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30 January 2006
Guild initiating national discussion among
members on future of public broadcasting
Canadian
Media Guild | TNG Canada
Local 30213
The Canadian Media Guild is organizing
a national discussion among its members at the CBC to involve
them in developing a proposal for the future of public broadcasting.
In a communiqué to members, CMG National President
Lise Lareau, and CBC Branch President Arnold Amber (also
Director of TNG Canada/CWA), note that "The election
of a minority Conservative government in Canada suggests
that Ottawa’s approach to the CBC is up for change
in the same year the CBC goes before the CRTC to renew its
broadcast licences."
"Because of the events of the past year, there is a
keener recognition in Ottawa and elsewhere that CBC employees
are the public broadcaster. People have looked to the Guild
and its members for ideas, positions and informed opinion.
Many of you discussed the future of public broadcasting informally
during the lockout. We would like to formalize your ideas
into a position that policy makers cannot ignore," say
the union leaders.
During the election campaign, the Guild asked candidates
from all parties whether they supported an increase in
the CBC’s budget to allow, among other things, expansion
of local and regional programming.
The Conservative Party’s stand on the CBC was vague.
Its platform vowed simply to “ensure that CBC and
Radio Canada continue to perform their vital role as national
public service broadcasters.”
Bev Oda, the party’s culture critic
in the previous session of parliament and a top candidate
to become Heritage minister, put a resolution through last
fall calling for a task force to review the mandate, role
and services of the CBC-SRC. The day after the election,
she told CBC radio’s
Toronto morning show that “Canada needs a strong public
broadcaster and we should review its mandate to make sure
that it remains relevant to all Canadians in light of today’s
technology and the different ways that people are accessing
the news and information – and entertainment.”
Just before the election, prime minister-designate Stephen
Harper told CBC radio’s The
House that “we’re
going to have to look at the mandate (of English TV) and
figure out how to adapt that to a multi-channel universe.”
"While we don’t know the shape a CBC mandate
review will take, we expect it will be extensive and will
put the role of the public broadcaster at the centre of a
new national debate," Lareau and Amber say in the communiqué. "And
it’s likely to happen before the CRTC hearings on CBC’s
licences, scheduled for this fall."
Lareau and Amber propose that:
- Members participate in a national
online discussion toward development of an informed position
on the future of the CBC.
- A central working group develop
key questions and areas for discussion and ensure Guild
members everywhere have a chance to weigh in. CMG staff – or
someone seconded to work on this project – would
do the administrative leg-work.
- Members interested in developing
the process or taking part in discussions should send
a message to guild@interlog.com with "Future of CBC" in
the subject line.
(This article was adapted from the communiqué posted
on the Canadian
Media Guild web site.)
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