The interview with the president of Radio-Canada/CBC, Catherine Tait, on February 7 in The Globe and Mail raised a lot of people’s eyebrows. For what ? Because she presents her vision of a public broadcaster that is moving forward, at full speed, towards a total multiplatform shift. She even speaks of a 100% shift of content to the Internet within 10 years.
It seems interesting here to put this interview in perspective. Mme Tait will end his term as head of Radio-Canada/CBC in a few weeks. In this context, his interview at the Globe and Mail is more wishful thinking, as she will not be in charge of the public broadcaster for the next five to ten years.
Furthermore, it would be irresponsible to let down a large part of the population that is still listening to Radio-Canada through FM radio, televisions with rabbit ears, non-smart TVs, not to mention television subscribers basic cable or even premium cable television (which gives access to RDI, for example). Nearly 65% of Quebecers still subscribe to cable television (according to the Academy of Digital Transformation at Université Laval), even though 68% of citizens here also have other subscriptions to digital platforms.
Furthermore, in this laudable reform of Radio-Canada/CBC, we cannot afford to forget people of varying ages who do not have a good command of their smart phones, tablets or even their state-of-the-art televisions. It’s a reality. Many citizens do not know how to listen The Telejournal by Patrice Roy through Facebook Live. They’re not on TikTok, let alone Snapchat and Twitch. There is also a movement of young Quebecers who are increasingly leaving social networks in order to preserve their mental health.
Another reality: Radio-Canada and CBC have already succeeded in their digital and multiplatform shift. They have set up great projects, such as RAD, Tou.tv, Gem, MàJ, various newsletters, a TikTok account, a data journalism team, solid digital teams that deliver reports on various platforms in various formats. Yes, we can go further in the long term, but in the medium and short term, Catherine Tait’s plan could leave many Canadians on the sidelines. Right now, French speakers across the country spend about 2.17 hours a day in front of a TV, according to the Canada Media Fund, compared to 1.11 hours online.
The exclusive broadcasting of Radio-Canada/CBC on the Internet thus poses a problem. It takes a plan B and a plan C. Redundancy, as we say in the jargon. Here we come back to basics: keep the FM waves, the AM waves, the short waves also in the event of a major breakdown, but also ensure a public service for those who will not make the digital shift at the same pace as Radio-Canada/CBC .
Serving all Canadians
In its mandate, it is stipulated that the public broadcaster must serve all Canadians. In their car there will still be FM and AM players in a few years. It is not true that all cars will have digital radio, for example.
Another challenge: free. Canadians already pay for Radio-Canada/CBC through their taxes. We are talking about annual federal funding of nearly $1.4 billion. I do not question this amount, given the crucial role that Radio-Canada/CBC plays in the country, as a social driving force and unifier. But we can’t make Canadians pay twice. It is abnormal to pay by the piece for RDI on cable, when we are already paying for this continuous news channel through our taxes.
It will also be difficult to continue to justify the cost of subscribing to Tou.tv Extra, since Canadians are already paying for it indirectly. Barely 13% of Canadians aged 16 to 64 subscribe to Tou.tv’s Extra, compared to 57% for Netflix in Canada and 30% for Disney+. It makes you think.
M’s Total Internet Shiftme Tait is therefore illusory insofar as the CRTC, which regulates broadcasting in the country, and soon digital platforms with a more robust role through Bill C-11, will force Radio-Canada/CBC to remain accessible to everyone for free across the country, regardless of the technology used. And to respect the regional and information content quotas.
All in all, we must not forget those who are put off by technology. And there are still quite a few of them. Finally, there are limits to paid subscriptions that can be cashed in by Canadian citizens. The current high inflation and a possible recession in 2023 will hurt Canadian media revenues. This will have to be taken into account in the long term for the strategy of Radio-Canada/CBC.