By Connie Thiessen
CBC/Radio-Canada is planning a significant international expansion that will see CBC News and Radio-Canada Info place journalists in five new regions, including re-opening its bureaus in Beijing, Jerusalem, and Mexico City, and establishing a presence in Los Angeles, as well as a new location in Europe to be determined.
The network will also deploy journalists to Africa more frequently before establishing a permanent presence there in the near future.
“This new investment in international reporting comes at a time when the world, and Canada’s place within it, is rapidly changing. Geopolitical, hemispheric, social and economic power dynamics are in significant flux, with many international stories now having a direct impact on Canada’s economy, security and sovereignty,” Brodie Fenlon, general manager and editor-in-chief of CBC News, said in an announcement from the public broadcaster.
CBC News said it will be exploring and developing multi-platform storytelling formats to deliver expanded international reporting across digital, audio and video streaming platforms. This fall, Radio-Canada host Céline Galipeau will additionally launch a new weekly international news program which promises to “dig deeper into complex global events” and showcase the work of Radio-Canada’s world correspondents. It will be broadcast live on ICI RDI on Fridays at 8 p.m., and rebroadcast on Sundays at 5 p.m. on ICI TÉLÉ and ICI TOU.TV.
In its announcement, the broadcaster said its recently announced participation in the Eurovision News Exchange will also allow audiences in Europe to receive more Canadian news and perspectives, while Canadians will receive more international coverage from the region.
“This expansion of our international news coverage will give Canadians a broader window on the world at a time when it is changing rapidly. Our correspondents and special envoys bring us into the heart of countries and communities, uncover compelling stories, and provide the context needed to understand the complex issues reshaping our world,” added Crystelle Crépeau, general manager of news and current affairs at Radio-Canada.
The expansion comes following numerous bureau closures over the last 25 years, including CBC’s China bureau in 2022 after the public broadcaster was unable to secure visas for its journalists from the Chinese government to work as permanent correspondents. The Moscow bureau was shut down by Russia that same year in retaliation for Canada’s ban on Russian state TV channels, Russia Today (RT) and RT France. Amid financial constraints in 2000, CBC had cut three of its bureaus: Capetown, South Africa; Mexico City; and the English TV bureau in Paris.
CBC News and Radio-Canada Info are currently operating seven permanent bureaus in Istanbul, London, Mumbai, New York City, Paris, Taipei and Washington D.C., in addition to deploying journalists to other regions from both those locations and Canada. The public broadcaster says its news teams travelled to 65 countries last year.
