New small radio station for Waterloo, Ont. has expenses, but secret

[DanNospamSay]

Generally, CBC aggregates its expenses across
the network.

Sun Media hate that and use it to dig into CBC

Jeff Outhit, Record staff
Wed May 15 2013 20:45:00
http://www.therecord.com/news/local/article/934696--cbc-keeps-kitchener-radio-costs-secret

CBC keeps Kitchener radio costs secret

WATERLOO REGION — Taxpayer-funded CBC is keeping secret the cost of
its new local radio station, while it spars with private stations that
are upset to be competing with the public purse.

“All of the financial data on what we spend on individual locations we
consider to be competitive information,” said Chris Boyce, executive
director of radio and audio for the state broadcaster.

CBC Radio responded to an access-to-information request by withholding
financial plans, staffing plans and market research related to its
local FM station.

CBC launched its Kitchener station March 11 without a broadcast
licence that it did not receive until April 25. Blaming an oversight,
the CBC briefly yanked its station off the air in April when private
broadcasters cried foul.

“They are putting themselves in a directly competitive position with
private commercial broadcasters that don’t receive public funding,”
said Douglas Kirk, president of the Ontario Association of
Broadcasters. “That’s what the private broadcasters are really ticked
off about.”

Kirk is not surprised the CBC is guarding market research. “In my view
there was really probably no research done,” he said. “They’re just
making it up as they go.”

The CBC spends $1 billion in taxpayer funding to operate radio,
television and online services. The federal government has cut $115
million, prompting CBC Radio to seek permission from regulators to
sell advertising on its commercial-free music network.

Kirk sees this as the “the tip of the iceberg” that will eventually
lead CBC Radio to sell advertising on commercial-free news stations in
Kitchener and elsewhere. This could take revenues from private radio
competitors.

Boyce says CBC Radio has “no plans to introduce advertising” on its
current affairs network.

The Record asked CBC Radio for costs, revenues and market research in
support of its Kitchener station. The state broadcaster released 406
mostly-censored pages, blanking out budget and staffing options, focus
group findings, research on market share, website revenues and
performance measures.

To keep the information secret the CBC cites up to eight access-to-
information exemptions. This includes valuable trade secrets, personal
information, confidential information for a third party, advice
developed for a government or cabinet minister and journalistic
activities.

CBC Radio is expanding current affairs stations to reach more
listeners. Boyce explains the public broadcaster must provide cross-
country service and is catching up in high-growth areas. Kirk
disagrees that CBC Radio must require local programming. He describes
radio expansion as a desire of CBC managers.

A CBC document marked confidential calls Waterloo Region “the most
populous unserved region in Canada” despite the presence of 10
competing radio stations.

Boyce argues CBC Radio provides a service unmatched by private
broadcasters, mixing local and national stories, current affairs,
culture and comedy. “I think there’s a breadth and scope of the
programming that isn’t duplicated elsewhere,” he said.

jou...@therecord.com