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The Role of Public Consultation in Shaping the Canadian Broadcasting System*

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 November 2009

Marc Raboy
Marc Raboy
Affiliation:
University of Montreal
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Abstract

Canadian broadcasting is characterized by a tradition of public debate over policy issues that takes place through a range of formal and less formal consultation mechanisms. In a study of the broadcasting policy review process of 1985–1991, the transparency of public debate was seen to be essential in giving access to social groups who would otherwise have little influence on the process.

Résumé

La radiodiffusion canadienne se distingue par une tradition de débat public à propos des enjeux politiques, qui se déYoule à travers une gamme de mécanismes formels et informels de consultation. Lors d'une étude du processus de révision de la politique fédérale de la radiodiffusion qui a eu lieu entre 1985 et 1991, il est apparu que la transparence du débat public fut un élément essentiel d'accès pour les groupes sociaux qui, en son absence, auraient eu peu d'influence sur ce processus.

Type
Research Article
Information
Canadian Journal of Political Science/Revue canadienne de science politique , Volume 28 , Issue 3 , September 1995 , pp. 455 - 477
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Political Science Association (l'Association canadienne de science politique) and/et la Société québécoise de science politique 1995

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References

1 Raboy, Marc, “The Role of the Public in Broadcasting Policymaking and Regulation: Lesson for Europe from Canada,” European Journal of Communication 9 (1994), 5–23.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

2 Raboy, Marc, Missed Opportunities: The Story of Canada's Broadcasting Policy (Montreal: McGill-Queen's University Press, 1990.Google Scholar

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5 Unless otherwise noted, citations are from interviews conducted by the author in June-July 1990 and, in some cases, translated from the original French.

6 Jim Edwards, a member of parliament from Alberta, himself a former commercial broadcaster, resigned the committee chair in 1987 in order to support an appeal by one of his constituents, Allarcom Ltd., against the CRTC's decision to award an “all-news” cable television service to the CBC.

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10 Canada, House of Commons, 2d session, 33d Parliament, 35–36–37 Elizabeth II, 1986–87–88, Bill C-136, first reading June 23,1988, art. 3.1 .p.

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21 Bill C-136, third reading, September 28, 1988, art. 3.1.k.ii.

22 The final version of the Act reads: “The programming provided by the Corporation should:… reflect Canada and its regions to national and regional audiences, while serving the special needs of those regions” (Canada, Statutes, Broadcasting Act [38–39 Elizabeth II, 1991, chap. 11], art. 3.1.m.ii).

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24 This is all the more impressive in view of the fact that our sample was limited to national actors, and that we deliberately excluded regional components of organizations such as ACTRA, or the CBC itself.

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44 Bill C-136, third reading, September 28, 1988, art. 3.1.civ.

45 Broadcasting Act, 1991, art. 3.1 .d.iii.

46 Task Force on Broadcasting Policy, Report, 519.

47 Bill C-136, first reading, June 23, 1988, art. 3.1.c.iii.

48 Bill C-136, first reading, June 23, 1988, art. 3.1 .k.