Survey highlights
Complementary mandates for public and private broadcasters is in the public interest
- 78% of Quebecers believe it is in the public interest for public and private networks to complement rather than compete with each other in the content that they offer.
- 81% of Quebecers believe the government should ensure that public broadcasters have clear and specific mandates that are distinct from those of private broadcasters.
- Over 50% of Quebecers believe that the public networks operated by CBC/Radio-Canada should broadcast more content than the private networks do in certain genres, such as documentaries, investigative journalism, local and international news, and
Quebec and Canadian productions.
No acceptance of paid service
- 93% of Quebecers agree that CBC/Radio-Canada should be totally transparent with regard to the financial management of its activities and its use of public funds.
- 67% of Quebecers believe CBC/Radio-Canada's mandate should include a requirement that it not directly undermine the management and financial profitability of private networks.
- 74% of Quebecers consider it unacceptable that Radio-Canada, as a public, government-funded television network, offers content available exclusively to paying subscribers to its Tou.tv Extra service.
In the past, Quebecers and Canadians as a whole have chosen to use taxpayers' money to fund a public broadcaster with a public service mandate and culture. It was meant to "contribute to the sharing of national consciousness and identity." Over the years, however, CBC/Radio-Canada has wandered far from its original raison d'être and has increasingly come to resemble the private broadcasters, which is what the survey results reflect.
Quebecor believes that CBC/Radio Canada's mandate must be clarified and refocused to make it complementary to that of the private broadcasters. Quebecor also believes that CBC/Radio-Canada must put an end to unfair, anticompetitive practices such as dumping advertising and overbidding for content, as well as to Tandem, its new branded-content marketing service.
Quotes
"The new bill to update the Broadcasting Act addresses the need to ensure regulatory equity between foreign digital enterprises and local traditional broadcasters, which are important vehicles of culture and identity," says
"It is important that public and private broadcasters each make a distinct and complementary contribution in order to be able to continue innovating and appealing to
See the full survey results
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