CBC Veterans Dominate Panel Advising Heritage Minister on Future of CBC
Seven individuals have been selected to advise Heritage Minister Pascale St-Onge in her examination of the CBC/Radio-Canada’s role. Despite their diverse current positions, most of them have backgrounds at the CBC.
The seven-member panel of media experts, with four having CBC experience, will regularly meet with Ms. St-Onge to address funding, governance, and mandate issues related to Canada’s public broadcaster, as stated in a May 13 release from the ministry.
Ms. St-Onge mentioned in the release, “This diverse advisory committee will assist me in modernizing CBC/Radio-Canada by promoting our culture, stories, languages, artists, and creators, while adapting to the evolving broadcast and digital landscape.”
David Skok, former Toronto Star associate editor now CEO of The Logic, expressed concerns about joining the panel, highlighting his commitment to impartiality and editorial independence. However, he agreed to join after assurances from Ms. St-Onge that the panel would be non-partisan.
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Top among the CBC veterans on the panel is Jennifer McGuire, currently the managing director at Pink Triangle Press, specializing in LGBT matters. McGuire, a former CBC News editor-in-chief and longest-serving in that role, brings extensive experience to the advisory role.
Another panel member, Loc Dao, the current executive director of DigiBC, also co-founded CBC Radio 3 Studio and held the position of chief digital officer at the National Film Board of Canada. He joins the panel with Marie-Philippe Bouchard, serving as CEO of TV5 Québec Canada after a lengthy career at CBC and Radio-Canada.
Panel member Jesse Wente, chair of the Canada Council for the Arts, brings almost 27 years of experience at the CBC, including broadcasting on film and pop culture for CBC Radio One’s Metro Morning.
Catalina Briceno, a professor at the Université du Québec à Montréal, will provide expertise on digital media transition, despite no prior CBC roles. Similarly, Mike Ananny, an associate professor at the University of Southern California Annenberg, will also contribute to the panel.
CBC President Catherine Tait is aiming to establish a long-term financial plan as the broadcaster faces challenges from foreign tech giants and decreasing ad revenue. She anticipates productive discussions with the panel regarding these issues.
Despite layoffs and position eliminations, CBC projects a $20 million deficit for the 2024-25 fiscal year. Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre has vowed to defund the CBC if elected, criticizing its use of taxpayer money for biased programming.
The Canadian Press contributed to this report.
