By Connie Thiessen
CBC/Radio-Canada is now a full member of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), putting the public broadcaster in a position to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest.
The federal government pushed to include Eurovision as an exploratory cultural initiative in the 2025 budget. The annual competition draws a global audience of 100 million.
Following a vote at the EBU’s 96th General Assembly in Prague, CBC/Radio-Canada’s full membership automatically grants the public broadcaster the right to broadcast Eurovision in Canada. It also gives CBC access to member-only networks for investigative journalism, verification, digital news and data, as well as the Eurovision News Exchange and Euroradio Music Exchange services.
CBC/Radio-Canada had previously been an Associate Member of the EBU since 1950, collaborating with European public broadcasters on journalism, standards and technology.
“CBC/Radio-Canada has been part of the EBU family since our foundation in 1950. As one of the world’s leading public broadcasters, it has already contributed hugely to our Union — helping us set and uphold the standards of public service journalism that matter most right now,” said Noel Curran, director general of the EBU. “Full Membership means we can now do even more together: on platform accountability, on trusted news, on the resilience that public broadcasters need to build for the years ahead. Canada’s voice in this community makes us stronger.”
“This new chapter in our relationship with the EBU and its members will deepen our cooperation at a time when the collective impact of public service media is essential,” added Marie-Philippe Bouchard, president and CEO of CBC/Radio-Canada. “It’s an important milestone that will benefit people on both sides of the Atlantic by helping to combat disinformation and support cultural expression.”
“As a full Member, we are hitting the ground running by announcing our full participation in the Eurovision News Exchange,” she added. “This will allow more Canadian news and perspectives to reach audiences in Europe, and bring more international coverage to Canadians.”
The vote to promote CBC/Radio-Canada to full member follows approval of a revision to EBU rules, opening up “extra-European Membership” to broadcasting organizations from countries with a public service media system aligned with core Council of Europe standards and formal observer status with the Council of Europe – criteria that Canada meets.
A CBC spokesperson told Cartt’s sister publication Broadcast Dialogue that the public broadcaster will have more to say on the Eurovision Song Contest at a later date.
