I'm not familiar with that report. Professor Murray might be.
Evidence of meeting #42 for Canadian Heritage in the 39th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was television.
Evidence of meeting #42 for Canadian Heritage in the 39th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was television.
5:20 p.m.
Vancouver Community Television Association
I'm not familiar with that report. Professor Murray might be.
5:20 p.m.
Associate Professor, School of Communication, Simon Fraser University
It's a step in the right direction, but I think they're measuring the wrong things. One of the most fundamental measures is performance in delivering a share of viewing of Canadian programs, in particular a share of viewing of original programs. One of the paradoxes of our very carefully created broadcasting system is that we have no system to follow original production or how much new creativity is being inserted into the broadcasting system. We need the equivalent of a digital watermark on intellectual property to understand exactly how viable and sustainable the system is.
I think the CBC should be reporting more effectively its share of viewing of Canadian programs rather than the commercial share overall. Secondly, it should be reporting something that's very important, and that's reach, reach to all citizens. Finally, I believe it will be needing to be brought into alignment internationally under the new UNESCO convention for cultural diversity. There will be some diversity indicators that it will be compelled to answer.
On the finance side, I will always defer to the honourable Ms. Fraser. But in terms of the causal costs associated with the CBC's many ventures, particularly ventures within which it is involved as an equity partner with a private entity, there is not nearly enough financial transparency.
Thank you.
5:20 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Gary Schellenberger
Thank you.
That brings this session to a close. I must thank everyone who did come out to our hearings here in Vancouver. I found it to be very educational, and I'm quite sure our people who will help to bring this report together found your answers intriguing. Again, thank you for attending and making our trip here worth while.
The meeting is adjourned.