CONTENT AND SERVICES

OUTLOOK

Rapid changes in technology and consumer habits are challenging the entire Canadian broadcasting industry, and CBC/Radio-Canada has felt the impact with pressures mounting in both the English-language and French-language markets. These pressures are not showing any sign of receding and they are deeply changing the media industry: the dominance of national and foreign players; the rise of content and production costs; the multiplication of sophisticated distribution channels and strategies; the changes in the regulatory framework (e.g. CRTC’s Let’s Talk TV) and in the media consumption habits; as well as the persistent decline in the conventional television advertising market.

As we are ramping up into Strategy 2020, CBC/Radio-Canada is making forward-looking choices. The Government of Canada’s additional funding will provide the public broadcaster with the means to better face current and future challenges and pursue its own transformation to a new media environment.

This reinvestment in CBC/Radio-Canada is all about creating more content that Canadians want and ensuring it is easy to find, on platforms that are reliable, robust and intuitive.

In late April, the Minister of Canadian Heritage launched public consultations on “strengthening Canadian content creation, discovery and export in a digital world.” The first phase, completed in May, invited Canadians to share their views in an online pre-consultation questionnaire. The next phase will include the appointment of an Expert Advisory Group and the publication of a framework to guide the consultations through the summer and fall. This is an important initiative. CBC/Radio-Canada is looking forward to hearing what Canadians think about culture, and sharing its views about what role public broadcasting plays in ensuring Canada’s public space in the digital world.

Our priorities in 2016-2017 include:

• Digital and Multiplatform/Multiscreen – We’ll create more content for all of our platforms, including innovative stories and content for digital users. CBC will continue to develop its online player to make its programs more accessible. Radio-Canada will create new digital youth programming and more original webseries for ICI Tou.tv, as a way to reach new audiences, experiment with alternative formats and celebrate up-and-coming local talents.
• Signature Events – CBC and Radio-Canada will continue to collaborate to build multiplatform signature events that bring Canadians together, such as the 150th anniversary of Canada and the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.
• Canadian Drama – We’ll invest in high-profile Canadian programming. CBC/Radio-Canada will support new entertainment programming, including drama and programming in celebration of Canada’s 150th anniversary. In addition, CBC will launch a Canadian feature film initiative.
• News and Regions – To further the reach of its impact journalism across the country, Radio-Canada will accelerate the production of digital formats, targeting mobility in particular, also making more time for public affairs content on ICI RDI.  Similarly, CBC will deliver more projects on a multiplatform and multi-program basis, including in the fields of investigative and data journalism. CBC will also continue recent local service enhancements under the digital first strategy and expand to open a digital station in London, Ontario. To continue evolving their already distinctive international coverage, CBC and Radio-Canada will both support initiatives and invest in resources with the objective to shape a nimble yet powerful news organization.
• Radio and Audio – CBC and Radio-Canada will increase the number of original programming hours offered on their radio schedules. We’ll also build on the success of Radio-Canada’s Première PLUS with a mobile app and more digital original content. ICI Musique and CBC Music will enhance their digital and on-air music services to our audiences, with CBC Music in particular re-investing in live music recordings, focusing on contemporary Canadian artists.
• Engaging with Digital Audiences – In order to support the implementation of our multiplatform/multiscreen strategy, we’ll invest in employee skills and reliable technology to garner greater understanding of our audience's needs through deeper analytics and also to create the best user experience possible.
• Archives Digitization – CBC/Radio-Canada has an incredibly rich archive of the stories and experiences of Canadians, mostly on film and tape. We’ll digitize more of it so that Canadians can access it. One priority is our Indigenous language archive.
• Maintaining our Momentum – We will ensure the sustainability of the current operations and programming initiatives already planned in 2016-2017 that are key to our strategy.

We remain committed to transparency and accountability, and will continue reporting on our performance.