Being Canada’s Voice to the World and explaining Canada to the world, is at the heart of what Radio Canada International (RCI) is all about, and so it’s more than a little surprising to see how that mandate is being dismantled.

For example, CBC/Radio-Canada, Canada’s national public broadcaster is obliged to maintain the international service. And for years RCI’s mandate was defined within the Corporate and Program Policies of CBC/Radio-Canada.

In 2005, these policies (No 14 and 18) were eliminated.

CBC Corporate Policy No. 14  (Effective: May 13, 1980) clearly outlined RCI’s mandate: “Radio Canada International is directed by the CBC to provide a program service designed to attract an international audience with the purpose of further developing international awareness of Canada and the Canadian identity by distributing, through shortwave and other means, programs which reflect the realities and quality of Canadian life and culture….”

CBC Program Policy No. 18  (Effective: July 6, 1994) reinforced the international mandate: RCI’s program personnel, in carrying out the various elements of this objective, must consider the following:…. 2. To “attract an international audience,” RCI programming must be adapted to target audience interests and knowledge. The emphasis within information programming must be on topicality in order to reach the interested audience for shorwtwave…”

The abolition of these corporate policies and the integration of RCI into the domestic national service suggests how CBC/Radio-Canada interprets, and is changing, the main mandate of RCI to be Canada’s Voice to the World. This despite its obligations under Canada’s Broadcasting Act to provide an international service.

Details here of how the mandate continues to change.

Details of Corporate policies 14 and 18 here.