OTTAWA, July 15 /CNW Telbec/ - The Task Force for Cultural Diversity on
Television today released its final report and accompanying research study,
representing the findings and outcome of nearly two years' work examining the
reflection and portrayal of cultural diversity on Canadian private television
stations.
Titled Reflecting Canadians: Best Practices for Cultural Diversity in
Private Television, the 59-page report and 400-page research study represent
the most comprehensive content analysis ever undertaken examining cultural
diversity on television, anywhere, and will serve as a benchmark for future
research. This major research undertaking consisted of five modules: Review of
Academic Literature and Previous Content Analyses; Best Practices Review;
Stakeholder One-on-One Interviews; Focus Group Research; and Benchmark Content
Analysis.
Informed by its research findings, the Task Force developed and
recommended Best Practices and Industry Initiatives to assist private Canadian
television broadcasters with the overall advancement of reflection and
portrayal of cultural diversity on television. "These best practices are
intended not only to address gaps or weaknesses uncovered by the research, but
also to strengthen the existing initiatives taken for the advancement of
cultural diversity in television broadcasting," commented Beverley Oda, Co-
Chair of the Task Force.
"We also recognized that while broadcasters can act as a catalyst for
change, action is required from all sectors of the industry before systemic
change will occur," added Madeline Ziniak, Co-Chair of the Task Force. "To
that end, we recommended Industry Initiatives that strongly encourage other
industry stakeholders to take action in order to advance diversity goals
within their sector."
The Task Force's recommendations were developed in recognition of the
fact that the Canadian broadcasting system is a complex industry comprised of
a range of businesses, from large corporations with multiple market presence
to smaller companies in single markets. Moreover, they also recognize the
significant differences that exist between market segments across Canada,
between English-language and French-language markets, and smaller and larger
markets.
"The Task Force fully recognized the social and market realities in which
broadcasters operate and our criteria for the recommended Best Practices and
Industry Initiatives were that they be practical to private television
broadcasters; that they be measurable over time; and finally, that they be
developed for implementation by broadcasters themselves," noted Madeline
Ziniak.
"What distinguishes this report from many others is the fact that the
development of the recommended Best Practices has involved broadcasters from
the start," added Beverley Oda. "We are pleased that the Canadian Association
of Broadcasters' (CAB) Television and Specialty & Pay Boards, fully support
the work and recommendations of the Task Force and are committed to
implementing the recommended Best Practices across Canada."
In August 2001, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications
Commission (CRTC) released Public Notice 2001-88, calling on Canada's private
broadcasters to develop an industry action plan addressing the reflection and
portrayal of Canada's cultural diversity on television. Public Notice 2001-88
further called for the formation of a task force to guide this major
initiative. The Task Force was established in 2002, following the development
of the action plan on cultural diversity and the acceptance of this plan by
the CRTC. It is important to note that, in discussion with the industry and
the Commission, the Task Force sought and attained independent, arm's length
status in its activities.
The Task Force was co-chaired by Beverley Oda, and Madeline Ziniak, Vice-
President and Station Manager, OMNI Television. The nine-member Task Force was
comprised of four non-industry members and five members representing the
broadcasting industry. Along with the co-chairs, the members included: Chief
Stefany Mathias, Squamish Nation/Next Exit Pictures Ltd.; Marie-Anna Murat,
Journalist; Raj Rasalingam, President, Pearson~Shoyama Institute; Elaine Ali,
Senior Vice-President, CTV Stations Group; Sarah Crawford, Vice-President,
Public Affairs, CHUM Limited; Rita Cugini, Vice-President, Regulatory Affairs
& Business Development, Alliance Atlantis Communications; and Pierre Lampron,
Vice-président, Relations institutionnelles, Quebecor Media and President TVA
films.
BACKGROUNDER
REPORT OF THE TASK FORCE FOR CULTURAL DIVERSITY ON TELEVISION
In August 2001, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications
Commission (CRTC) released Public Notice 2001-88, calling on Canada's private
broadcasters to develop an industry action plan addressing the reflection and
portrayal of Canada's cultural diversity on television.
Public Notice 2001-88 further called for the formation of a task force
comprised of industry and non-industry representatives, to guide this
initiative. The Task Force for Cultural Diversity on Television, formed in
2002 and comprised of five industry representatives and four non-industry
representatives, addressed two key objectives set out in the industry action
plan.
First, the Task Force would carry out a major research initiative to
study the reflection and portrayal of cultural diversity on Canadian private
television. Second, the Task Force would develop and recommend a set of Best
Practices and Industry Initiatives for broadcaster use. Together, these would
form the basis for advancing and measuring broadcaster progress on cultural
diversity in the years ahead.
Research and Key Findings
-------------------------
The Task Force retained Solutions Research Group of Toronto and Johnston
and Buchan LLP of Ottawa to carry out the research study. Five research
modules were developed:
- Background Research, including reviews of previous content analyses.
- Review of Best Practices, 15 case studies of corporations recognized as
leaders in cultural diversity.
- Fifty-four one-on-one interviews with 54 key stakeholders, including
broadcasting, ethnocultural and Aboriginal organizations.
- Twenty focus groups, selected from six markets and representing
150 Canadians from culturally diverse backgrounds.
- An extensive, benchmark content analysis: 330 hours of Canadian
programming from 72 English- and French-language services, plus the
Aboriginal Peoples Television Network; 6,123 speaking roles from
462 programs were analyzed.
The result of the Task Force's research initiative is without question
the most comprehensive research study on cultural diversity and the media ever
undertaken, anywhere.
The qualitative research - i.e. interviews and focus groups - revealed
widespread dissatisfaction with the status of cultural diversity on
television. While interview subjects indicated some progress had been made,
there was general recognition that significant advancement is required. Focus
group participants provided strong opinion on several areas of concern,
including persistent stereotyping, negative portrayal, underrepresentation of
some groups, and a virtual absence of Aboriginal representation outside of the
Aboriginal Peoples Television Network.
The quantitative analysis of programming content substantiated many of
these concerns, by providing an assessment of how cultural diversity is
reflected and portrayed on television.
In order to measure the actual presence of cultural diversity on
television, population proportion measures determined by Statistics Canada
from the 2001 Census were used as statistical benchmarks. For Canada excluding
Quebec, the population proportion comprising ethnic, racial and Aboriginal
diversity is 15.3 percent. For Quebec, the same population proportion is
6.9percent.
Eleven programming categories - six in English and five in French - were
analyzed by a team of coding experts from ethnoculturally diverse backgrounds.
The analysis consisted of (i) tabulating the actual onscreen presence of
cultural diversity and (ii) analyzing the roles played and/or attributes or
qualities demonstrated on screen.
Two English-language categories were higher than the 15.3 percent
benchmark:
- Other Entertainment; and
- Children's Programming
Four English-language categories fell below the 15.3 percent benchmark:
- News;
- Other Information;
- Drama; and
- Children's Drama.
Three French-language categories were higher than the 6.9 percent
benchmark:
- Other Information;
- Drama; and
- Children's Drama.
Two French-language categories fell below the 6.9 percent benchmark:
- News; and
- Other Entertainment.
The research also found the following critical gaps in presence:
- Onscreen presence of Aboriginal Peoples is considerably less than
their corresponding presence in the general population;
- Canadians of Asian and Southeast Asian descent are underrepresented
in relation to their presence in the general population;
- Very few experts/guests from culturally diverse backgrounds are
used in English News;
- Very few on-screen roles such as anchor or reporter are filled by
visible minorities on French-language News; and
- Visible minorities in English-language Drama fill few primary
speaking roles.
_________________________________________________________________________
Best Practices and Industry Initiatives
---------------------------------------
Based on these research findings and the collective experience of its
members, the Task Force developed and recommended a comprehensive set of
Best Practices and Industry Initiatives guided by the following
principles:
- The broadcasting industry must make a long-term commitment to advancing
cultural diversity goals onscreen and behind the camera
- The Best Practices are flexible in their design, so they can be applied
as appropriate for the market and operational realities of individual
broadcasters.
- Best Practices have been developed so that their progress can be
measured over time.
- All sectors of the industry - producers, directors, actors, funding
agencies - must demonstrate long-term commitment to advancing diversity
goals in order to effect real change within the system.
In order to situate the recommended Best Practices within the operations
and market realities of the Canadian broadcasting system, the Task Force
has organized its Best Practices into 10 areas:
1. Industry Commitment
2. Application and Measurement
3. Corporate Commitment and Accountability
4. Recruitment, Hiring, Retention
5. Internship, Mentoring and Scholarships
6. News and Information Programming
7. Programming - Acquired, Independent, and In-house Production
8. Community Connections
9. Internal Communications
10. External Communications
The Task Force also has recommended that the CRTC undertake another
programming content analysis in three to four years time, for example
during the 2006-07 television season, to ascertain the level of progress
achieved.
_________________________________________________________________________
The full report and research study can be found at:
www.cab-acr.ca/culturaldiversi....
For further information: David Rodier, (613) 263-2215
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Task Force for Cultural Diversity on Television - Releases Comprehensive Report Recommends Best Practices and Industry-wide Initiatives CNW
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