The Future of the CBC/Radio-Canada - Tous amis de Radio-Canada Agrees with the IRIS Analysis: CBC/Radio-Canada Poll Is Biased

MONTREAL, May 15, 2014 /CNW Telbec/ - The Tous amis de Radio-Canada group fully endorses the conclusions of the analysis conducted by the Institut de recherche et d'informations socio-économiques (IRIS) published yesterday in relation to the public survey launched on May 5^th by Hubert T. Lacroix, CEO of the CBC/Radio-Canada. The highest officer of the Company launched this initiative to address the many criticisms made against the only national public broadcaster who has recently imposed budget cuts totaling $130 million and affecting 657 positions.

"Several critics had already raised the particularly biased nature of the survey. In light of the IRIS analysis, we can only agree with them. Using misleading formulations and clear-cut positions, the entire questionnaire encourages the public to opt for a full digital transition of the services offered by the CBC/Radio-Canada. It is exactly this vision that the management of the Company advocates in the strategic plan it hopes to implement by 2020, that is, a radical change in the public broadcaster, or a radical transformation of the public broadcaster without any consideration of the entrusted mandate. For us, it is clear that this approach is part of a public relations plan to impose a single choice to the population," denounces Alex Levasseur, President of the Syndicat des communications de Radio-Canada (FNC–CSN).

Francis Fortier, author of the blog post published on the website of the research organisation (www.iris-recherche.qc.ca) submitted the survey questionnaire to various tests. He concludes that the technical and methodological sampling problems, the political angle of the survey, as well as the very construction of questions and response options hindered the entire validity of the CBC/Radio-Canada's initiative.

"Canadians need a real debate space to participate in decisions about the future of their only public broadcaster. As such, we requested a moratorium on current cuts and demanded that a public parliamentary commission on the future of the CBC/Radio-Canada be held as soon as possible. The survey proposed by Mr. Lacroix completely ignores the many issues related to financing, governance and programming of the Company. These are topics that we absolutely must address for a real debate to take place publicly," concludes Mr. Levasseur.

The Tous amis de Radio-Canada campaign aims to defend our entire single national public broadcaster. It is organised by the Confédération des syndicats nationaux, together with the Fédération nationale des communications–CSN and the Syndicat des communications de Radio-Canada (FNC–CSN).

The Syndicat des communications de Radio-Canada represents 1,600 members in the province of Québec and in Moncton and is affiliated with the Fédération nationale des communications-CSN, which is composed of 7,000 members working in culture and communications.

Founded in 1921, the CSN is a trade union federation that works towards a cohesive, democratic, just, fair and sustainable society. To this end, the CSN takes part in many debates that concern Quebeckers. The CSN federates almost 2,000 unions and represents more than 300,000 workers on a sectoral or professional basis within eight federations, as well as regionally via 13 central councils, primarily in the province of Quebec.

SOURCE: Syndicat des communications de Radio-Canada (SCRC)

Source: Syndicat des communications de Radio-Canada (FNC-CSN); Fédération nationale des communications-CSN; Confédération des syndicats nationaux; Information: Martin Petit, CSN Communication Services, Phone: [phone], [email protected]