The CBC/Radio-Canada corporate website was recently revamped to make it easier to navigate. But what exactly can you expect to find there? Well, dear readers, I decided to browse around the site a bit and here’s what I discovered.
What’s on the corporate site?
Despite being heavy users of CBC/Radio-Canada’s news and program sites, Canadians don’t necessarily think to visit CBC/Radio-Canada’s corporate website to get answers to questions like, how much does it cost each Canadian to fund the public broadcaster for a year? What is the licence renewal process and why is it important? Or, what is the Local Programming Improvement Fund (LPIF) and what is it used for?
These questions are legitimate and of interest to many Canadians. The site provides the answers, in addition to helping visitors learn more about the Corporation as an institution. After all, CBC/Radio-Canada is more than just an organization that creates content. It’s a Crown corporation that’s accountable to the government and all Canadians, while operating in a competitive, rapidly changing industry. Many of us perceive CBC/Radio-Canada as being a landmark institution that will continue to be a permanent fixture on our cultural landscape.
The corporate website provides updates on a range of topical issues and debates surrounding CBC/Radio-Canada, but also on the world of public broadcasting. It contains studies showing the Corporation’s relevance and economic impact, as well as the funding challenges facing public broadcasters around the world. Considerable emphasis is placed on the multiple ways that the Corporation is accountable to Canadians. Visitors can submit an access to information request online or browse a comprehensive section on transparency and accountability.
The newly minted corporate website makes it easier for visitors to find their way around. Check it out and explore the key issues affecting the public broadcaster today. I strongly recommend that you watch the video of the 2011 Annual Public Meeting. In addition to getting the highlights from 2010–11, you’ll hear four foreign correspondents discuss the top news stories of the past year.
- Sophie Bernard-Piché, Editor, CBC/Radio-Canada
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