Your committee has already heard many voices calling for increased government funding for CBC, and you are certainly aware of concerns about the degree to which the need for advertising revenue is at odds with the CBC's public service mandate. While we are distressed by the degree to which CBC television has become focused on generating advertising revenue, we want to make it clear that under present circumstances, any new government funding—and we certainly hope your report will call for increased funding—must be allocated to more and better Canadian programming rather than to a reduction of advertising.
There is, however, a suggestion, which we recently made to the CRTC, that your committee may wish to consider. As part of its TV policy review, the commission is examining proposals to allow the over-the-air broadcasters to charge cable and satellite subscription fees. Should the CRTC decide to allow such fees, we recommended that it give preference to CBC.
Again, first call on any such new revenue should be for programming. But we also suggested that a portion, perhaps one-third, should be allocated to removal of TV advertising, particularly during news, current affairs, and documentary programming. That would help reduce the commercial character of our public networks.
On another topic, Our Public Airways believes the current governance structure of CBC/Radio-Canada is dysfunctional. First and most important is the need for a president who is selected by and responsible to the board of directors. The current process, whereby the president is appointed by order in council, seriously undermines the ability of the board to provide adequate oversight to the administration.
To do that, the board must have authority to hire and the power to dismiss the corporation's chief executive officer. Because the president is appointed by the government, it has been deemed necessary to protect CBC from undue influence by appointing the president for a fixed term during good behaviour. In practical terms, this means the CBC president is responsible to no one and can't be removed from office, no matter how poor his or her performance. Surely this is not acceptable.
We also find it unacceptable that the president is not only a member of the board but serves as its chair when that position is vacant, as has now been the case since last September. Until a new board chair is appointed, the current president is, for all practical purposes, his own boss. What kind of oversight can that possibly provide?
Also of great concern is lack of transparency in the process for appointment of the board itself, as well as the board chair. Over the years, this has resulted in numerous appointments of dubious merit.
While the issue of governance is vital, action on this must not be used as a cover for inaction on the more important issue of financial support. That CBC/Radio-Canada must be supported with public dollars is a price we need to pay to provide a modest reflection of our country in a TV universe awash with high-powered programming from across the border.
It is in this spirit that we call on your committee to enthusiastically support renewal of Canada's 70-year tradition of public broadcasting.
Thank you.