Eliminating digital ads would harm TV: CBC

Getting rid of digital advertising on CBC/Radio-Canada online platforms would undermine its television arm, the public broadcaster said Wednesday. It argued in a posting on its website that “going ad-free on only one platform is a half measure. It doesn’t provide any of the advantages of being completely ad-free, and it undermines those areas which still depend on commercial revenue.” CBC was responding to a report from the Public Policy Forum released in January, which recommended it eliminate digital ads, focus more on the “inform” plank of its mandate to “inform, enlighten and entertain,” and switch to publishing its news under a Creative Commons licence so that it can move towards being “a universal public provider of quality journalism,” as well as maximize its reach. In its response, CBC said that advertisers today “look to invest where they can reach audiences across multiple platforms. Cutting off advertising on digital platforms makes the remaining platform – television – less attractive, and less lucrative.” Instead, the government should increase its funding so that it can go ad-free, it suggested. It said that it’s already considered removing advertising only partially, but that would mean “CBC/Radio-Canada would still be a competitor with other media for advertising revenue on television. In fact, television revenue would become both more important, and more unstable as a revenue source.” It argued that closing off "only digital advertising not only fails to deliver benefits, it eliminates the one area which has the potential to sustain programs and services.” Regarding the suggestion that CBC focus more on informing, the post said that its current mandate “helps promote a shared view of who we are as a country. It promotes understanding, tolerance, identity, and an engaged citizenry; all of the things we value as Canadians. We do that by showcasing a wide range of Canadian drama, comedy, music and sport, as well as journalism and documentaries.” It added that mandate is “similar among public media worldwide. Stressing one piece of that mandate above the rest risks undermining Canada’s cultural goals and the very reason for public broadcasting.” Regarding the suggestion that the public broadcaster make its content available through a creative commons licence, it said that it is already available for free online and allowing others to reuse it through a licence wouldn’t serve Canadians. “CBC news is not a sample remix,” it said. “In an era of ‘fake news’, deliberate distortion, and business models that profit from outrage and manipulation, Canadians need to know that the information identified as coming from their public broadcaster meets their expectation of trust. CBC/Radio-Canada needs to be able to update or correct published stories if necessary. The public broadcaster must be able to protect the integrity of its journalism, and the reputation of its brand.”

Eliminating digital ads would harm TV: CBC

Brief | April 6, 2017

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