WINNIPEG – It’s only been 15 months, but CBC/Radio-Canada said its new strategy ‘A Space For Us All’ is beginning to pay off.
At its annual public meeting Tuesday in Winnipeg, president and CEO Hubert Lacroix told employees that the public broadcaster was able to reinvest $23 million from savings into Canadian programs this year, the first time that it has been able to reinvest in its schedules since 2009.
“We’ve continued to improve our financial stability despite the industry-wide weakening of television advertising”, Lacroix said in his remarks. “We’ve done this by reducing our expenses by $105 million dollars, which more than offset the $74 million decrease in revenues, largely due to the loss of hockey. We are keeping a close eye on our financial position given the decline in the advertising market. However, our employees are now starting to see the results of their efforts and sacrifice.”
With a liberal sprinkling of words like “reinventing” and “transformation”, Lacroix reiterated the strategy’s goal of a more local focus through digital, mobile and social media means.
"Our regional news services are a good example of how we're changing," Lacroix continued, noting that CBC is on track to launch new enhanced news services specifically for digital and mobile users beginning Monday. "This is one more way we are going to interact, co-create, and engage with you wherever you are. Our challenge; however, is how to move fast enough to remain relevant – keep up with new technologies – while making sure we don't leave those using our more traditional platforms behind."
– Lesley Hunter
