By Greg O’Brien
TORONTO – CBC/Radio-Canada president and CEO Catherine Tait recently asked her colleagues for a tally of what the likes of Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, Apple+ and others are spending on content this year.
“The number exceeds $50 billion,” she told attendees at a Canadian Club luncheon in Toronto on Tuesday. When asked by businesswoman and Dragon Arlene Dickinson how CBC can compete with such massive content budgets, Tait responded, to some laughter in the audience (since her reply is rather self-evident), “The answer is we can not.”
“We can not compete on a dollar-for-dollar basis,” she confirmed, adding however that as long as CBC tells compelling Canadian stories (she mentioned Kim’s Convenience), stays close to Canadians by providing trusted, and local, news its authenticity is what will carry the day. “Authenticity sells,” she added.
Tait also hopes to better develop the CBC’s standing with young people, too. It’s always been strong with preschool and adult programming, but over the years, Canadians in the 6-30 age range have often found little for them on the various CBC platforms, as the broadcaster assumed as the kids get older, they’ll just migrate back to good ol’ CBC. “It doesn’t work that way,” she added.
That means, CBC Kids News, much more youth-oriented content on streamer Gem, podcasts like Tai Asks Why and other moves, all streamed everywhere, all the time because CBC is constantly asking itself: “Where are the kids, what are they consuming and what can we deliver to them there?” she explained.
Tait also, in a scrum with reporters after her on-stage chat, set the record straight on who the CBC would be willing to work with to get new content to Canadians. Contrary to what was reported in the fall, the CEO is perfectly willing to work with Netflix, for example.
“Our position is we want to be in business with as many partners as possible to help produce and amplify great Canadian stories all over the world, but also here in Canada,” she said.
Her priority is to work with partners who will also do deals which ensure there are Canadian windows for Canadians to watch content their money paid to produce. “Our priority is on securing the best possible deals for Canadians,” she added. The public broadcaster is happy to work with Netflix, but “we’re not going to be in deals where Netflix takes all the domestic windows,” she clarified.
As for the recent story which said otherwise? “That was… incorrect journalism. I was misquoted. I want to do good deals that benefit the Canadian system and all the players in the system.”
Photo by Mike Haggarty, Canadian Club of Toronto.
