NAVEL GAZING AT THE CBC

On January 31, the long-awaited report on the future of the CBC was released. Its authors, former CBC head Pierre Juneau, newspaper publisher Peter Herrndorf, and professor Catherine Murray presented the united front that the CBC needs to be saved and the best way to do it would be to levy a 7 percent tax on long-distance telephone calls and cable.

CBC more important to the CBC than prime rate

A recurring theme in CBC news programming is to give prominent play to announcements and decisions that pertain to the Mothercorp. The Juneau report was no exception. It wasn't just the lead story on "The National." It was the subject of the top two stories on the "National" on the evening of January 31. Furthermore, the entire "Magazine" was devoted to the issue of the CBC. This consisted of an in-depth story by Laurie Brown, an interview with Heritage Minister Sheila Copps, a panel interview with CBC Chair Perrin Beatty, pro-CBC lobbyist Ian Morrison, Richard Stursberg, head of the Cable industry, and Reform MP Jim Abbot. If that weren't enough, the evening was capped off with an interview with committee member Peter Herrndorf.

In contrast, while "CTV News" did report on the Juneau recommendations, it comprised only one story and it was placed after two stories on a fall in the prime rate. Those stories focused on the sluggish economy, retail sales, and consumer confidence. CBC's coverage on the lowering prime rate was an anchor-only story that simply mentioned the new rate with no explanation of its effect on the rest of the economy.

To her credit, Hana Gartner admitted: "It is a little awkward doing a story on the place where you work. But the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation is more than that. It's been a part of this country for more than 50 years, growing into a vast network of radio and television." Despite the difficulty, Gartner plodded through several interviews on the place where she works.

Are Canadians willing to fund the CBC?

Ostensibly the focus of the entire "Magazine" was to answer the question, "Are Canadians willing to pay a tax to keep the public broadcaster on the airwaves?" The program however, focused less on whether Canadians were willing to pay that extra tax and more on presenting the CBC's case. For example, in Laurie Brown's backgrounder, she gave the precedent for the special tax: "But the idea of a designated tax and the CBC is not a new one. In fact, every Canadian who owned a radio in 1936 paid $2 tax on it. Then, like now, it was to create more stable funding for CBC, funding that would not come and go like the governments on Parliament Hill."

Instead of answering the question about the tax, Laurie Brown concluded her piece asking the question over again: "The report has more immediate problems to deal with. First, is the government of the day letting go of the CBC fiscal reins? And two, are Canadians willing to pick them up?"

To answer these questions, Sheila Copps, the Heritage Minister, was interviewed. However, rather than pose a direct question, Hana Gartner asked her how she was going to persuade cabinet to impose the levy: "I'm curious-how do you begin to convince cabinet that only people who are hooked up to cable are making-or make long distance calls, should be taxed to support the CBC?" Indeed, rather than focus on whether Canadians were willing to be taxed extra for the CBC, Gartner pressed Copps on the existing funding for the corporation, asking not once but four times about the current funding cuts:

•"You have said that the prime minister gave you the job in part because he wanted you to fight the cuts."

•"So how-I'm curious-how do you fight the cuts? The CBC is facing $350 million cuts; another round is coming this spring. How do you resist that?"

•"But I'm curious. Can you-with waving those letters, can you say, you see, there is support for the CBC. Should we revisit the $350 million or the cut that's coming this spring?"

•"But even the government said, `We believe in the CBC,' and `It's going to have a long-term funding,' and-but then deficits came up and `We're going to initiate cuts.' So . . ."

It was only in the third story on the "Magazine" that the viability of this proposal was put to a panellist. Gartner asked the cable industry spokesman: "Mr. Stursberg, it's going to be the cable companies who are going to be collecting the money." Yet when Stursberg responded in the negative, and reminded Gartner of the public's reaaction when cable companies attempted to raise their rates, Gartner argued: "But is that exactly the same thing, Mr. Stursberg? I mean the CBC has been around for a long time, it's a known quantity. People know what it's about."

News or promotion?

This self-serving coverage was not limited to the "National." On the program "Politics" on CBC Newsworld, co-anchors Don Newman and Nancy Wilson shared ideas on the past cuts. While Newman referred to the cuts incurred by CBC to date as "lean and mean," Nancy Wilson retorted that they were already "anorexic." On CBC radio in Calgary, the comments from the public were all in support of CBC. What may have been the greatest irony in the coverage of the Juneau report was that the committee also reviewed Telefilm Canada and the National Film Board. Yet, Peter Mansbridge reported these recommendations with the terse statement, "But the committee also reviewed two other cultural institutions. Telefilm Canada provides money for film production. The committee says it should be maintained and strengthened. As for the National Film Board, the committee says it should reduce staff and use more freelancers."

The question that might be posed to CBC news is whether CBC is the only cultural institution in the country worth talking about?

Summary of Navel Gazing at the CBC

The Juneau report was more prominently reported than the prime rate. Not only were the top two stories on "The National" and the entire "Magazine" devoted to the topic, but it eclipsed the two week decline in the prime rate.

Ostensibly the focus of the entire "Magazine" was to answer the question: "Are Canadians willing to pay a tax to keep the public broadcaster on the airwaves?" The program, however, focused less on whether Canadians were willing to pay an extra tax for the CBC, and more on presenting the CBC's case.

Year In Review-1995

National unity dominates Canadian news

It comes as no surprise that national unity topped the networks' agenda this year. National unity has been the top news story on CBC in five of the past six years and on CTV in four of the past five years.

However, what was unusual this year was the unanimity between television news and the public. According to a Gallup poll released on November 20, 1995, this was the first year in recent memory in which the public considered the future of the country to be the most important problem facing Canada.

In a poll conducted between November 8 and 13, 1995, over 1000 Canadians were asked: "What do you think is the most important problem facing this country today?" Twenty-five percent of respondents cited national unity, compared to only 11 percent during the Meech Lake and Charlottetown Accord negotiations.

The heightened media attention to the Quebec referendum may well have been a factor in the unprecedented concern over Canada's future. In the National Media Archive's analysis of English-language television coverage of the Quebec referendum, the federalist position received greater coverage and less criticism than the sovereigntist campaign.

Up until the final week of the campaign, English-language journalists speculated, and led Canadians to believe, that the federalist forces would easily prevail. Many Canadians realized that a "No" vote was not a foregone conclusion only after the Canadian dollar plunged one week before the vote.

Fiscal matters frequently discussed on CBC

Four issues in the top ten pertained to the fiscal management of Canada: health care, Ontario's Common-Sense Revolution, the debt and the deficit, and, to a lesser extent, unemployment. These issues combined comprised 26.5 percent of total top ten coverage. CTV dedicated less attention to these issues, with health and unemployment accounting for 10.6 percent of top ten coverage.

The future of health care

Canada's health care system was the top fiscal concern on both networks and accounted for 7.8 percent of CBC's and 6.6 percent of CTV's coverage of the top ten issues. While both networks focused on the ailing finances of Canada's public health care system, CTV gave more balanced coverage to the possible introduction of private alternatives.

For example, on August 16, 1995, the Canadian Medical Association voted on whether or not they would support the introduction of private health care. The vote was close-56 percent of the members attending the conference were opposed, while 44 percent supported private health care.

In the CBC story on the same day, neither anchor Peter Mansbridge nor reporter Reg Sherren indicated just how divided the members were over this issue. Reg Sherren reported: "Recent surveys of the country's 46,000 doctors show a majority feel the public system is in big trouble, and the time has come to explore setting up some sort of private health care . . . . But the doctors here said no. Instead, they voted to head up a national public debate." The views of doctors in favour of privately-funded care were presented, but the viewer had no way of knowing that almost one-half of the doctors supported exploring private care options.

In contrast, on CTV, the fact that the doctors were so divided over this issue was the focus of the report. Anchor Lloyd Robertson introduced the story: "With public-financed health under threat from government cutbacks, polls have been suggesting most doctors favour a separate system for those who can afford it, but today's vote on the issue at the Canadian Medical Association meeting in Winnipeg rejected two tiers, but just barely."

Reporter Mark Sikstrom then stated: "The debate on the resolution that would open the door to privately-funded medicine revealed that doctors, like society at large, are deeply divided on the issue of two-tier medicine." He reported the results of the vote and in a subsequent interview with Lloyd Robertson again stressed that the real story here was just how divided the doctors were over this issue.

These two reports gave two significantly different versions of the same event. Given that doctors have consistently topped the list of the most respected professionals, Canadians have the right to a balanced and accurate account of their views.

Unemployment receives less attention

Although political ideologies differ on whether job creation is an appropriate role for government, jobs were central to the platform on which Chretien's Liberal government was elected. The media has closely followed the issue of jobs and unemployment over the years, and in 1994 "jobs" was the number two issue on both CBC and CTV. This past year, media attention to unemployment fell significantly placing sixth on CBC and eighth on CTV.

The unemployment rate fell below 10 percent in November 1994 and had fallen to 9.2 percent by September 1995. However, CBC and CTV usually put a negative spin on the story. A study conducted by the National Media Archive of the television reports on unemployment in 1993 and 1994 found that even when the unemployment rate was falling, commentary on CBC was three times more negative than positive. On CTV, assessments of decreasing unemployment was slightly more negative than positive (56 percent negative and 44 percent positive).

O.J. Simpson and Paul Bernardo both in top ten

Two sensational murder trials gripped Canadian television audiences this year. Paul Bernardo's trial was the fifth most-mentioned story on CBC and the fourth most-mentioned story on CTV in 1995. The O.J. Simpson trial made the ninth spot on CBC and the fifth spot on CTV News.

The coverage of these trials is part of a disturbing trend in television news reporting. As On Balance reported this summer, while the homicide rate for 1994 had dropped 8 percent from 1993, reports of murder on both networks in 1994 were nearly double that of 1993. We estimate that the 1995 murder reports are likely to surpass those of 1994. When the homicide rate was higher, there were actually fewer reports on murder on national television news.

Despite the repetition of these and other high profile murder cases, Canadian audiences must remember that the murder rate has been declining in Canada over the past three years. Moreover, random murders, that is, homicides committed by a stranger, are also on the decline, comprising 13 percent of murders last year. However, in our analysis, we found that reports of random murders comprised 85 percent of CBC's and 89 percent of CTV's coverage of Canadian murders.

Prime minister retains top rank

Prime Minister Jean Chretien retained his rank as the most-quoted politician on national television in 1995, but his lead was less secure. In 1994, Chretien garnered 32 percent of CBC's and 37 percent of CTV's attention to the top ten federal politicians. This year Chretien accounted for 27 percent of CBC and 33 percent of CTV coverage of those politicians.

Bouchard holds rank in top ten list

Bloc Quebecois Leader Lucien Bouchard retained his position as the number two federal politician on television news. And although Quebec Premier Jacques Parizeau began the referendum campaign as the official leader of the "Yes" side, Bouchard soon took the reigns. In our analysis of the television coverage of the campaign, Lucien Bouchard accounted for 53 percent of "Yes" side statements on both networks. Bouchard accounted for over one-fifth of the top ten's mentions throughout 1995.

Tobin's fish war places him in top ten list

Fisheries Minister Brian Tobin's impassioned defence of Canadian interests during the so-called "fish war" with Spain placed him in the top ten list for the first time. Tobin entered the list in the fourth position and accounted for approximately 9 percent of the networks' attention to the ten highest profile federal politicians.

Manning slips from third to fifth

Reform Leader Preston Manning received less attention than Tobin or Finance Minister Paul Martin in 1995, and fell from third place to fifth place in the top ten list. In fact, in 1995 the Reform Party received the least attention of the three main federal parties by a significant margin.

Reform Party receives proportionally less attention than all other federal parties

In the compilation of the Year in Review, references to and statements by all Members of Parliament are recorded. The Liberals, with 177 MPs, account for 60 percent of the seats in the House of Commons, and received 65.5 of CBC and 67.3 percent of CTV total attention to MPs in 1995. The Bloc Quebecois had 53 members, accounting for almost 18 percent of the House, and received 19.2 percent and 17.8 percent of coverage of MPs on CBC and CTV respectively. The Reform Party, with one less seat than the Bloc, received only 11 percent of CBC and 10 percent of CTV total attention to federal politicians in 1995 (see figure A).

Quebec premier ranks first in top ten list again

Outside of 1993, the most frequently mentioned provincial leader on national television news has been the Quebec premier. This year, Jacques Parizeau continued the tradition. Although Bouchard received greater television attention during the Quebec referendum campaign, Parizeau's statements did account for over one-third of CBC's and CTV's coverage of the "Yes" side.

Mike Harris takes the spotlight from Klein

Last year saw an upset in the Ontario provincial election campaign in more ways than one. While Mike Harris took the premier's position away from Bob Rae, he also had the dubious distinction of taking some of the media heat away from Ralph Klein.

Two On Balance issues last year examined how politicians from Alberta and Ontario were reported. In our analysis of Ralph Klein's first 20 months in office compared to Bob Rae's first 20 months, we found that the media had a different approach to the two provinces. Specifically, we noted that while the two provinces differed significantly in their approaches to fiscal management, the networks also differed in their assessments.

Assessments of Ontario's policies were slightly more often negative than positive (58 percent negative compared to 42 percent positive). However, on CBC, assessments of Alberta's actions were twice as often negative as positive, and on CTV three times as often negative as positive.

In our analysis of the Ontario election campaign, we found that CBC television news was playing favourites with Bob Rae. One noticeable feature of the CBC's coverage was its favourable descriptions of Bob Rae compared to Mike Harris. Positive descriptions of Bob Rae outweighed negative descriptions by a factor of two. In contrast, CBC provided nine times as many negative as positive descriptions of Mike Harris. While Bob Rae was called "experienced," "a golden boy," "bright," "articulate," "bilingual, well-liked in Quebec," "honest," "cool, confident," "realistic, down to earth," and "practical," Mike Harris' favourable commentary was limited to "constructive."

Where Bob Rae was criticized by being called "inexperienced," "lacks agenda" and "radical," Mike Harris was called "inexperienced," "a nobody," "faceless Tory backbencher," "shambling," "turkey," "Nazi," "Chain-saw Mike," "thug," "Neanderthal" and "plain stupid," to name a few.

Methodology

The Year in Review includes CBC's "Prime Time News," "The National," "Saturday Report," "Sunday Report" and "Venture," and the CTV "News" from January 1, 1995 to December 31, 1995.

All occurrences of names were examined in the script to ensure accuracy. A complete list of the media attention given to Members of Parliament and the premiers is available upon request.

Further information or details on the coding design or methods may be obtained by contacting the National Media Archive.

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Last Modified: Wednesday, October 20, 1999.