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22 November 2005
CBC moves to outsource archive sales
Canadian
Media Guild | TNG Canada
Local 30213
The Canadian Media Guild has learned that
CBC management is negotiating to outource national archive
sales to a business unit of the BBC. The work is currently
done by CBC employees in Toronto.
Archival material provides a source of revenue for the CBC,
but it is also a cultural asset that belongs to Canadians.
The CBC has always had flexibility in using this material.
Besides selling it outright, it has been able to trade it
with outside producers in exchange for broadcast rights of
their final production. As well, CBC has provided a break
in rates to help budding Canadian filmmakers.
It’s not clear such flexibility – and support
for Canadian cultural production – would continue if
an outside company took over the job.
Unfortunately, CBC management has not yet informed the
Guild of its plans. In fact, during the lockout, management
said it had no plans to outsource. The Guild has asked
the CBC to provide full details on its plans for national
archive sales as soon as possible.
(This story first appeared on the Canadian
Media Guild web site.)
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