that it can cover 95% of viewers in French and English, the document was circulated for comment to all bidders, including the CBC. "I am not aware of the CBC/SRC making any representations to the IOC to raise the level of francophone over-the-air coverage, he wrote. Fecan added that if total OTA coverage is a political imperative, then the onus is on the CBC because it is the only network with the infrastructure to reach all corners of Canada. He ends the war of words by saying if the CBC wishes to carry the consortium's francophone's radio rights, it could have them for no charge if the IOC approves the move.

Commentary: War of words erupts between CTV and CBC over sharing Olympic coverage

News | 01/20/2009 10:01 pm EST

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