Radio-Canada is enhancing its community engagement and on-the-ground presence across Canada. As the sole French-language media outlet in every province and territory, it is deploying new resources to over 20 communities nationwide. This initiative reflects the public broadcaster’s commitment to prioritize local journalism, as outlined in its strategic plan unveiled last October.
Strengthening Local Journalism
Jean François Rioux, Director General of Regional Media at Radio-Canada, emphasized the importance of being accessible and connected to communities. He stated, “Being on the ground is essential to our role.” The initiative aims to deepen coverage of local events, benefiting various regions with enhanced local and regional news reporting.
New Positions Created
By the end of this year, Radio-Canada plans to create 29 new positions across 22 communities. Of these, 9 positions have already been filled last fall. The communities benefiting from this expansion include:
- Grand Nord: Whitehorse (1)
- Ouest: Kelowna (1), Calgary (1), Saskatoon (1), Winnipeg (1)
- Ontario: Sudbury (2)
- Québec:
- Rouyn-Noranda (1)
- Sherbrooke (3)
- Granby (1)
- Victoriaville (1)
- Trois-Rivières (1)
- Shawinigan (1)
- Lévis (2)
- Charlevoix (1)
- Saguenay (2)
- Sept-Îles (1)
- Rimouski (1)
- Gaspé (1)
- Acadie: Moncton (1), Charlottetown (2), Halifax (2), St. John’s (1)
Some of the new hires will work at existing CBC/Radio-Canada stations, while others will be stationed in areas with limited local media presence. Job postings are expected in the upcoming months.
Regional Information Portals
In addition to over 20 regional news portals on Radio-Canada.ca and the Radio-Canada Info mobile app, the public broadcaster is also localized in content and programming on ICI TOU.TV and Radio-Canada OHdio. This makes Radio-Canada an essential source for regional, national, and international news in the French language across the country.
