As the committee knows, the key to broadcasting is content, and this applies just as much to children's programming as it does to news, sports, entertainment or drama. But the facts are clear: the proliferation of technology and information is not just completely changing the way Canadians access the information they are seeking, it is also greatly increasing the amount of information that is available. This allows for more mobility and individual choice, but for television, particularly for conventional broadcasters including the CBC/SRC, it means a significantly increased fragmentation of audiences.
Notwithstanding this reality, based on the latest CRTC data available, the average number of weekly hours of television viewing by Canadians has continued to increase since the 2001-2002 broadcast year, moving from 23.7 hours to 25.1 hours in 2004-2005. Most interesting is the fact that the largest increase in television viewing between 2001-2002 and 2004-2005 is children between 2 and 11 years old, going from 16.3 to 19.2 hours a week, and teens from 12 to 17 years old, going from 16.4 to 18.6 hours a week. This latest data from the CRTC clearly shows that, although young Canadians do spend more time chatting on their computers, they are nonetheless still watching television, apparently even more than before.
Canada's Broadcasting Act clearly states that:(i) the programming provided by the Canadian broadcasting system should (i) be varied and comprehensive, providing a balance of information, enlightenment and entertainment for men, women and children of all ages, interests and tastes.
But what do we think of the role of the CBC/SRC in this climate of technological change in program delivery and the increased fragmentation of audiences? As mentioned previously, we do not question the need for a strong CBC/SRC, but it is important for us all to consider what the CBC/SRC must do to maintain its relevance in the 21st century.