Official Languages Committee on Dec. 2nd, 2025

[Joël Godin, Conservative, Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC]

Thank you, Ms. Jamet.

Earlier, you mentioned 115 forms that must be submitted to the CRTC for compliance purposes. This clearly shows that the CRTC has not kept pace with technological developments. This could be done online, and it would receive the data on a daily basis.

The CRTC therefore has work to do. I understand you are caught between a rock and a hard place, since it is the CRTC that grants you your licence.

Do you believe that the CRTC should use the report we will be submitting here following the witnesses' appearances in order to move forward more quickly and ensure that the fossil known as the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission gets dusted off?

[Caroline Jamet]

You are quite right.

This is an organization that has failed to adapt. We need to change the mindset at the CRTC, which regulates our industry. There has been a lack of action in recent years, which has led to the situation we find ourselves in today. It is therefore urgent that major changes be made to the way we look at what we do; as I mentioned earlier, we must include all contributions from radio.

Currently, we are only looking at one element, and that is unfair. We also have an organization that could regulate foreign platforms, but it isn't. This inequity is causing enormous harm to our industry.

Something needs to change. Indeed, the CRTC must have the courage to implement these changes.

[Joël Godin, Conservative, Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC]

We need to take the bull by the horns because it's not easy. I understand there is no magic solution, but we need to work with the stakeholders.

I would like to return to the 40% and 65%. Earlier, our artist, Ms. Normand, mentioned the importance of discoverability and showcasing new talent.

We are here to protect both official languages, and the most vulnerable language is French. So let's keep that 65% in mind. Now, if I take into account your interviews, your promotions, your work in the field to earn a larger share, and if we promote a new artist, it's worth a lot within that 65%.

Could this be one among many possible solutions?

[The Chair, Liberal, Yvan Baker]

Your time is up.

Ms. Jamet, I would ask you for a very brief answer.

[Caroline Jamet]

We want to avoid having to count reports and seconds in a bureaucratic environment where we have to count all these things, because these are things we do.

We would therefore like to see recognition of all the elements you mention, which constitute part of our contribution to culture.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yvan Baker]

Thank you, Mr. Godin.

We will now go to Ms. Chenette for five minutes.

[Madeleine Chenette, Liberal, Thérèse-De Blainville, QC]

Thank you, Chair.

First, thank you, Ms. Normand. Your presentation was very clear, as were your recommendations. So I will not be asking you any questions. It is not because I am not interested, but rather because it was crystal clear.

I will take advantage of your presence here, Ms. Jamet, since you have considerable and long-standing experience in the media sector.

Of course, we agree with your assessment of the situation, except for the fact that French getting more airtime on your media is a problem.

I think it's one of the important aspects, while you are presenting all the other elements on which the industry is being fundamentally challenged.

In this context, the CRTC also has a role to play, but with the evolution of the industry unclear, what is the CRTC's role? Which came first, the chicken or the egg? I don't know, but that's where the fundamental problem lies, ultimately.

Therefore, before addressing a broader issue, I would like to clarify one of your five points. Once again, your points were extremely clear; it's just the second one that problematic.

When you talk about media incentives, what do you mean? What would make a difference?

[Caroline Jamet]

We could actually encourage companies that want to advertise on local media through tax credits and other means to ultimately protect our local media instead of sending our money outside the country. When we do that, we're weakening Canadian media.

[Madeleine Chenette, Liberal, Thérèse-De Blainville, QC]

I think the whole notion of advertising is still a recommendation to consider in the short term, but it's just a band-aid. The entire advertising sector has been completely transformed. Algorithms are now able to target us and tell us what we need. That's why the platforms are so strong compared to radio stations. Radio is still in mass communications mode, whereas the platforms are in targeted communications mode. That's why I don't think these solutions are sustainable enough to save the radio industry.

Private and public radio both play a role as democratic institutions in the vitality of our community.

Yesterday, the Regroupement des festivals régionaux artistiques indépendants launched the Observatoire pour la culture indépendante et les festivals artistiques.

We're moving from communication to community infrastructure and democratic infrastructure.

How can we imagine an integrated media model if the CRTC is stuck in a straitjacket? What do you recommend to help us move forward on this?

[Caroline Jamet]

First and foremost, I think our proposals need to be taken into account and implemented. That would be a good start.

You mentioned the platforms and mass media. I think you make a very good point.

It's important to realize that each radio station has one type of programming. On foreign platforms, it's listener-driven programming. Our challenge is to reach our audience with one type of programming. We can't personalize programming for every single listener. That's what competition is all about. When people leave us, they go to those competitors who don't really play French-language music; they don't really play a role in supporting local culture.

That's why we have to look at the radio model and adapt what we do. We shouldn't keep a system that dates back to the 1980s, because the world has changed; habits have changed. We've told you about trends, and we can see that the trend is downward.

Therefore, we need to change the rules of the game.

[Madeleine Chenette, Liberal, Thérèse-De Blainville, QC]

I hear you loud and clear, but personalization is happening everywhere, not only in the media sector. The wave is here to stay. The current model is way too obsolete to deal with that reality.

The goal is to reach young people age 15 to 29 and over who have become accustomed to seeking out a foreign culture. Our Canadian pride is historic, because we didn't have this problem in the past. How can we take advantage of it and breathe life back into the industry, bring back the community aspect and refocus personalization on my community rather than keep a global perspective?

My question is about your audience and the analysis you do. What are you learning about these listening habits and what interests people about Canadian and francophone culture compared to what interests them about discovering the world?

[The Chair, Liberal, Yvan Baker]

We're out of time, but I'll ask for a very brief answer, if possible.

[Caroline Jamet]

What I'm saying is that our industry is mass media and it needs sustainability.

We play a key role. In the Montreal market, almost 8.5 out of 10 people listen to the radio every week. We still have significant strength. We want to maintain it.

I think the important message is that radio is still a strong medium today. We must have the means to continue to earn revenue in line with our needs, to create our content. We need a more flexible environment. These factors will help us find our place again, because we're local media and we're still very present in people's lives.

Even though people have other choices, they still listen to the radio. Young people are important. We agree on that. That's why we need that flexibility. Being more agile will definitely help our industry adapt. We're trying things out right now, but there are so many stringent rules that we're almost programming with Excel sheets.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yvan Baker]

Mr. Beaulieu now has the floor for two and a half minutes.

[Mario Beaulieu, Bloc, La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC]

Thank you.

I'm going to talk about CBC/Radio-Canada.

The latest budget included $150 million in funding for CBC/Radio-Canada. Does CBC/Radio-Canada have a lot of advertising revenue? Is there a way to balance that so that private radio stations benefit more?

[Caroline Jamet]

From a digital advertising standpoint, it's certainly a competitor.

As we try to impose digital revenue on ourselves in this world, it would help our private radio sector enormously if the public broadcaster didn't sell advertising.

[Mario Beaulieu, Bloc, La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC]

Could we not, for example, increase the quota for French-language music at CBC/Radio-Canada? It already plays a lot, but it seems as though there's a trend towards English-language music. We're also seeing interviews that aren't directly translated on TV.

[Caroline Jamet]

The public broadcaster has a mandate to promote Canadian culture. It's also a broadcaster that has the means to do a lot of things.

However, in my opinion, the question of the public broadcaster's role and how it can fulfill its role even better to showcase Canadian culture remains entirely relevant.

[Mario Beaulieu, Bloc, La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC]

Great.

Can you think of any other measures that you haven't been able to talk about yet?

[Caroline Jamet]

I told you about our measures. As I said, sustainability is extremely important. I think it's important to look at our industry with the specificity of radio in mind.

I would also add that there's a lack of support for our industry. We don't have access to any programs for our content, which we fully fund. Our hosts are often also artists, we do interviews, we're present. If you knew everything we do societally and charity-wise to help communities! That's important.

[Mario Beaulieu, Bloc, La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC]

What program could provide you with significant support?

[Caroline Jamet]

Actually—

[The Chair, Liberal, Yvan Baker]

The time's up. You have 10 or 15 seconds to respond.

[Caroline Jamet]

Any support for radio will bring us sustainability, which in turn will help us play our role, the role we've been playing for years and want to continue to play.

[Mario Beaulieu, Bloc, La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC]

Thank you very much.